Fussy Eater, Fussy Reader

Every once in a while, I need to pick on Nathan Bransford, although today, maybe not quite so much. He reposted a blog post from his agent days about taste in books and basically seemed to say that if you dislike something, you're immature. If you rave about something, oh that's fine, but if you dislike it, you need reasons. This struck me as immature in itself. I get that agents only take on projects they "love" so if you hate on a book, you're hating on their baby. Criticism sucks, but last week in my writing class, the instructor asked a pointed question: Does knowing someone worked really hard on a book make you like it more? Maybe some of you give an A for effort, but my guess is probably not so much. You don't like what you don't like.

So, if your friends are giving you flack because you prefer bodice rippers to the latest triumph of the human spirit or yuppie angst literary novel du jour, pretend to pick your nose, walk away and say "Well, la tee da!"

And now for a belly laugh with George Carlin.

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