George R.R. Martin is not your bitch

[drwex]

Gaiman's "entitlement issues" blog entry says many things that I've wished authors would say to aggrieved fans at more than one panel I've attended: http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html

What he doesn't say is "if it bugs you so much, don't buy the books until the series is done." That's what I do. Believe it or not there are MANY fine books published today, both genre and non-SF, that are not part of trilogies, quadrilogies, quintilogies, decologies, or otherwise undefined continuing adventures of whatever.

There's very little that will get me to put a new book back on the store shelves faster than reading "First of a new series..." on the cover.

None of which is to say that you, dear readers, should do as I do. It's just that if you do buy Part 1 of N, please don't be That Fan With Entitlement Issues at the next con, kthxbye.

Comments

[deadwinter.livejournal.com]

Nice!

Reminds me if one of my favorite rants: "They are not yours, they are [Whedon's|Abrahams'|Rowling's] characters to do as they see fit"

Ah, maybe

[drwex]

I'm sort of pro-slash. The characters are out there and may end up being used in all sorts of unapproved ways. There's a difference in my mind between a personal creative project and a demand on someone else that THEY engage in a creative project to please the demander.

Re: Ah, maybe

[deadwinter.livejournal.com]

Not what I meant at all, though my patience for slash (and filk) is at best limited.

I mean things like "How dare he kill off so and so!"

Because he wanted too. Also, because he hates you.

Re: Ah, maybe

[drwex]

*SNERK* Oh, yes. That. Float like a feather.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

There's very little that will get me to put a new book back on the store shelves faster than reading "First of a new series..." on the cover.

Adam, too.

Me, I'm in the apparent minority of readers who've been reading it as it comes out but not going apeshit about Martin running late, having chosen to read other books and have a life in the meantime. :)

Re: Ah, maybe

[jacflash.livejournal.com]

Mystery writers doing long series with a small recurring ensemble get this all the time: "Mr Parker, I don't think Spenser would really have done X. I think you don't know him as well as you think you do" etc etc blah blah stfu etc.

[fenicedautun.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way. Although, that's only for defined trilogies or what have you, stuff like Pratchetts discverse I can take as they come. And depends on the author. If I love the author and often reread her books, I'll just read them as they come out, and reread as the next one comes out. Bujolds latest were 2 duologies (that's what she said, not a quadrology) and I did read those as they came out because I often want to reread hers anyways.

[arc-stormcrow.livejournal.com]

I'm not entirely sure that George is the best of all people to be using as the example in this case.

I totally understand the whole part of "[Insert Creative Person X here] is not at your beck & call." They're people, they've got lives, and, frankly, I'd rather see quality work get produced later than I'd hoped, then see crap come out. I mean, I adore Blizzard, for example, and they can't meet a deadline to save their lives. And the anticipation between Jim Butcher's books always drives me wild - but it's all within reason. The wait is expected, it's acceptable, it's part of the package deal.

George's attitude towards his fans, though, can sometimes be a bit... unpleasant. I can understand getting frazzled with unending questions of "so when will the next book be ready?" - but, honestly, telling fans who want to know when the next book will be out to "get a life" just sits a little wrong in my book. I mean, sure, he's not the fans' bitch, but, honestly, the fans shouldn't be his either.