On thinking of Authors...Danielle Steele...

[ScreamingMeemie]

Who else is incredulous when thinking about the fact that she has a multi million dollar empire built upon writing basically the same book with different characters for decades?

I've seen interviews with her and she appears rather nice, but I've read a couple of her books (back in the Boom day) and they all read the same. Even when they are made into Lifetime movies...it's the same stuff.

[ploppy]

1. I would

write one if I had that ability - and would start doling out the money to my favorite causes and myself!

[Aristus]

2. Danielle Steele's stuff is what Truman Capote used to call

"creative typing".

[Missy Vixen]

3. She writes a book in eight days

It's true. I saw an interview with her many years ago during which she explained that she writes a book in eight days. She doesn't shower until she's finished.

I'm an aspiring contemporary romance author. The requested partial and synopsis of my book is sitting on the desk at a publisher's in New York City as we speak ;-). It took me five months to write a 100,000+ word novel. I'm not sure if I could write more than a book a year; it's draining. (I had to do research and everything. Then again, I'm sure DS has people for that.) The editing takes longer than writing the actual book.

Julie

[BigMcLargehuge]

4. it's not just her though...

Edith Wharton, same thing. Ann Rice, same thing. E.M. Forster, same thing (though there are little differences but the themes are all nearly identical, except for Maurice and A Passage to India). Jilly Cooper (Mrs. McLargehuge's favorite), same thing in excess.

Danielle Steele just made more money at it.

[skygazer]

5. Utterly incredulous

They're essentially Harlequin Romances in hardcover. Never understood the popularity or the appeal.

[Missy Vixen]

6. Actually, Harlequin's changed over the years

There's several genres now under the Harlequin name -- everything from what's called "sweet" romances (no sex, or it's hinted at but no details, and nothing happens till the characters are married,) to full-on, steamy encounters between the main characters.

Romance writers typically have to work to produce a bestseller. Women want plot, they want believability (other than the fact the hero always, always must be a hunk,) and they want good writing.

If you'd like some examples of single title contemporary bestsellers, try Jennifer Crusie, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Rachel Gibson, Susan Donovan or Vicki Lewis Thompson. ;-)

Julie