Having been misquoted ourselves, and having had things taken out of context oursleves, we are curious to see the entire interview in full context when it comes out this weekend. Right now the edited version leaves out the full context of Stephen King’s comments.
Stephen King on Stephenie Meyer
February 3, 2009 By
Akasha, I couldn’t have said it any better.
At least he was being mature about it, it’s not like he was saying “What is this piece of crap?”
He is simply giving his opinion and saying the Stephanie Meyer is not a good writer.
Stephanie has openly bashed Wuthering Heights on a forum,(and not very maturely, I might add.) so how is this very different?
I’m German and I have read JKRs Stephenies an some of Stepens books in english and german and I can only say, that there are many different styles and I didn’t like Stephens at all. JKR is in my opinion better than Stephenie in writing, but they are both GREAT storytellers. Stephenie has her weaknesses. Sometimes a timeline doesn’t fit, sometimes there is something not very logical but that doesn’t change the fact, that I really, really love their books. And I’m not a teenager at all. Is it that bad, that a simple touch can make you blush? It isn’t that Edward and Bella didn’t move on from that.
I remember very well how Stephen describes relationships, desire, love, women, men and sex in his books and mostly there are many, many swearwords and details involved, which are completely unnecessary. Of course he can tell us all his opinion but he should see that not only giggly teenagers or desperate housewives read Stephenies books.
While I have yet to read Wuthering Heights, I know it’s something of a masterpiece, and well it’s not in my normal realm of literature, but for her to openly bash something so immaturely and then for this, is amazing, I just must say.
For all forms of criticism I have seen or read, it’s rather nice, helpful and a good jumping point for one to improve on.
He was asked for an opinion and gave it. Nothing more than that. I hope that people understand that and can see where he is coming from.
*sigh* Twilighters you need to check the book you are into. Meyer fail so much.
Ahh, the sore spot.
Do you know that literally anyone can be an author and write books? As long as one have imagination and able to dream, you can produce a book. To have it published is another matter altogether.
Then comes the ‘having readers’ for your book. You have to worry about critics and fans. Do you want your book to seat on the shelves or flying off them?
I respect authors because that’s something I’ll not become in my life. I don’t have the hard-heartedness that is needed when you become an author.
Since they are both in the same profession, I think it’s unwise and not very nice for King to say that about Meyer. It’s just like speaking ill of a co-worker, but in this case, they are propbably rivals in the market.
We all have to admit, Meyer’s books sells, at least for now. What the future holds, no one knows(unless you are Alice).
Budding authors are appearing every day. Soon, their books may take over the popular ones now and vice versa. It’s a tough world out there.
Whoever says vampires burn instead of sparkle. Well, this is what I wrote when I saw an news article about this matter.
No one knows what a vampire looks like to begin with. So whether he/she should dressed in black cape and lingered around in back alleys or dressed in fashionable clothes and drive fast cars, no one knows. Unless, you met one before, but, then again, you probably won’t be here.
It’s the same case as aliens, are they supposed to have web-feet or 3 eyes and speak in gibberish? So, who is right and who is wrong?
The same goes to wizards. Are they suppose to hold a wand and “wish” for something they want or do spells and hexes the hard way?
It’s fantasy. That’s why it appeals. In the fiction/fantasy world, anyone can be anything. It’s a world people escaped into, be it into one where you find your true love, or do spells and be the hero or get capture by out-of-the-world creatures.
Yes, Meyer’s books may not be that wonderful in the grammer/spelling aspect but that’s not really her fault is it? Who don’t make mistakes in their compositions and essays? While normal people can have spell check, she has an editor and publishing team behind her. Need I say more?
Also, someone says the story will be much more if another person thought it up. That’s the wonder of the mind and the way life goes. Life isn’t fair.
If anyone can thought it up, who needs books? Everyone can sell and publish their own books by then.
PS: I’m way past the childish 12-year-old line.
I love Twilight but Stephen is right.
Meyer’s writing is not in any way close to the par of other authors.
just because it’s a book about vampires for those under the age of 15, its like Miley Cyrus she is famous via majority.
If it wasn’t Twilight, it would have been something else. But Twilight-Fans, do not ever delude yourself into thinking Kings comments were out of place. The man hit the nail on the head and you just have to suck it up and deal with it….like the mature people you all *obviously* are.
Yes, King’s comment was blunt and, IMO, too harsh. But I can see where he’s coming from. True, Twilight is an entertaining read, but Jo excels in every area. The plot, characterization, themes, etc., are all far more developed and sophisticated.
But, again, King was truly too direct and I’m sure he exaggerated.
But everyone needs to just calm down. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and this just happens to be the opinion of someone more successful and well-known. Doesn’t mean he’s a better judge.
i think it’s rather bold of stephen king to say that stephenie is a terrible writer. at least she never wrote about some mist with deadly creatures in it that took over the city casusing the main character to kill off his own son! i totally agree with #33, he’s just old and jealous because her books are the hottest ones out there right now. i also agree with #150 about the grammar. she has an editing team that should have caught those errors and they didn’t. king shouldn’t blame her entirely for something someone else missed.
another thing….those of you who have commented badly on stephenie’s writing and say you don’t like her, i have one question…what are you doing on a site about her and her books?!
I’ve been a fan of Stephen King for a very long time. But after reading a lot of his novels, I feel like they’re all the same. He always has the same characters with flaws and terrible past of some kind. I agree that Stephenie is still a new writer, and she has much to learn, but it’s not nice to say that she’s terrible!
hey, danielle, don’t use the mist as an example if you haven’t read the book. cujo would have been better, the kid actually died in that one. the boy survived the mist, but they killed him off in the movie. however, the kid in cujo died in the book, but survived in the movie.
read something before offering criticism (or at least the wiki for it, damn)
The comments are now off on this thread due to incoming trolling from people claiming to be from the ONTD community. whatever points you have when they are laced with profanity and stated under multiple names ( repeats on the IP) they cease to be productive. We have better things to do than deal with incoming harassment.
ok. he didn’t say she’s terrible. he said “(she) can’t write worth a darn.” and he’s right. she’s got the vocabulary of a junior high student eager to show off the fact that she just learned a new word (all the spell checking and proof reading in the world aren’t doing to help you when you’re favorite words are chagrin and dazzle). her descriptions are repetitive and boring and her characters lack development and chemistry. that said, her story speaks to people because they can identify with it (kinda, not really, but they like to think they do). her writing is fairly straight forward, beating you over the head with her point.as opposed to king, who’s more esoteric with his writing (the mist wasn’t about monsters in a mist, it was about paranoia and the monsters within ourselves, and again, the kid lived, hope survived, mankind struggles on)
but, we’re all entitled to an opinion, no one is stupid for voicing theirs, as long as they are willing to be educated as to why their opinion may be invalid. personally i like the twilight books, but i think they’re crap. the literary equivalent of a twinkie. and stephen king thinks so too. big deal. put on your big girl panties, suck it up and say “thanks for your thoughts, mr. king, now kindly blow it out your ass.”