BTT: CUT!
Patricia asks a particularly insightful question:
Ever read a book you thought you could have written better yourself?
Oh, many a time! Well, ok, that’s enough, inner snob; sit thee down. I guess I don’t often read books that are written so terribly that I am tempted to do a rewrite. However, I feel like my two biggest examples of books I could barely get through without taking up my red pen have become incredibly popular. Twilight and The da Vinci Code are the two I’m thinking of. No, I had no religious issues with either one; I simply thought the writing was attrocious.
There, now that I have gotten that off my chest, I should say that I usually have no need to rewrite, unless there are glaring issues (ex: “I could care less”…AAAAAH!) that even a mediocre editor should have caught. For the most part, I just accept that each writer has his or own style and I’m simply along for the ride.
Iwriteinbooks's Blog 
Good response! Twilight especially Breaking Dawn I spent hours griping over.
Here is my response
http://bloodsweatandbooks.blogspot.com/2012/03/booking-through-thursday-3.html
Love the photo! There are a few book that I felt I could have written a little more fluidly, but only in technical ways. Some books just seems to have atrocious metaphors that I am sure I could rework, but I sort of feel the way you do about this issue. The style is usually something that I don’t criticize.
You hit on a point that I think is overlooked–the value of good editing.
It seems that once an author achieves a certain status, it’s almost as if editors are afraid to edit them. So we let them run off on tangents or have endless unnecessary page and plot threads because you don’t want to run the risk of offending the bestselling author.
If you look at the work of Stephen King, this happened in the 80s and 90s. Thankfully, he has someone now who isn’t afraid to edit him. King has even admitted this is the case
i appreciate the honesty of your inner-snob lol :p
I haven’t tried to read Twilight myself though I am sure there are many people who would agree with you, but I found that I rather liked the Da Vinci Code myself. I haven’t read much else of Dan Brown though. Here’s my BTT
http://inner-aspen.blogspot.com/2012/03/booking-through-thursday-can-i-do-it.html
happy thursday!
Yeah, DaVinci Code was pretty awful. The writing and the pacin had me rolling my eyes.
http://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com/2012/03/booking-through-thursday_22.html
I never read the Twilight books, browsing a little was enough for me, thank you very much.
I’d have loved to edit The Da Vinci Code, mostly to be able to return the manuscript and demand a rewrite (or 15, probably at least 15).
I always think I could do better too. Not with editing or anything but when I read the synopsis of a book and think, ‘how cool does this sound?’ And then read the book I’m often disappointed and sure I could have done better with the idea.
Eh, I don’t throw too many stones, because I have never actually written anything. I’m not even sure if I could do it. Even the most poorly written book is probably better than I could manage!