I very nearly responded before I realized that nothing I could possibly say would be properly received by the crowd loitering at Pub Rants that day.

But I’m well acquainted with booksnobbery. My brother constantly ribs me that what I write is trash. I’ve argued with him about escapist fiction and it’s place in society (on my bookshelf next to my “literature” because I like it!). I love him dearly, but if he were a stranger, I fear he would rip my eyes out on the subject.

People are sooo touchy about books. It’s amazing.

The ghost writer gets to indulge in actally earning money to keep their own writing going. And I doubt Paris had to hold a gun to the writer’s head.

The writer has gained some recognition in the industry from professionals who have noted that the writing is good so the writer has a foot in a door otherwise maybe not open (or so readily open).

If you really really really don’t like romance then that’s fine. If you really really really like romance then that’s also fine.

But the most important thing is that it has to be really really really good.

There’s an Indian guy who rollicks around the world making people laugh. Laughing makes chemicals in your body feel good.

I just saw Holiday with Cameron Diaz. I left it feeling good. A few questions like (how does she fit all that fab fashion into that small bag ahem – has anyone ever tried to pack a full length sheepskin coat and lived to tell the tale?) but it’s not darkly full of anxst… and neither was I when I left the picture theatre.

Robin here mentions it’s a form of bullying. That is so right. It’s like being in a diet camp and being told to eat only carrot. There are so many ways to eat carrot.
Cake, soup, pie, salad…

Your choice. A la carte.
Why should lit be any different.
Or art.
Or movies.

That’s what’s nice about democracy. Thought police don’t belong there.

Anyway, after seeing your post I went back and said more-or-less what I started to say yesterday.

I love your response.

I’d only add that for lots of writers ghostwriting provided an excellent kickstart to their careers. Or an income to support their writing-under-their-own-name habit.

Still, I can at least Act like it doesn’t bother me when people belittle other people over their reading choices. Because it’s not worth it to me to put energy towards getting upset. I should be writing instead.

And she’s not the first one to do that, to say “I only read highbrow but right now I’m indulging in trash like romance….” Actually, I don’t think anyone has really owned up to romance yet. But if they read genre, it’s always just this once.

I just get the impression that a lot of them are telling me what they think I want to hear. That I would look down on them for reading SciFi or Romance. Funny thing is, the truth is just the opposite. I would love if a candidate said “I really dig a new Julie Ortolon” or something like that.

Ah well. Oh and my favorite quote from a colleague this week “the real money to be made is in books. Writing books.” She’s got her book finished and is just waiting for the agents to sign a non-disclosure before choosing which ones she’ll send her project to.