Why are there no "Gone With the Wind" remakes?

Good evening!

Well, fellow US authors, it's getting to be that time of year again.  It's almost October and when the rest of the world is gearing up for the insanity that is the Holiday Season, we writers sit down to our computers and begin the 50,000 word journey that is NANOWRIMO!  (National Novel Writing Month.)  If you haven't gotten yourself signed up yet, or if you'd like to try your hand at writing very nearly a whole novel in 30 days, click here!

I was thumbing through my Netflix account the other night and a friend and I were talking about good movies to check out.  I suggested the BBC remake of Charles Dickens' "Bleak House."  I had to caution her because, on Netflix, there are at least two versions of Bleak House, probably more, and I wanted to be sure she found the one I really liked.

That got me to thinking:  Many books are turned into movies over and over, either in true to novel form or in some sort of "inspired by the novel" form.  (Shakespeare inspires way more movies than you might think he does.  My personal favorite is a little thing known as "Scotland, PA."

Then I started thinking about just how many versions of "Pride and Prejudice" or "Wuthering Heights" there are out there, which brought me to my other favorite novel of all time, "Gone with the Wind."

While there might be countless versions of Jane Austen's, Charles Dickens', or the Bronte Sisters' classics, there is only one "Gone With the Wind."

Why?

I'm sure "GWTW" isn't the only classic novel that's only been movied (it's a word...I just made it up) once, but other than recent blockbusters like Harry Potter or Twilight, I can't think of any. Meanwhile, as we approach Christmas, how many movie versions of "A  Christmas Carol" will YOU be watching?

Sometimes it's a matter of getting it wright.  I realize I'm in the minority here, but I think Laurence Olivier is grossly overrated, ESPECIALLY when he plays Heathcliff.  Tom Hardy or Ralph Fiennes do a far better job, but that might just be because of the times.  Olivier worked when actors were just supposed to spew out lines and look good.  The raw, debauched emotions of Heathcliff were hardly appropriate for movie goers back in the day, whereas now I think the movie versions are getting closer to the twisted character Emily Bronte imagined.  (For the record, I think the Tom Hardy "Masterpiece Theater" version is slightly better than the Ralph Fiennes version.)

So why haven't we remade "GWTW?"

It can't just be because those are American novel.  And it can't just be that it's so iconic we don't touch them...it or is?

I know we're still making Civil War movies but I know that much of the reality of the Civil War is softened or touched up or whatever in today's era of "we can't hurt anyone's feelings...ever." 

I might be on to something here.  See, I watched "Roots" recently, and that was made for TV when I was a kid.  MADE FOR TV.  My daughter, aged 16, walked into the room and was horrified that I was watching something using the "N" word.

I'm not defending that word, don't get me wrong.  I don't use it, I think it's horrible.  But it's a word people used in our history and I just don't think we can ever remake those cornerstone Civil War Era movies because today's sensibilities simply will not let us. 

Maybe that's not a bad thing.  Maybe it's okay to leave masterpieces like "GWTW" or "Roots" alone. 

I mean, will there ever be anyone who can be a more perfect Rhett Butler than Clark Gable?

Let's ask Timothy Dalton.

Well here's a list that will give you a confidence boost!

Good evening all!

One of the biggest drags...and hence the biggest fears...in writing is the rejection letter.  I have a file of them someplace, mostly, though, I ignore the rejections. Nowadays, it's a rejection email, which isn't much better, and not nearly as satisfying to destroy.  BUT, as they say, every rejection gets you closer to publication.  Even when it doesn't feel like it.

To that end, my friends over a Bachelor Degrees Online hae provided me with a brilliant top forty list of classics and ultra popular books that were once, twice, perhaps more than that, rejected.   We've read most of these, we own most of these, and we've seen the movies for most of these books.  In short, inspite of the initial reaction, these books are huge success stories.

Enjoy...take heart....and ignore the fact that Moby Dick is on the list.  Face it...sometimes editors and agents do get it right the first time. 

40 Famous Manuscripts That Were Rejected At First

 

It is one of the weird quirks of literature that people who don't necessarily have the skills to write epic masterpieces themselves are put in charge of deciding what gets published and what gets canned. No doubt they have a difficult job and they correctly weed out much material that does not need to be inflicted on the public. And yet, from time to time, editors make some of the absolute worst decisions that future generations look back on and say, "What on earth were they thinking?" Persistence paid off for the authors of these 40 manuscripts who refused to take no for an answer and were rewarded in the end.

1. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole: The Pulitzer Prize-winning, cult classic novel was rejected by multiple publishing companies, including, famously, Simon & Schuster. In despair of ever getting it printed, Toole committed suicide.
2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling: The first Harry Potter book was turned down by multiple publishers, including Penguin and HarperCollins.
3. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig: This incredibly well-known book only exists thanks to the persistence of its author, who endured more than 120 rejections before finding a publisher.
4. Watership Down by Richard Adams: Now Penguin Books' best-selling novel ever, Richard Adams' classic story was rejected by 13 publishers, some of whom later sent him "groveling letters."
5. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter: Upon seven publishers declining to give her a book deal, Ms. Potter published her book herself. More than 150 million copies have been sold since.
6. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer: Of the 15 manuscript copies Meyer sent out, nine were rejected and five had no response. Only one (wise) company wanted to meet with her.
7. Animal Farm by George Orwell: If T.S. Eliot had had his way, Animal Farm would never have seen the light of day. As the head of publisher Faber and Faber, Eliot called the manuscript "unconvincing."
8. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle: Twenty-six publishers wish they could travel back in time and not reject this beloved children's book that has sold 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett: Kathryn Stockett was fanatical about getting an agent to represent her and her book The Help, even working on her manuscript while in labor with her daughter. Finally, after 60 no's, she got her "yes."
10. Carrie by Stephen King: The prolific writer got so many no's (30) for his first attempt at a novel he threw it in the trash. Luckily his wife fished it out.
11. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller: One publisher's rejection letter said this book was "not funny on any intellectual level." Today the book is recognized as one of the best novels of all time and the title itself is a household phrase.
12. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach: This short fable about a seagull by a retired Air Force pilot was rejected 40 times before an editor at Macmillan took it under her wing and helped it become a classic.
13. Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen: Canfield and Hansen heard from 123 publishers that their book had a stupid title, had no sex or violence, and no one would read it.
14. The Shack by William P. Young: Publishers either found this book too Christian or not Christian enough. So 15 photocopied editions led to a self-publishing company and eventually 15 million copies sold.
15. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: Nearly 40 publishers wished they had given a damn about Mitchell's Civil War drama when it grossed more than $1 million and won a Pulitzer in its first year.
16. MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker: We never would have had one of the greatest TV shows in history if Richard Hooker had been deterred by the 21 publishers who turned down his book.
17. Dune by Frank Herbert: More than 20 foolish publishers turned down Frank Herbert's classic that would become the highest-selling science fiction novel of all time, at more than 12 million copies sold worldwide.
18. The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein: Stein's only bestseller received a famous, rude rejection letter from a publisher who turned her down by mocking her trademark style of repetition of simple sentences.
19. A Time to Kill by John Grisham: On his way to becoming a master novelist, Grisham's first book racked up rejections from 16 literary agents and 12 publishers before landing a deal.
20. Lord of the Flies by William Golding: Although Faber & Faber would eventually publish the book, the first reviewer called this book "rubbish and dull" and "pointless."
21. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand: Rand was already a successful writer when her publisher, who had first rights to her new book, declared it "unsaleable and unpublishable." The book has since been called the second most influential book ever, behind only the Bible.
22. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank: As crazy as it sounds, 16 publishers declined to buy the story of Anne Frank's experiences in World War II. Doubleday's risk paid off as the book has sold more than 30 million copies to date.
23. Moby Dick by Herman Melville: Publishers initially told Melville his long book about whaling was "not at all suitable for the juvenile market." Ninth-graders everywhere wish he had listened.
24. Dubliners by James Joyce: Because of the edgy content, this classic by James Joyce was not an easy sell. He was shot down 22 times before landing a deal with Grant Richards Ltd.
25. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carré: Now known as one of the finest novels of the genre, one publisher rejected the book while saying of le Carré, "He hasn't got any future."
26. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov: One publisher said of this book, "I recommend that it be buried under a stone for a thousand years." If it had been, one of the best books of all time would have been lost.
27. The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy: Alec Baldwin should thank Tom Clancy for being persistent. Without Clancy believing in his book through 12 rejections, there never would have been the bestseller or the great movie.
28. On the Road by Jack Kerouac: The book that defined a generation went through a seven-year gauntlet of rejection from publishers who were put off by the book's talk of sex and drugs.
29. Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl: Twenty rejections from publishers didn't stop this true account of men adrift at sea from making it into book form in 66 different languages.
30. Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis: Auntie Mame was on the receiving end of 15 rejection letters for being too outrageous, but it became a bestseller, selling 2 million copies in its first run.
31. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: Kipling's timeless story was rejected multiple times, with one publisher commenting that Kipling did not even understand the English language.
32. The Life of Pi by Yann Martel: It would later rack up awards like the Booker Prize, but The Life of Pi met with unbelievers at five publishing houses before breaking through.
33. Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs: At first, publisher Olympia Press turned down Burroughs' book as too controversial. However, when excerpts were sent through the mail and the postmaster general called it obscene material, all the attention got Olympia interested again and they agreed to print the book.
34. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: In a classic case of getting it exactly wrong, editor William Cole rejected this beloved children's book because he thought it fell in between the interests of kids and adults and wouldn't sell.
35. Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake: Michael Blake lived out of his car while struggling to finish Wolves, and then every major publisher rejected it. Of course, lucky for him, a young man named Kevin Costner found a copy and the rest is history.
36. Lust for Life by Irving Stone: On its winding road to selling 25 million copies, Lust for Life was denied 16 times by publishers, with one calling it "a long, dull novel about an artist."
37. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery: Countless girls read this book or watched the made-for-TV movie based on it. But Montgomery was turned down by five publishers before securing a book deal.
38. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende: On the advice of a receptionist at a publishing house, whose company she told Allende would never publish the book, Allende found an agent who helped her sell it despite "nobody" wanting to read it.
39. Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes: This moving short story that has been made into movies, plays, and TV shows almost never saw book form. It was rejected by five publishers over the course of a year.
40. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot: Cabot says her novel was rejected by "almost every publishing house in America." But she persevered and the book and its sequels have sold millions of copies and been translated to the silver screen.

 

Like "Twilight?" No, you're not stupid.

Good evening!

I was at lunch recently with some friends, and I found myself in a weird position...we were talking about the Twilight movies and books and I found myself defending them...and feeling really, really ignorant because I was.

For those of you not in the know, "Twilight" is a four book series  (and yes, for those I was lunching with, there are four books...) that tells the story of Bella Swan, a hopelessly awkward high school senior who meets and falls in love with Edward, a vampire.  Oh, and her best friend is Jacob, a werewolf.  (Hilarity ensues.)

Actually, and I've read all the gripes and complaints about these books from women's groups and from authors and from people who just don't like stuff that's popular, I really liked the books.  Sure, I enjoy the movies, but I really liked the books.  I believe author Stephenie Meyer took something everyone thinks they know and turned it on it's side.  She took the legends of vampires and werewolves and made them...romantic heroes.

And then she made millions.

I liked the books.  My daughter LOVED the books.  The men who live here also enjoyed the books, though Boy child might not admit to it now.  (He's 18...he's not going to admit to liking anything romantic.)  While I understand they aren't for everyone, I don't get the backlash,  and I really don't get why I feel like some uneducated hick whenever the topic comes up.  Like I'm just not sophisticated enough to appreciate that they aren't any good.

Balderdash.

As authors we are always looking for the unique story, that specific VOICE.  But face it, we are working with a very limited number  (I think it's seven) of root plots.  And you take those root plot concepts and work them and rework them over the course of forever, and honestly, everything "new" seems to echo something that came before.

Ultimately, "Twilight" is the story of man against nature.  And there's a little good versus evil tossed in for good measure.  If there's a lesson...and I'm not saying there is, but if there would be, the lesson, the message is "we can overcome our difference no matter how huge if we can find a common purpose and a way to love each other."

Nothing wrong with that.

Do we have a little author envy going on?  Possibly.  Are there horror purists out there who can't stand the idea of a cuddly, loving werewolf?  Definitely.  But here's the thing:  It's all fiction. 

I think Moby Dick is the worst book ever written.  There are those who love it. (Well, there must be...high school and college students are forced to read that pile of steaming pointlessness year after year.)  I believe Wuthering Heights is the greatest novel on my shelf.

I think J. K. Rowlings is a goddess for the universe she created in Harry Potter.

And I think Stephenie Meyer is a genius for taking something familiar and giving it new life.

These are just opinions.  They are my opinions.

And I'm all done feeling stupid  for having them.

10 Literary Trends that need to go away!

Good morning!

My friends over at Accredited Online Colleges have been sharing a number of really good topics with me, and today I have a bang up one.

10 Literary Trends that need to go Away.

For the record, I'm especially cheering for numbers 6, 9, and 10 to go away.  When Snookie has a two book deal and my friend Linda can't find a publisher for her magnificent book A Lonely Sky, we need to rethink what we are reading.

Also, for the record...I LOVED "Twilight."  Just putting that out there.

So I was like, barfing after my fist fight with J-Wow...and the best idea for my NEXT best selling book just popped into my head.  Isn't that so fun?

Brillliant book.  Just brilliant!

So, enjoy!

10 Literary Trends that Need to Go Away


Oct 30th, 2011.By Kimberly Wilson



What constitutes "literary trends that need to go away" is purely a matter of opinion, of course, and one of debatable education at that! And so, dear, sweet Internet, do try and curtail any possible combustion over subjectivities. It really is quite silly!







But yeah, these really exist as quite ghastly little numbers, poisoning beloved bookstores and libraries for far too long. Some have wreaked havoc for decades while others — if bibliophiles are lucky, anyways — might blink away as just another disposable fad. Either way though, they all deserve a giant booting so worthwhile reads can take their place.



1Lackluster graphic novel/comic book adaptations

Excellent graphic novels and comics, such as the Pulitzer-winning Maus, stand on their own as classic, essential literary works. So the medium itself isn't the problem here. Neither are lovingly-reproduced adaptations showing the utmost respect for the source material. L. Frank Baum enthusiast Eric Shanower and lively artist Skottie Young collaborated on the Eisner-winning, New York Times-bestselling comic books relaying myriad stories from the Wizard of Oz universe. All the included series preserve the novels' and the most popular musical's whimsy, imagination, wit, characters, atmospheres, themes and all those other lovely literary buzzwords, even if the comic creators did have to play with its progenitors to fit the medium a bit.



The issue lay with the idea behind graphic novel and comic book cash-ins just because it's the thing to do, paying little heed to the original story, the medium or both. Manga Shakespeare, for example, seems to exist more to bank some sweet-sweet coin off the last vestiges of America's late-'90s, late-'00s lust for Japanese comics. While its intent to make The Bard "more accessible" deserves applause, the frequently uninspired art and cringe-worthy liberties (Hamlet set in a "cyberworld in constant dread of war") do little to promote the author or the diverse medium. It's as if the publishers desired to whip out some manga and added Shakespeare later to push more product. No shame comes taped to playing with the familiar stories — Throne of Blood elegantly welded samurai culture to Macbeth – but half-assing it just to make a quick buck disrespects the original author, comics themselves and (most importantly) the readers.



2"Self-help" guides doing more harm than good

Fun Fact: That The Secret thing the kids were into a few years ago? The whole "law of attraction" thing essentially foists the blame of abuse and suffering onto innocent victims. What a concept! If only displaced genocide survivors knew they could prevent losing their loved ones and homes with THE POWER OF THINKING HAPPY THOUGHTS REALLY, REALLY HARD!!! Self-help guides always have been and always will be a thing, but the entire genre shouldn't be dismissed because some of the most prominent and egregious examples do the exact opposite of what they tout. Chained to the Desk, intelligently — and with empathy — toutlines a very real psychological condition (workaholism) and offers highly accessible advice for patients, their loved ones and healthcare professionals. It's one of the best examples of an effective self-help book doing exactly what it's supposed to do — outline an issue, proffer solutions and back it all up with scientific (not anecdotal!) proof.



Unfortunately, the pulp getting so heavily pushed doesn't typically possess the same detail, research and psychological intent as Chained to the Desk. Most are relatively harmless, offering generic inspirational bromides in lieu of anything substantial, but causing about as much internal and external damage as a fluffy little down feather. Garbage like the aforementioned The Secret and the ever-so-popular depression "cures" involving nothing but positive thinking, however, pretty much wreak psychological havoc. The former and its ilk blame victims already plagued with trauma, guilt and stigmatization, while the latter refuses to acknowledge the true complexities behind a serious mental health issue. Journalist Barbara Ehrenreich published Bright-Sided to delve deeply into this unfortunate trend, which probably won't dissolve completely anytime soon.



3Bandwagon-jumping:

Twilight was crap, but at least it attempted something a little different by making its vampires sparkle. And its baffling success kicked off the most recent young adult literary trend: angsty teen fantasy-horror-romances. The list starring vampires alone contains enough titles to fill a generous library shelf. Exploiting narrative and trope trends is about as new as the Marianas Trench and probably won't stop happening until never. While some of the shameless rip-offs might actually prove worthwhile reading, the problem here lay more with homogeneity than anything else. With so many trendy tomes crowding stores and libraries, curious readers looking for something completely different might experience a more difficult time finding something suiting their tastes. Plus, focusing too much energy on riding a contemporary's coattails precludes an author's own personal creativity. One wonders how many interesting, innovative stories ended up shunted to the sidelines because publishers preferred trendy opportunism rather than trying to launch their very own trends and innovations.



4Self-indulgent celebrity memoirs

Every once in a while, a celebrity memoir like Steve Martin's heavy, evocative Born Standing Up or even Bruce Campbell's campy and fun B-movie romp If Chins Could Kill prove that the genre isn't an entire fame-whoring waste. Unfortunately, so much of it proves absurdly formulaic and self-aggrandizing (with the requisite mock humility), savvy pop culture critic Nathan Rabin has taken to regularly reviewing and observing the phenomenon. Publishing resources that could go towards brand new, talented writers with something fresh and interesting to say instead supporting the same old "fame totally happened, oh man I lost everything, but yay, spirituality" narrative. These people get (or got) enough attention as it is, earned or not.



5"Revolutionary" diet plans

The PR says "revolutionary," the cynics say "fad," and the medical professionals say "potentially dangerous." Here's the only diet plan anyone needs. Exercise regularly. Practice portion control. Eat a diet comprised primarily of nutritious foods. No book necessary.



6Celebrity authors who just can't write

So that ghastly Snooki wrote a novel, launching a thousand lazy jokes about whether or not she's even literate in the first place. The obviously autobiographical result, A Shore Thing, proved just as vomitously cringe-inducing as one would imagine, and her name actually ended up in a larger font than the book's title. Probably because it wasn't really the novel being sold at all, but the Snooki brand. Lauren Conrad, another bafflingly famous "personality" who arguably doesn't really do much of anything, pulled something similar and ended up on the bestseller list. Twice. Meanwhile, once again, real writers enjoy fewer and fewer opportunities as the marketing machine plows through their art like so many Lawnmower Men. Apparently fame in one area automatically translates to talent in another, even though both "authors" shilled efforts whining about their luxurious lives.



7"Women's literature" with reductionist views of women

Scientific studies reveal a link between romantic comedy consumption and unrealistic — if not outright unhealthy — attitudes towards relationships. So it stands to reason that their bookish equivalent known as "chick lit" might result in a similar effect. Enjoying fluffy, escapist reads carries absolutely no shame, but the problem lay with some of the disconcerting tropes. Like how "women's literature" tends towards problems involving men and shoes, painting its protagonists as shrill, empty-headed, materialistic archetypes instead of real people. Or the fact that so many books ostensibly about the ladies always seems to involve men. Specifically, attracting, keeping and tolerating the fact that they just aren't perfect. The Confessions of a Shopaholic series is probably the genre's most prolific example, though nonfiction like He's Just Not That Into You also egregiously explore similar territory. Literature aimed at a female demographic should continue being a thing, of course! But maybe someday authors concerned with writing unique, interesting, relatable characters instead of insulting their audience by essentially painting them as high-maintenance, boy-crazy bimbos. The ladies deserve much better than that. The Color Purple concerns women's issues and identity, but jettisons the scary credit card debt and griping about boyfriends farting in bed.



8Remixing the classics

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was funny at first: a fresh, postmodern take on Jane Austen's Regency classic. And then Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters happened. Followed by two more Pride and Prejudice and Zombies sequels, Little Women and Werewolves, Jane Slayre, Little Vampire Women, Mansfield Park and Mummies and many, many more mashups. Although this definitely falls under bandwagonning, the added element of building on popular public domain works adds an extra literary dimension. Yeah, the cheekiness definitely amuses, but the market's become quite saturated with them. Enough already!



9Assuming genre fiction has nothing to say

This article has probably expressed a rather harsh attitude towards genre fare, but the egregiously terrible and/or overtly, unabashedly derivative examples shouldn't speak for all of them. Frequently, a ponderous work like Fahrenheit 451 or Lord of the Rings score sweet syllabus deals, but most end up ignored or outright dismissed. When it comes to science-fiction, for example, Snow Crash says just as much about the human condition and experience as most classics with a grounding in reality — and considering its technological themes (even prediction of services such as Second Life!), eerily resonates today. Rebecca and some Sherlock Holmes books really deliver academically when it comes to mysteries, but how about The New York Trilogy? And so forth. Scratching the surface makes a great introduction to different genres, but try and find examples beyond the tried and true to really diversify the canon.



10Dismissing all self-published literature

With so many celebrity tell-alls, "reality star" "authors," dangerous dieting and dismissive self help reads taking up publishers' time and money, it's no wonder so many writers decide on DIY jobs. Some do it to avoid over-editing and compromising their main ideas. Others just like masturbating their ego over adding "published author" to their resumes, quality levels be damned! And even more think the process far easier than the one involving agents and marketing departments and whatnot. Out of all of these motivations, the only books anyone ever focuses on (of course!) are the narcissism-driven and/or terrible. In reality, self-published writers run the gamut from creative, thought-provoking and talented to those so genuinely frightening and outright offensive linking them here would probably cause the FBI to shut this whole site down.



So just like books published through more traditional venues. When exploring this brave new technological world that has such diverse people in it, head over to Self-Published Review first. The minds behind the site do an excellent job of de-stigmatizing the process and offer up informed commentary on the excellent, good, bad, weird and absolutely godawful dreck available. More readers should hear them out and perhaps find their next big favorite.