Good Writing vs. Talented Writing and the Changing Pub World

Here's an interesting take- Good Writing vs. Talented Writing.

This article from Maria Popova is on the Brainpickings site, and The Passive Guy linked it and put it up.

There is "good" writing that is technically correct, but has no flavor, no zip, and no interest for the reader. Since I read a great deal, I find a lot of this.

I love to find a book that sucks me right in, and makes me want more like a junkie. That's the talented side.

What are your favorite books showcasing talented writing?

And what have you read recently that's "good" but left you cold as a reader?

*****

In other news, here's an awesome article (also linked by The Passive Guy) on the Independent Book Publishers Association Publishing University in Chicago.

This is a must-read for all writers. A real eye-opener.

Quick bullet points:

The flaws in the traditional publishing model are everywhere. It is not a viable model.
(Holy crap, someone is saying this to publishers and not getting attacked!)

The future is global virtual distribution.
(Agreed)

It is no longer all about distribution (that part is easy), it is now about discoverability.

This is the Era of Artisanal Publishing

The Myth of Big 5 Marketing Support
(Data point- my friend has a great book out from a publisher-- Chasing Alaska-- and he's having a devil of a time getting it into bookstores, despite rave reviews from prestigious industry sites.)

Yapping too much can kill sales.
(All you people relentlessly screaming "Buy my book" via social media take note.)


Discuss...