The Business of Books

The influence of commercialism in the book industry

Personally, I do not like Harry Potter. I find it has an unconvincing plot and a few of its leading characters are weak. Some may agree with me, others may strongly oppose such a statement, and that is perfectly acceptable. However, both parties should acknowledge that it is the highest grossing fiction in the world and one of the highest grossing books ever created. One of the greatest reasons the series was so widely read, was due to the hype built up around this ‘bestseller series’. So, one can ask the question: How has the rising ‘commercialisation’ of books affected the book industry and its audiences?

Can Writing be Taught?

Photo: Ehber Burger

Type “fishing” into your search bar – you will find the first few pages of results to be good fishing locations close to you, boat hiring or the Wikipedia page on the history of fishing. Type ‘writing” into your search bar and, within a page, the majority of results will be online or university writing courses or websites dedicated to how to improve writing. So the question arises Can Writing be Taught?

Characters of Flesh

 

Drawing Jesse McCartney by DontSpeakSilent https://www.sketchport.com/drawing/5906880501121024/jesse-mccartney

The character stands atop a cliff, overlooking the ocean. The ground falls away, and the character falls hundreds of feet into the shallow waters bellow. The others, who had stood further back, rush to the edge, desperately hoping for their friend’s survival. They are shocked by what they see. He stands up from the rock he had landed on over a hundred feet below and walks away without a scratch…And the reader screams, “What!”

Pages and Tissues

Both are made from wood, and both are necessary for a good book.

Photograpgh: Ehber Burger

Most bookworms, even those who only slightly dabble in reading, will have cried at some point in their lives over a book. Movie junkies too will admit to having teared up in some part of a saddening drama. It is not necessarily something the victims are proud of, but the emotional connection to stories and the characters therein is a fascinating aspect of the many different forms of narrative.

Plot Twists Expected

“No, I am your father.” – Luke’s mortal enemy, Darth Vader, is actually his father.

Photo Credit: “geralt” ; Source: https://pixabay.com/p-1280247/?no_redirect

Eyes wide open, mouth agape and you probably cry, “What!” Whether it is due to a sudden death, the revealing of an unanticipated antagonist or even a natural disaster, we have all experienced a plot twist. It lives in all forms of narrative – the novel, the film, the oral story, the poem and so forth.

Palestinian Author in Exile after Banning on Book

Image Title: Censored section of Green Illusions by Ozzie Zehner Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Censored_section_of_Green_Illusions_by_Ozzie_Zehner.jpg

6 April 2017

Abbad Yahya has been living in exile since February 2017, after his latest novel, Crime in Ramallah, was banned by the Palestinian Authority. In the days following the ban, the author has received death threats, as well as a warrant for his arrest. Consequently, the author has remained outside the country for safety reasons.

The therapy in writing

Pain is healed through therapy as US Expeditionary physical therapist takes notes in a patient evaluation.  Title: Senior Airman Justyn M. Freeman, 160719-F-RN544-021.JPG Source: http://www.afcent.af.mil/Units/455th-Air-Expeditionary-Wing/Photos/igphoto/2001578323/

 

Write it Down

All humans have problems. Throughout our lives, we face difficult tasks, unstable relationships and unexpected dramas or perhaps it was just an emotionally draining day. These stresses have to be vented out of ourselves in some way, else it simply keeps building unnecessary stress, melancholy and frustration. Luckily, you have access to your very own, cheap, therapist: a pen and paper.