I read somewhere that Stephen King wrote the first (unrevised) sections of that Dark Tower thing when he was in his late teens or early twenties...I first read them when I was in my late teens and didn't notice...but later on I sure did, especially when I could compare it with his later work.

Who's had some of their teenaged work published, either at that age or later? King, S. E. Hinton, the guy who wrote Eragon, Asimov...can't think of any others off hand.

...seems this one character's (Phyllis's) daughter wrote an essay...Phyllis got Mary to say it was good...then proceded to try to get Mary to get another character (Lou Grant) to take it to a publisher...but when Mary tries to explain how the Lou Grant won't take it into the publisher, Phyllis gets the idea it should be turned into a book...and Phyllis's daughter tells Mary she doesn't want to do this...and, before the plug is pulled on the whole thing, Phyllis is seen at the typewriter, "blocking it out" because she "knows her style."

But I digress...one scene from the abovementioned "Mary Tyler Moore" episode went something like this:

Lou Grant: What is this? This is terrible.

Mary: I think you should know a twelve-year-old girl wrote that.

Also, all the favorable reviews I saw were by kids or groups of kids (except the one from Publishers Weekly!), but NOT all the unfavorable ones were by adults. Tells you something.

Oh, and I know of another writer who wrote a novel, when he was around 16, that would have been published, except the editor took him aside and advised him not to do it. They'd publish it, but the author would be marketed as a prodigy. The editor said it would ruin his career. He took the editor's advice, and looking back, realized it was good. The book was lousy, and it would have haunted his list of works for ever.

Past discussions are here, here, and here.

I contend jealousy, envy, and discussions of "should not have gotten published" or "cannot believe this got published" and whatnot to be counterproductive.

Read, judge, learn, and write better stuff.

[This message has been edited by annepin (edited March 28, 2008).]

I imagine the novelty is a huge factor, not so much because kids like books written by kids as parents like buying them. "Look Jimmy, if you didn't play so many video games, you could be an author too!"

Edit: Of course jealousy plays a role. However, that jealousy is rooted in the fact that the work isn't amazing. If it were just because of his success there would be giant threads about J.K. Rowling and Stephen King (both of whom are much more succesfull). When I read their books, I envy their talents, when I read Eragon, I envy Tolkiens. (That was a cheap shot)

I'm so possessive I can't get rid of even the books I thought were awful...the only relief I can see is that cleaning it out after I'm gone is something I won't have to worry about...

I do wish the adult critics had stayed out of it, or at least admitted that their reviews were taking her age into consideration. And of course they shouldn't compared Tolkien and others with this child. That's ridiculous and unfair to everyone involved.

With that said, I think that all adults should worry less about this child author thing. Kids like reading each other's stuff, they always have, and it doesn't hurt them to enjoy some writing that isn't mature or complex. They can grow into discriminating readers later.

My primary concern is that these little geniuses, like their counterparts in acting and sports, are ruining their childhoods and potential careers to gratify their unfulfilled parents. That's what makes me angry. OK, rant over. Sorry about that.

p.s. edited to fix missing words in text

[This message has been edited by Oblomova (edited March 29, 2008).]

And there are writers whose name on the cover is sufficient reason to buy it. Although, if I get a loser from them, I'm very likely not to buy their next books until I've read them from the library and know I want a permanent copy.

Then there is going into the bookstore in the mood to be seduced by cover and blurb and opening couple of pages.

I swore I heard something about writers being ADD...but umm...

Six-ninety-nine wasn't that much of a stretch for me, so for the sake of just reading through it to see if there's anything to it, I shelled out and took it away with me. (Though I got the bookstore discount for being a card-carrying member.)