Stephenie's Writing Talent

[TinkGirl]

Okay, I've been thinking about this for awhile, and so I thought I'd run it by you ladies to see what you think. I've read various blogs and reviews all over cyberspace from a variety of persons with a variety of opinions regarding the Twilight Series and Stephenie Meyer's abilities as a author. Having done this, I can't help but wonder how one could be affected enough by Ms. Meyer's books to have read them multiple times and to feel so passionately about them to take the time to post all over the internet in blogs and/or forums, to then, in the same breath (or sentence) as claiming their obsession with the series and characters to claim that Ms. Meyer is not a talented author. Not only that, but some have the audacity to say that they wish she would “shut up” because they don't agree with her explanation of a character's behavior or the motivation behind a scene in the books. Hello? Did she not write these books that so many of us are so obsessed with? Don't you think that the author should be the supreme authority on her books and characters? Since when do fans know more than the author about her creation?

So, my question is what is an accurate analysis of Ms. Meyer as an author? How does one judge whether she be ranked with the great classic authors such as the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen, or is her writing more along the lines of literature that is simply indicative of a decade, rather than being “timeless”? Granted, we should take into consideration that these are her first books and that Twilight was written without the intention of it ever being published. Obviously, she has talent because she has such a large and heterogeneous fan base. One cannot possibly ignore the success that she has achieved in such a short time, and I think it would be accurate to compare her to J.K. Rowling in that sense. Like Tolkein and Rowling, Meyer has created an alternate universe that is not only complete fantasy, but completely believable too. This isn't a universe that was just thrown together either. She has all the details in place. Granted, it may not be as complex as Middle Earth or the Wizarding World, but it is a complete alternate universe non-the-less. How can anyone who has read these books doubt that Ms. Meyer is a talented writer? I can understand (or at least try to) why someone might not like her books, but to dismiss her ability would be completely unfounded.

Anyhow, this is way too long. What do you all think?

[annegirl]

Here Here!!
I think she is incredibly talented. You don't get all of these fans just by writing a so so book about love. There are a lot of those out there.

[hookedonmonix]

Well, I am hugely obsessed with Harry Potter, but I always say "JK Rowling is a great storyteller, but only a good writer."

We all have a different idea of what a great writer is. I sort of put good books into three categories. Good stories written by Great authors, Great stories written by Good authors, and Great stories written by Great authors. Of course there's many shades in between. It's a little strange to me that I put my favorite book series (Harry Potter) in the great story/good writing category. I mean, I freaking LOVE those books, but I just can't gush about Rowling's writing separate from the story. I think that Stephenie is a better writer than JK Rowling, but Rowling tells a better story (as in, more intricate and nuanced).

Also,I think Twilight is a guilty pleasure for a lot of people. It's very similar to Potter in that aspect. I think they both get criticized by people who would say it's not "high art" and so therefore shouldn't be good.
Many people imagine "great" writers have an eloquent, formal, poetic voice. So it's hard for them to see a casual voice as great.

I guess I'm saying it is possible to LOVE a book, but not think the author is a great writer. Before i get flamed for that, let me point out that I am not saying Stephenie isn't great. Just that *in general* it's possible to love a book and not the author's ability.

Also, Twilight isn't nearly as heterogeneous (I had to look that up, btw.) as Potter. Yes, there are men who read it, but by far it is mostly read by females, particularly teens-40's. It may be more similar to the balance of Tolkein's appeal, but i think still, Tolkein has a more balanced fanbase than Meyer.

and, (I'm almost done...) again not speaking about stepheine here, but you can get a huge fan base by being mediocre. Think Britney Spears. Actually, the huge fan base is what scared me away from HP for so long. Thank goodness I got over it.

[TinkGirl]

hookedonmonix - I get what you're saying with the Britney Spears comment, but can that actually be applied to literature? I agree with you that you can have a great story written by a good or average writer - I'm totally with you on that. With the Stephenie's writing I have to say that IMO there is something almost hypnotic about it. I put off reading Twilight for a long time because I wasn't really interested in a "vampire" novel. But, I read it after having so many people tell me how good it was and how I "had to" read it. I know that many people, including Stephenie herself, have commented that it's not THAT "vampire novel". Which is very true - you have to read it to know what that means. I felt the same way about The Host. I wasn't too keen on the whole "body-snatcher alien" thing. But, after reading the prologue and chapter on her website, I am definitely going to get it. She definitely has a unique twist on the topics she chooses to write about and I find myself captivated by her writing. Maybe I'm actually talking about the effect of the "story" as opposed to the "writing", but I think that in this case the two are very closely linked.

[hookedonmonix]

Yes, I think that it *can* apply to literature. I'm thinking of V.C. Andrews who is/was hugely popular, but I am so ashamed to admit I ever read her books. Or Danielle Steele, which I am so thankful to say I haven't read.
However, yes- I think Stephenie is a great writer, and I love her voice.
But I can understand how someone could love her work and not think she's a great writer. I don't know how you can love the book and think she's a bad writer, but I guess I get sort of sucked into reality TV and can't turn it off, and get emotionally invested in it, even though it totally sucks.
Or like, the gilmore girls. I used to think it was the most ridiculous show in the world. but I watched it every freaking week, like it was a drug, until I loved it.

I wish I could define exactly what i mean by a great storyteller, but not a great writer. The two are closely linked, nearly the same thing. Maybe the way to put it is if you take a sentence randomly out of the book and examine it out of context. Like....

oh wait, never mind. I figured out the difference. Twilight has NO (or none I can remember) lines or scenes that make me groan because of their cheesiness. That is great writing. to write something as potentially groan inspiring as a girl falling head over heels in love, and not inspire a single groan of embarassment.
However, JK Rowling writes scenes like this that make me cringe :
wait, dang wrong book in front of me. But Harry and Ginny's first kiss.... ugh. I was embarassed to read it. She can't write the cheese out of a cheesy moment.

I think if you can make romance sound good, you're pretty rockin'.

[Onyx]

I think the criticism has to do with the fact that some of her writing and descriptions are fairly repetitive. I did get a little annoyed with contintual descriptions of Edward's "angel" face. That said, I have read the entire series at least three times and I can't stay away from the books or TM forum. There is undeniably something about her writing that completely sucks you into the world she's created and makes the characters so very real to us. So real in fact that it's after 1am and I'm still plinking around on this stupid computer getting my Twilight fix!

[AmberGlow]

Stephenie has a divine gift!
I began reading twilight on the 24th of Jan 08 and here it is the 28th of Feb, and i am still reading or listening to the books on audio CDs hours each day. (I had to get the audio CDsso I could actually get something done.)
Stephenie affects my heart rate and breathing more than Jasper could if he were real.
True art affects our emotions. We experience it, and our lives are forever changed because of it.
I know I have been changed, and my relationships with my husband, daughter, and sister have all drastically improved through this book. To me, that is what great writing is all about.
I don't think the vampire topic is really about monsters. If it was, there would be too much cross over into vampire traditions. It is an excellent tool for tension and drama throughout the books.
At the core, these books are about love, loss, the fight between the natural instincts of man, and overcoming the monster within. If it was just about a good girl being seduced by a bad vampire, the book would be trite and dismissed easily.
Stephenie writes in a way that inspires others, and makes people think.
Also, I have read HUNDREDS of pages of fan fiction by dozens of different authors. there are only 3 that even have come close to what Stephenie has done.
The thing is she does it so well, that it appears to be easily done. Like watching a professional athlete who makes it look easy.
Only time will tell if her writing is deemed worthy of classic status, but it appears to be headed in that general direction for now.

[TinkGirl]

I think I want to clarify myself - just to make sure I'm not misunderstood. (But then, I probably still won't make myself clear and will still be misunderstood by someone because my thoughts will get all jumbled up because I really should be in bed asleep right now!)

I can understand someone reading a book and enjoying the story while thinking that the book is poorly written. The disconnect for me is when you have a person who loves the book enough to comment on it abundantly, who has not just read the book once, but several times, etc. etc. believes that not only are they a better authority on the book than the author, but also thinks the author is mediocre at best.

I agree there's a lot of junk out there in literature, music, tv, etc. that is "popular" but is none-the-less junk and mind-numbing at best. We've all probably experienced watching a tv show and thinking to ourselves "this is so stupid, why am I watching this" only to continue watching it every week. However, in so doing do we take the time to tell all our friends how great that show is? Do we sit and analyze the characters and plot? No, we don't put that kind of effort into it, because it's not worth it. Just by watching it, we don't grant it any level of "greatness". However, when you cross the realm into obsessed fan and then bash the creator's abilities, that just doesn't make sense to me.

Am I making any sense? I don't know. Anyhow, IMO Stephenie is a great writer - she tells a beautiful story in a completely unorthodox way and there is just something about the way she writes that captivates me and keeps me thirsting for more. Not only that, but she makes me think too. Her books can be enjoyed on a very superficial level if wanted - it's simply a great story. If one wants to delve deeper into it, there's a lot of meat there for dissecting and analyzing too. I think that is one earmark of a great writer.

[AmberGlow]

IMO Stephenie is a great writer - she tells a beautiful story in a completely unorthodox way and there is just something about the way she writes that captivates me and keeps me thirsting for more. Not only that, but she makes me think too. Her books can be enjoyed on a very superficial level if wanted - it's simply a great story. If one wants to delve deeper into it, there's a lot of meat there for dissecting and analyzing too. I think that is one earmark of a great writer.

I totally agree with you! The best literature can be enjoyed on several different levels. The best story tellers are those who spark as many questions as they do answers.

[doreansmomma]

The best literature can be enjoyed on several different levels. The best story tellers are those who spark as many questions as they do answers.

I totally agree with you! I also agree when you said that Stephenie Meyer has a

DEVINIE GIFT!

[hookedonmonix]

I think I want to clarify myself - just to make sure I'm not misunderstood. (But then, I probably still won't make myself clear and will still be misunderstood by someone because my thoughts will get all jumbled up because I really should be in bed asleep right now!)

I can understand someone reading a book and enjoying the story while thinking that the book is poorly written. The disconnect for me is when you have a person who loves the book enough to comment on it abundantly, who has not just read the book once, but several times, etc. etc. believes that not only are they a better authority on the book than the author, but also thinks the author is mediocre at best.

I agree there's a lot of junk out there in literature, music, tv, etc. that is "popular" but is none-the-less junk and mind-numbing at best. We've all probably experienced watching a tv show and thinking to ourselves "this is so stupid, why am I watching this" only to continue watching it every week. However, in so doing do we take the time to tell all our friends how great that show is? Do we sit and analyze the characters and plot? No, we don't put that kind of effort into it, because it's not worth it. Just by watching it, we don't grant it any level of "greatness". However, when you cross the realm into obsessed fan and then bash the creator's abilities, that just doesn't make sense to me.

Am I making any sense? I don't know. Anyhow, IMO Stephenie is a great writer - she tells a beautiful story in a completely unorthodox way and there is just something about the way she writes that captivates me and keeps me thirsting for more. Not only that, but she makes me think too. Her books can be enjoyed on a very superficial level if wanted - it's simply a great story. If one wants to delve deeper into it, there's a lot of meat there for dissecting and analyzing too. I think that is one earmark of a great writer.

I guess I knew what you were talking about, but I was sort of opening it up to a wider topic or love the book/not the author.
And, I do have friends who obsess about "Rock of Love" and talk about it constantly, but confess that it's a horrible show.
It is pretty ridiculous, though, to be so polar in your views about the Twilight series. I think it's about one of two things.
1. The person is desperate to feel good about themselves, and feel superior to not only every other fan, but Stephenie as well. (Where do people get the idea that hating everyone else proves you're better than them, anyway?)
2. They are truly embarassed of their love for Twilight. It's like a guilty pleasure for them, in their minds like being obsessed with harlequin novels. Maybe they're ashamed of how their heart races over the sexual tension. And, many people have a pretty strong idea that sexiness=smut. So maybe they love the way the books excite them, but are ashamed of it, like the books are catering to the lowest common denominator.
3. they get their jollies off of being poopoo heads (I suddenly wish I was allowed to swear on here )

[TinkGirl]

It is pretty ridiculous, though, to be so polar in your views about the Twilight series. I think it's about one of two things.
1. The person is desperate to feel good about themselves, and feel superior to not only every other fan, but Stephenie as well. (Where do people get the idea that hating everyone else proves you're better than them, anyway?)
2. They are truly embarassed of their love for Twilight. It's like a guilty pleasure for them, in their minds like being obsessed with harlequin novels. Maybe they're ashamed of how their heart races over the sexual tension. And, many people have a pretty strong idea that sexiness=smut. So maybe they love the way the books excite them, but are ashamed of it, like the books are catering to the lowest common denominator.
3. they get their jollies off of being poopoo heads (I suddenly wish I was allowed to swear on here Smile )

Well said - I think that was my point exactly - only you managed to give an actual reason why someone would be so polar in their opinions, where I was at a complete loss, since I was going off the false assumption that these people might actually think they make sense on an intellectual level - what was I thinking?