I'm turning into Dan Brown!!

The fact that I immediately thought "Oh no!" when I read the title to this even though I've never read "The Da Vinci Code" or any of Dan Brown's other books is both mean and unfair to him. Sorry, Dan.

If it helps, you can think of your writing as a parody.

My '09 NaNoWriMo Blog

Join the protest at the Free Shrimp Dinner post, now with crafty poetic shrimp lovers! (And those who want one on principle.)

Drivel? Seriously? ...wow, I didn't think anyone could not like Dan Brown. His books, especially The Digital Fortress, are some of my favourites, right behind Narnia, Brave New World, The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde and 1984. In fact, my writing style resembles his due to me reading his books over and over again...

NaNo 09 - Catalyst Spirits (in process)

Sorry. His writing is painful... it propels people along with action sequences etc etc but I just find that there is no character development!

I'll be more encouraged about thinking outside the box when there's any evidence of thinking going on inside it. ~ Terry Pratchett

Also, his books are riddled with embarrassing critical research failures.

But really, the fact that you feel bad about this means that you are *not* turning into Dan Brown. If you were Dan Brown you'd go ahead and publish your drivel of a first draft, but you're not going to do that, are you?

Alchemilla--- thanks for putting it into perspective!!!!

Now, if I could just slow down. At the rate I'm going the story is going to be over at 30k....

I'll be more encouraged about thinking outside the box when there's any evidence of thinking going on inside it. ~ Terry Pratchett

You can always go back and expand/add more scenes later, remember! And don't worry, it could be worse - at least you're not turning into Clive Cussler (apologies in advance to Cussler fans, I'm afraid I just can't stand the guy XD).

Madness? THIS. IS. NANO!

Well that right there proves you're not turning into Dan Brown!

I agree. I would probably jump off a roof to end the pain right now. I read DaVinci Code. That was before I started writing and learned what good writing is. I read Deception Point because my dad lent it to me. It was one of the worst books I've ever read. I can never never never predict what's going to happen in books or movies. If I can, it is a sure sign that it is very poorly written. I predicted the whole of Deception Point. Then I tortured myself and read Angels and Demons to humor my dad. Again, I could predict the whole thing.

I even watched the movie DaVinciCode to get my parents off my back about it. "It's really good. You should watch it. You'll like it." repeat. No, it's not, I shouldn't have, and I didn't. It was even worse than the book because they took out anything even remotely controversial and totally changed the ending.

I really despise Dan Brown. J.K. Rowling too (though I enjoy the crap that is Harry Potter, while fully recognizing it's crap.) I got so sick of seeing specials on the history channel and such about "The Real DaVinci Code" and such when his new book came out.

Jen

Reading and weeping opens the door to one’s heart, but writing and weeping opens the window to one’s soul. – M.K. Simmons

http://www.jenniferksights.com

...I liked the DaVinci Code *hides*

At least you aren't turning into Stephanie Meyer.

"Books and movies don't need plots just emotion and passion" - ~Her-Dark Prince (some idiot on deviantART)
http://ohsosqueamish.wordpress.com/ --- my writing/art/etc blog!

NaNo 08: Sleep -- 63,820 words (won!)
NaNo 09: Written in Stone -- we'll see.

I enjoyed Dan Brown's book, his writing isn't drivel but he does write like a 16-year-old. And cut Cussler some slack - he's not as bad but more like an 18-to-21-year-old. No offence to any Wrimos of these ages. I cannot honestly say that I think my own prose is any better than these published authors. At least not at this stage in the proceedings.

You should perhaps have sent your "integrity" on vacation with your Inner Editor this month.

Relax. It's just a first draft. The best novels you ever read were bad in their first drafts.

(I see by your profile that you like Tolkien; did you know that in early drafts, Strider the Ranger was a hobbit named Trotter, and he had wooden legs? Also, the Nazgul were called "Vultures." What a difference revision makes, hmm?)

So it's drivel. So what. The point is not how it sounds, the point is you're writing a novel, and it's a work in progress. Just keep going and worry about the bad parts later.

I had a soul ... but NaNoWriMo eated it. :(
Breeder of Plot Wolverines
Inventor of NaNo Dare Bonus Points and Multiple Bonus Points

I happen to like Dan Brown to a degree. In my family we have our quality books we love, and our "airport books" so named because they're often found in airport shops and my mom always buys one before going on a trip because the story is good enough that it makes for light vacation reading, but not so enthralling that you spend your vacation huddled in your room reading rather than doing and seeing whatever it is you came to do and see. Dan Brown = airport books. Michael Crichton too (with the exception of Andromeda Strain, that is the most boring book I've ever read and I only finished it to see if it got better as it went on. It didn't.)

See, that's what I was going to say!

In a weird way I'm quite grateful to SMeyer. Since she came along, she's become the writing bar that I set myself for NaNo - I just tell myself "it doesn't have to be brilliant, it just has to be better than 'Breaking Dawn'."

__________

"I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" ~ Voltaire.

NaNo 09: 0/50,000
Coffee consumed:
Characters killed:
Dares used:
Desperation level: mild