Welcome to Writing Forums, one of the fastest growing writing communties on the web.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions, articles and photo galleries. By joining our free community you will
be able to talk with other writers, get feedback on your work to improve your writing skills, discuss ideas, share tips & tricks, network and make friends!
Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact support.
| Tips & Advice Share your tips, tricks and advice. |
11-23-2007, 02:39 AM
|
#1
|
|
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 19
|
Controversy . . .
Just a thread about writing controverse material in books, to what point is it acceptable and will it positively affect the sales of your books. Also just post anything related to the matter, as i am keen to discover more about this topic.
|
|
|
|
11-23-2007, 05:22 AM
|
#2
|
|
Wordsmith
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: South-east UK
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,844
|
What did you have in mind? There's plenty of controversial material out there.
|
|
|
|
11-23-2007, 07:28 AM
|
#3
|
|
Best Seller
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Christmas
Gender: Male
Posts: 693
|
Witchcraft, Sex, Violence, Nudity, Language, Religion, ECT...
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
11-23-2007, 07:46 AM
|
#4
|
|
Prolific Writer
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 288
|
Controversy doesn't make a good book and good book doesnt need controversy, just concentrate on creating something that is good.
Seeking controversy is desperation for attention. Good writing should speak fo itself.
|
|
|
|
|
11-23-2007, 07:59 AM
|
#5
|
|
Profound Writer
Join Date: Apr 2007
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,445
|
When it comes to sales I think the key is to have just enough controversy. "The DaVinci Code" is a good example of this, a bunch of Christians (especially Catholics) got upset about and most likely caused the book to sell more. On the other hand, if I would write a book where the main character was a pedophile and the plot was to rape as many kids as possible I would probably get a whole lot of attention but hardly make a fortune of the sales. (But who knows? It might be a good idea  ) |
|
|
|
|
11-23-2007, 12:14 PM
|
#6
|
|
Addict
Join Date: Oct 2007
Gender: Private
Posts: 169
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Faustling
When it comes to sales I think the key is to have just enough controversy. "The DaVinci Code" is a good example of this, a bunch of Christians (especially Catholics) got upset about and most likely caused the book to sell more. On the other hand, if I would write a book where the main character was a pedophile and the plot was to rape as many kids as possible I would probably get a whole lot of attention but hardly make a fortune of the sales. (But who knows? It might be a good idea ) |
"If I Did It" - the OJ Simpson fiasco was both crassness and controversy. Didn't the publishing agent get fired as a result?
__________________
Any moron can
write haiku. Just stop at the
seventeenth syllab
~ Reader's Digest, Nov. 2002 Joke
|
|
|
|
|
11-24-2007, 03:07 AM
|
#7
|
|
Wordsmith
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: South-east UK
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,844
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amara-J
"If I Did It" - the OJ Simpson fiasco was both crassness and controversy. Didn't the publishing agent get fired as a result?
|
No.
The crassness continues, though. The original publishers pulled it, it's now being published in the UK by the family o the victim... who originally said the book should never see the light of day. Their opinion changed once they got the opportunity to make money out of it. |
|
|
|
|
11-25-2007, 03:23 AM
|
#8
|
|
Ink Slinger
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne Australia
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,065
|
What about what you want to write. There will always be readers.
__________________
'Beauty stands and waits with gravity to start her death-defying leap. And he, a little charleychaplin man, who may or may not catch her fair eternal form spreadeagled in the empty air of existence.' - Laurence Felinghetti, 'The Acrobat'
|
|
|
|
|
11-25-2007, 04:07 AM
|
#9
|
|
Wordsmith
Join Date: May 2007
Location: On islands
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,988
|
Quote:
|
Witchcraft, Sex, Violence, Nudity, Language, Religion,
|
Sorry, but those aren't very controversial topics. In fact, they're what most best-sellers are about.
Try something like homopedozoonecrophilia. There might be a few people out there who have reservations about fucking underaged dead animals of the same sex. Or it might be next year's hot talk show topic.
Quote:
|
"If I Did It" - the OJ Simpson fiasco was both crassness and controversy. Didn't the publishing agent get fired as a result?
|
Not really. But the publisher did get a black eye and back off. Frankly I thought OJ should have done a reality show where he hunted for the killer. But he's blown that now, I suppose.
Quote:
|
There will always be readers.
|
Unfortunately, that's not really true, either. There are plenty of books that people think are really great, but not enough people to justify the expense of publishing them. Believe me, I've written several of them.
Last edited by lin : 11-25-2007 at 04:09 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
11-28-2007, 06:53 PM
|
#10
|
|
Addict
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 141
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by lin
Sorry, but those aren't very controversial topics. In fact, they're what most best-sellers are about.
|
Controversy and popularity are not mutually exclusive. Controversy just means lots of people have conflicting opinions about the book or its content, not that they are unwilling to buy it. It's like someone already said, The DaVinci Code inflamed many people, but those angry people didn't bar its success---it did just the opposite. The Bible, also, is probably the most debated piece of literature ever written. Doesn't mean nobody reads it.
__________________
O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:46 PM. Powered by vBulletin, Copyright ©2000-2007, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.1.0
|
|
Newsletter |
 |
|
Subscribe to Majestic
the official newsletter of Writing Forums and lit.org
|
|
Link to Us: 
|
|
