I am re-running this post as a public service.
It’s not everyone who can produce a really rotten novel. Indeed, it’s a gift. But if you’re shooting for sheer unreadability, these few pointers will surely get you started. And it’s no use complaining that certain individuals have gotten rich and famous by writing pure dreck.
Now I wonder–who could we say is (or was) the Cervantes of the truly rotten novel? Any suggestions?
Perhaps the worst book I ever read was “The Religion War” by Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert. Now I actually respect Adams, he’s a capable observer of human nature, and understands much of what is happening today. However, his protagonist was actually called The Avatar and was capable of some incredible extra-sensory feats. Basically, he was the personification of logic and so gifted therein that he used it like an additional sense. Nothing against Adams, but that book reeked.
Gee, I totally missed that one.
He’s written some books on business which I like, but this one struck me as a bit over the top.
I don’t consider myself a writer, but I like to write about things I know sometimes. Mainly politics and religion. But writing fiction is a whole other animal. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.
The new genre in movies and TV dramas is the petite woman who kicks butt on guys twice her size – I’m serious, this happens all the time now. My suggestion: Jackie Collins.
This inspires really stupid women to go out and pick fights which they disastrously lose.