Nicholas Sparks does it...

jannawrites · Nov 11, 2007

Sparks is one of my very favorite authors. I've just finished reading the last book of his I hadn't yet devoured and I couldn't help but notice he:

*often includes a Prologue and Epilogue.

*uses that. A lot.

*formats an ellipses like . . . this. Or rather, his publisher does.

I wanted to point these things out since I've seen recent threads/concern on each.

Good news for me, I suppose, since readers who enjoy Sparks will enjoy my novel. (wink wink, Judg)

Little Red Barn · Nov 11, 2007

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 11, 2007

I've never read him although I have one of his books gathering dust on my shelf, and I'm not sure about the epilogue or prologue, or that. (I just know that I rely too heavily on that and have to edit that out.).

but . . . is the proper way to show an ellipses.

jenngreenleaf · Nov 11, 2007

I'm reading Dear John right now and, for some reason, I'm having a difficult time getting into this novel in comparison to his others. I can't figure out why, though . . .

maestrowork · Nov 11, 2007

I believe Dear John is not a novel, but a memoir of sort?

jenngreenleaf · Nov 11, 2007

maestrowork said:
I believe Dear John is not a novel, but a memoir of sort?

Newp, it's a novel (the front cover proclaims this) that was written in a memoir type style. Very hard to get into - I think it's because the people are "dry." I don't know how else to explain it - very hard to relate to the father because he's cold and uncommunicative. The protagonist is speaking mostly in a descriptive manner, with a mix of dialogue here and there with other characters.

scarletpeaches · Nov 11, 2007

I've only read one Sparks novel and I needed an insulin shot afterwards.

Judg · Nov 11, 2007

I am being winked at and I'm not sure why. :idea:

I've never read Nicholas Sparks. What are his books like?

jannawrites · Nov 11, 2007

jennhollowell said:
Newp, it's a novel (the front cover proclaims this) that was written in a memoir type style. Very hard to get into - I think it's because the people are "dry." I don't know how else to explain it - very hard to relate to the father because he's cold and uncommunicative. The protagonist is speaking mostly in a descriptive manner, with a mix of dialogue here and there with other characters.

Dear John started a little slowly for me, too, but in the end it turned out to be one of my favorites. ...All I can say about the father is that the way he is and why will become clear later. (Whether it'll sit well with you, I don't know.)

I do agree that, at times, Sparks's over-the-top emotional style could be viewed as too much. The one I just finished kept going and going with new drama and problems at every turn; several times I wondered where will it end? But when it did end I was able to appreciate the culmination of all he'd put into the story. And I'd had a good cry, which I enjoy. Simply put, I think he's a fantastic storyteller.

He's had so many bestselling books, I do wonder at what point he may run out of ideas. I tend to think his earlier works are his best.
.

jannawrites · Nov 11, 2007

Judg said:
I am being winked at and I'm not sure why. I've never read Nicholas Sparks. What are his books like?

My apologies. I must control my winks better...

I was thinking about how, in the thread about categorizing novels, you'd said you would choose to tell an agent not that you specifically wrote like So-and-So (which seems presumptuous), but that readers who enjoyed Blah Blah would also enjoy your writing. I stole your wording. Or something. Wasn't that you?

Judg · Nov 11, 2007

No, I said something much more pathetic than that. But that's OK. Feel free to wink as much as you like. To the best of my knowledge, it doesn't induce injuries in either the winker or the winkee.

JBI · Nov 11, 2007

James Joyce used almost every technique known to man. He does it, feel free to do whatever you want. You aren't Nicholas Sparks, or anyone else. Do what you want to do, not what you think others do.

MDSchafer · Nov 11, 2007

Just because a superstar can do it doesn't mean we can do it.

scarletpeaches · Nov 11, 2007

JBI said:
James Joyce used almost every technique known to man. He does it, feel free to do whatever you want. You aren't Nicholas Sparks, or anyone else. Do what you want to do, not what you think others do.

And that's why his writing has caused migraines the world over.

I'd rather be widely-read than hear a chorus of groans whenever someone mentioned 'trying' to read my books.

nerds · Nov 11, 2007

MDSchafer said:
Just because a superstar can do it doesn't mean we can do it.

Additionally, it doesn't always mean that we should do it.

scarletpeaches · Nov 11, 2007

Just because a 'superstar' does it, doesn't mean they should have done it.

jannawrites · Nov 11, 2007

scarletpeaches said:
Just because a 'superstar' does it, doesn't mean they should have done it.

Touche.

JohnDavidPaxton · Nov 11, 2007

"X does it" isn't a justification.

Until you can look an editor or agent in the eye and say why you're doing it and it's great, don't.

Edit:

Damn you Peaches. Stealing my thunder.

Chumplet · Nov 11, 2007

I read The Notebook and The Wedding. The Notebook made me curious because of the movie. It was pretty good, I read it all the way through. I think The Wedding was a sequel, and I was bawling my eyes out in the dining room and nobody noticed. I guess I was at a vulnerable time in my life, but it really affected me. It was one of the reasons I wanted to write.

He's really into tear-jerkers, apparently. His style of writing might drive some critiquers crazy, but with regular readers, he's cleaning up big time.

barnicus · Nov 11, 2007

Is 200 occurrences of the word "that" excessive in 100 pages? It works out to two "thats" per page. :e2bouncey

a_sharp · Nov 11, 2007

barnicus said:
Is 200 occurrences of the word "that" excessive in 100 pages? It works out to two "thats" per page.

Well, you just managed two "thats" in two lines.

David I · Nov 11, 2007

Judg said:
I've never read Nicholas Sparks. What are his books like?

Well, to give you some idea, Sparks claimed to have noticed that there was at least one bestselling male author in every genre except romance.

So he bravely set out to remedy that problem. Does that help?

scarletpeaches · Nov 11, 2007

Nicholas Sparks = a RobertJamesWallerburger with extra cheese.

ChaosTitan · Nov 11, 2007

David I said:
Well, to give you some idea, Sparks claimed to have noticed that there was at least one bestselling male author in every genre except romance.

So he bravely set out to remedy that problem. Does that help?

Problem is he doesn't write romance, he writes love stories. One or more of his main characters always tend to end up dead.

Judg · Nov 11, 2007

I'm afraid I've never managed to be a romance fan. Love stories can be OK. In theory anyway. I'm sure there are some out there I would enjoy, but I haven't the courage to go looking. Admittedly, I loved Pride and Prejudice (haven't seen the movie) but that's because I loved the voice. Witty, gentle satire plays well with me. The romance part was almost incidental and I forgave the excesses as being a function of the times.

Nicholas Sparks does it...

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