WTF... just WTF...
Okay, so there's this self-published author I just heard about today. She's called Gloria Tesch. Perhaps on the waves of the internet, you've heard of the backlash on her.
She's only 15 and she wrote her first novel recently. (I... think she was 13, maybe 14.).
Unsurprisingly, her book is pretty terrible. Fair enough, doesn't really seem like something people should get riled at. I mean woop di freaking doo, a self-published teen novelist sucked, no need to get up in arms about it, I mean for every person who probably IS a good self-published teen writer there's probably, well, a thousand which are terrible. Even though good novels don't get published by proper houses all the time, let's face it, Vanity Fair probably only has a few rubies among its huge pile of dung. It's like the ff.net of publicising, only this one has a filter based on how much money you're willing to pay to get your book in print. It's also just a bit more likely that with teens,they'll suck more than people in older age brackets. Not to say that teens can't outstrip adults in talent- of course they can. It's just not as likely overall.
So it's like shooting fish in a barrel to be mean to her.
Right?
I mean, look at MY first fanfiction (and I was 19, I had less of an excuse!) while far from as bad as her work, mixing tenses for instance was something I did, and with a mild form of dyslexia I had issues. I've thankfully improved over time. Hence the value of constructive criticism. So why be mean to this girl (even if its not just grammar but the fact her story and characters and world are all awful)? Who cares? Why is she getting so much attention?
The thing is though of course, the poor girl is also completely DELUDED. She thinks she's better than JK Rowling, Stephen King and JRR Tolkein or will be more successful than them. She promotes her books through fake tv spots and takes fake photos with the books in the 'number 1 spot', makes claims that there is going to be a theme park and a movie. She falsely claimed to be the youngest novelist in the world (sweetie? The youngest novelist was SIX... and he wasn't self published) . She has said, and I quote "I'm sorry I can't hear you over how awesome I am" and that criticisers are just 'haters'.
The thing is though that while irritating (even if the latter point can be applied to many people in fanfiction), people being unusually mean or cruel to her and her novel I feel isn't going to work.
Honestly, I feel she has to be sat down gently be someone with more patience and tell her the truth. Rather like say a sensitive pair of parents may tell a kid who is will possibly react badly to a divorce. It's not always nice, the child may act.. well like a child (duh), but it will be better for everyone when it's over and out in the open. She needs to know that not only does she have a LONG... LONG... LONG... way to go in writing, her other actions are also unacceptable however.
This whole issue is depressing to me, this girl is killing her own career before it's even begun. True her writing sucks... but she's FIFTEEN. She can get better. There's always a way to improve.
You see this is why I could never watch the US version of Pop Idol without cringing, especially in the beginning stages. There was always SOMEONE , that ONE person who throughout all (usually, 'her') life was contantly told the sun shone out of her ass by her parents, that she was a marvelous singer, simply amazing or other things which were untrue. They didn't simply try to say 'she wasn't that bad' or something understandable or a little white lie, but constantly showered them with praise. Massaging the facts would be an understatement. Even after the man of high trousers and even higher levels of scathing criticism, Simon Cowell, said otherwise regarding the singers 'talent', they often went into straight denial, usually in tears or in anger.
Can you blame them though? They'd been practically brainwashed. It's almost like taking that kid whose been raised to believe in creationism and that anyone who doesn't believe is a horrible stupid person. It's a child like mentality that some parents do not let their kids grow out of- and actively encourage and even believe themselves. You're right, and everyone else is wrong and just a 'meanie' for disagreeing with you. They are not going to immediately see the light when they see or told the facts. Of course they'll deny it. If they're taught they are utterly 'right' (or at least their stance is) and anyone who disagrees is 'wrong' it's going to take a long time for them to get round to it, if they ever do at all.
It's a disservice to raise children like that not to mention to help them promote their self-created delusions. Fantasy is fine, but telling ANY kid they're perfect at ANY age is a recipe for disaster. I mean there attitude shall be: why mess with perfection? The people are criticise are OBVIOUSLY just jealous! That's the only reason they act this way, not the fact your attitude... really isn't backed up by talent. (Ad even if you had the talent, you are behaving obnoxiously).
Eventually, they can't function in the real world and they will be socially stunted until something happens to turn things around. If the parents honestly believe it to be true, they obviously need to get a clue themselves. That viewpoint is HURTING that child. Try to take off your rose tinted glasses and see the truth. It's what's best..
Sure, it's not really abuse, but it's close. It's worse to put a kid down and stick them face down in the mud and call them worthless on the other extreme end of the scale, but I'm sorry raising a kid in the other direction is still NOT okay.
If this girl is being serious, I wouldn't blame her. I'd blame the parents. They are encouraging her like this, and they're just setting her up for a humongous fall with how they're dealing with the whole situation. Eventually she's going to be extremely ashamed of how she's acting. If she doesn't, she'll be a lost cause.
Links ahoy!
Here is her website:
http://www.maradonia.com/
First Book on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Maradonia-Seven-Bridges-Gloria-Tesch/dp/0615214797
Tv Tropes page on her 'Saga':
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MaradoniaSaga
Perhaps some day, she just may become a good author and have a more realistic ego and not lie her face off. Just not today. And her parent's actions probably mean it's becoming less and less likely to be tomorrow.
Other notes
(She isn't even a Stephanie Meyer. That's how scary it is).
(A part of me wonders if she's preforming some epic trolling stunt, but it's pretty unlikely given the insane amount of effort, time (and money!) spent. )
Note to self: Holy frak, do not encourage my kids like this if I ever have them. Plus if I ever get cracking on original stories, get someone I know will be honest to look at them... not that I'll ever be half as bad... but STILL..