Literary Snobbery—Dealing With It

Dreams-- by Vittorio Matteo Corcos --1859-1933Literary snobbery has been a topic on a couple of blogs lately. So today, I’m blogging at A Good Blog is Hard to Find about how writers can handle encounters with book snobs. I hope you’ll pop over and visit me there.

Also, I’ve got all kinds of excitement coming down the pike this week here on Mystery Writing is Murder. Thursday, the wonderful Margot Kinberg will be guest blogging for me on Prewriting and Research. Margot gives us a glimpse at how research can make our novels stronger.

Friday, the talented Cleo Coyle will be guest blogging a special Valentine’s Day-related post: Genre Blending and Your Character’s Love Life. What defines a mystery? A romance? What should you consider when blending genres?

Elizabeth Spann Craig

View posts by Elizabeth Spann Craig
Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series (as Riley Adams) and the Southern Quilting mysteries for Penguin and writes the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink and independently. She also has a blog, which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers. There she posts on the writing craft, finding inspiration in everyday life, and fitting writing into a busy schedule.

17 Comments

  1. Michele EmrathFebruary 10, 2010

    Sounds fantastic! Heading over to see your post! And looking forward to this week’s lineup.

    Writing Prompt Wednesdays today on my blog!
    Michele
    SouthernCityMysteries

  2. Terry OdellFebruary 10, 2010

    Ok, not you and me, but romance in mysteries has been a current topic on the DorothyL list.

  3. Jemi FraserFebruary 10, 2010

    Sounds like lots of fun – I’ll check it out. :)

  4. Mason CanyonFebruary 10, 2010

    Sounds like it’s going to be an interesting week. Looking forward to both guests.

  5. Tamika:February 10, 2010

    You do have a wonderful lineup Elizabeth- I can’t wait!

  6. Margot KinbergFebruary 10, 2010

    Elizabeth – Thanks for including me in your lineup : ). Folks – do check out Elizabeth’s guest post on A Good Blog….. It’s fantastic!

  7. K.M. WeilandFebruary 10, 2010

    Literary snobbery is inherently frustrating. You can’t please all readers. It’s humanly impossible. And it’s ridiculous of readers to decide that any book that *doesn’t* please them is worthless. Bottom line: art is subjective.

  8. Julie DaoFebruary 10, 2010

    Great post as always! Literary snobs are everywhere. I like to think they thumb their noses at mainstream writers because they couldn’t accomplish it themselves. It’s really too bad because they’ll be missing out on some great stories and great writing – their loss!

  9. HelenFebruary 10, 2010

    I come here every day, but I’ll definitely be back on Friday. I’m sitting on a panel this Sunday about Romance in Mystery.

    Helen
    Straight From Hel

  10. Simon C. LarterFebruary 10, 2010

    Here goes… :)

  11. Ann Elle AltmanFebruary 10, 2010

    Cool, I look forward to those upcoming blogs and I will check out your article on the other site.

    ann

  12. cassandrajadeFebruary 10, 2010

    Thanks for all the updates. Sounds like some very interesting posts coming up around the place.

  13. The Daring NovelistFebruary 10, 2010

    Oooh! I’m looking forward to these upcoming posts – especially since I do so much genre bending myself.

    I was also really struck by one line quoted in the snobbery post: “A lot of people in this country go through their days numb.”

    Helping people FEEL again is one of the coolest thing we can do. (And it’s something that good literary writers aspire to too.)

  14. Jane Kennedy SuttonFebruary 10, 2010

    Heading over now to check out the post on Literary Snobbery. I plan to make it back for your guest bloggers.

  15. Elizabeth BradleyFebruary 10, 2010

    Great stuff. Will pop over to see whatcha got to say. Uh-oh, will the snobs get me for that one?

  16. Elizabeth Spann Craig/Riley AdamsFebruary 11, 2010

    Michele–Thanks!

    Terry–I need to catch up on my DorothyL reading, for sure. I have a bunch of digests to read.

    Jemi–Thanks!

    Mason–Me too.

    Helen–I think you’ll find Cleo’s article really interesting.

    Ann and Simon–I appreciate it!

    Tamika–I’m excited, too! :)

    Margot–Thanks so much!

    Jane–Thanks!

    K.M.–Great point. Even great literature is going to be put down by people who think it’s deliberately obscure or boring. So true that art is subjective.

    Julie–It’s harder than it looks, isn’t it? I just kind of smile and nod when people say “Oh, I could write those books…” Yeah. Give it a go! :)

    Elizabeth–They might getcha! :)

    Cassandra–I’m looking forward to them, too!

    The Daring Novelist–And when you’re reading a book you feel like *you’re* the protagonist! It’s an integrated experience–I don’t get that from TV or movies. So I really DO feel the things that the protagonist is. You’re so right!

  17. Kathy McIntoshFebruary 11, 2010

    Your art work is always so incredible; do you have a source to share?

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