I’ve been writing for work. Sometimes I make the crazy mistake of thinking I can produce two well-researched, well-written business profiles in two part-time working days. I did it, but I’m concerned about the double “well” part. Guess that’s why I have an editor (thanks, K, for putting up with me!). Which brings me to J.K. Rowling.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the magical world that Rowling has created and sustained and expanded on over 1000s of pages. That said, while reading the fourth book, I started asking the question: “Where the heck is her editor?” I asked again during the the fifth and sixth novels. Especially the fifth, which, in my opinion, gets bogged down, and dare I say it, close to dull, in the middle. How much of Sirius Black’s family history do we really need to know?
My guess is that once Rowling got really, really famous and really, really rich, someone said: “Oh, she’s a great writer. We don’t need to edit her. Let her write 800 or more pages, 150 of which could be cut, because, well, the book will sell anyway. Oh, and the longer the book, the higher the asking price.”
And Rowling, who is a good writer with a GREAT imagination, and who, because she toiled for months and months over every paragraph she wrote, probably thought: “Great. I don’t have to cut anything. I can leave all my backstory, flights of fancy, and random character development in the novel.”
I know this opinion may seem blasphemous to some of you who love every detail of Rowlings’ world. But in my humble writers’ opinion, EVERYONE needs an editor. I run everything I write for publication through E-spouse and at least one other writer/editor friend before sending it to my “real” editor. Even then, errors sometimes get through. And in a novel of over 700 pages, a couple typos are to be expected (I’ve found two so far. Anyone else?). But a bit of cutting here and there could smooth the flow of the novels, particularly those hefty in the middle ones.
That said, I do think Number Seven is the best written book of the series. One of the great covenants that Rowling has made with her readers is that she assumes we’re on the journey with her. Well, perhaps a bit behind her since she probably finished writing Number Seven about a year ago. But I love that in this novel, she doesn’t waste too much time explaining, she dives right in (although there is quite a bit of scene setting in the first two chapters before we get to rocking chapter three).
I also think it’s remarkable how many adults love her books. I had a ten-minute conversation about Number Seven with an 11-year-old boy yesterday. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a conversation that long with an 11-year-old boy. At least where the boy actually wanted to talk to me.
So, some of this can get us started on the non-spoiler convo. I was seduced by the lovely Di into drinking beers at Usual Suspects last night, so I’m not quite finished yet (page 608). Next week, when more folks have finished Number Seven, we can have the spoiler convo. Dive in!
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I thought it was long in the middle too, but that was the point, wasn’t it? It was the same feeling that the characters had at that time.
I also found one typo and on name switch when the wrong person was quoted. However, I never deduct points because then I could not be pissed about people doing it to me when I just wanted to get my point across and could really give a damn!
I enjoyed #5, but agree that it was poorly edited. What jumped out the most for me was the overuse of (often silly) adverbs to describe how someone said something. It abated in #s 6 and 7, but #5 had some words that were downright dumb.
Yes, Jer. How many times can Hermione gasp suddenly? Or softly? Or inadvertantly?
My favorite bit was when Voldemort broke out in a full Broadway-style song and dance number, accompanied by writhing snakes and hooded Death Eaters.
I also love that Expelliarmus seems to be the end-all, be-all magical move of all time…
This was the first time I saw “effing” in a novel, but I may not be as well read as you. I was quite tickled with Rowling’s use of the word (how grown up and hip of our young heroes), but I hope it will pass unnoticed by my nine year-old. Am I the only person who feels, viscerally, that “effing” is more polite than “f’ing” even though the difference is visual only? Granted, it’s still not a word you would use with your granny, huh? Not quite on par with, say, “h-e-double hockey sticks” or “gol darn.” I am curious about where it falls on other people’s curse word spectrum.
Am I strange for not caring about Harry or Rowling? It seems as if it is science fiction, which is the lowest class of writing in my book. Piffle.
Oh, S.C., how I adore thee. It hadn’t occurred to me until you wrote it what a great curse “Expelliramus” is. Just brilliant.
Hi Theda! I use “effing” when I’m blogging. I think it is less offensive then the word it represents. I don’t tend to say it much. I do say “fricking” and “fracking” quite a bit. And I’m sure the kidlings have picked up on that.
In fact, the other day as E was off to read Captain Underpants to the boy, and we asked the boy what the chapter we were reading, and the boy said, “Screwed. George gets screwed.” We were kind of surprised, but went along with it. Turns out the chapter is called “George gets busted.” Should I be proud that my 5-year-old knows that “screwed” is synonymous with “busted”?
EM, I’m cracking up that your 5 year old said that. I’d love to hear him, sometime when you’ve caught him after he broke something, say “Man, I am screwed.”
Seriously, they even mention it in (the first few pages of) the book, expelliarmus is Harry’s trademark move. Other wizards, they blow things up, or hack off limbs, or simply kill you outright, but not Harry. He humiliates you by relieving you of your wand…
Big weekend plans? More writing?
Unfortunately Rowling isn’t the first or only author whose excess word count seemed to increase in proportion to sales. I suspect there’s some threshold when publishing execs just say, “We don’t need an editor anymore because we can sell these effing things by the pound.”
Cheers
I didn’t even realized I’d read “effing” until the comment above, then I remembered it. It seemed in character. In the recent movie didn’t someone say damn or something…
EM, I think my computer’s caught your bug. I keep getting rrandom and double “r’s” in my typing. It’s a touch on the frustrating side.
I was very happy with this book, and I enjoyed the ending and felt much pleased with myself that I’d been right about certain things. Any book that helps me feel self satisfied is excellent.
That said, I disagree with OldHorsetailSnake. SciFi is some of the hardest stuff to read and understand sometimes because it requires an understanding of deep scientific subjects or a lot of creative thought. But piffle? Not even close. It generally is better written and better researched then general fiction. And Harry Potter is technically Fantasy, not SciFi.
I finished on Friday morning! Hurrah!
I was right too, Autumn, but only because it was fairly predictable. I disliked the ending. I’ll explain why next week.
Now on to Bele Chere!