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I just read that line and loved it. Stephen King mentioned it in a recent interview as advice he thinks applies well to writers. It's something a character says in his new novel, Joyland:
"Never forget, we sell fun."
I thought this might make a good discussion!
I think we'd all agree novels can provide much more than just entertainment. An author can create gorgeous prose-art, frame an argument, and help readers navigate through their real world challenges. Studies have found that reading novels helps people develop empathy, academic ability, and social intelligence, so even books that are pure entertainment are of benefit to society.
But (if you are a novelist) would you agree that your primary job is to "sell fun", i.e. to entertain people?
Personally, I think it is our primary job**, because everything else a novel can accomplish fails when the reader doesn't enjoy the book. Just as a song can have amazing lyrics but needs great music too, I believe a novel can do all kinds of ambitious things provided it is also fun.
**assuming we care about selling our writing, and with the caveat that people are wildly varied creatures and we all define "fun" slightly differently. Some people find it fun to be scared poopless; some find it fun to sink into dense and sophisticated prose; some want explosions and hot sex on the page; some want intense depictions of inner turmoil. It's all good, and it's all "fun" to someone.
"Never forget, we sell fun."
I thought this might make a good discussion!
I think we'd all agree novels can provide much more than just entertainment. An author can create gorgeous prose-art, frame an argument, and help readers navigate through their real world challenges. Studies have found that reading novels helps people develop empathy, academic ability, and social intelligence, so even books that are pure entertainment are of benefit to society.
But (if you are a novelist) would you agree that your primary job is to "sell fun", i.e. to entertain people?
Personally, I think it is our primary job**, because everything else a novel can accomplish fails when the reader doesn't enjoy the book. Just as a song can have amazing lyrics but needs great music too, I believe a novel can do all kinds of ambitious things provided it is also fun.
**assuming we care about selling our writing, and with the caveat that people are wildly varied creatures and we all define "fun" slightly differently. Some people find it fun to be scared poopless; some find it fun to sink into dense and sophisticated prose; some want explosions and hot sex on the page; some want intense depictions of inner turmoil. It's all good, and it's all "fun" to someone.
