I saw something yesterday that asked what current books we thought would be considered classics in 100 years. I didn't bother seeing what other people were saying might be classic because that would just be depressing, but it did get me to thinking.
I don't write classics for the most part. I expect that as long as I keep advertising the books, people will keep buying them for 5-10 years. But classic? Not really. The SCIU series and the OUAD series are entertainment. So's the Sleeping Ugly series if I ever get it past the first book.
I'd like for Project Hermes to achieve the sort of status of Patriot Games, but I'm not fooling myself. It'll never be a movie.
If 100 years from now people pick up Blink of an I or Unequal and think 'wow', I'd be happy. Then again, I'll be dead, so it probably won't matter much. Still, I'd like for those to be classics someday. Again, not fooling myself here.
I wonder what the authors of 100 years ago thought about their books. Were they thinking 'this is going to be a classic' or were they just hoping to make enough money to pay the rent?
A lot has changed since then. I mean, all of the books of 100 years ago were paper. And they all had to wait for some publishing company to recognize their brilliance so the masses could even have a chance of reading their books. Now? No waiting, but also way harder to get noticed and get read by even a portion of the masses.
I'm sure there are a wealth of awesome books out there withering on the wine. Mine could be several of them. And the world will never know they existed.
Don't mind me, I'm just pondering this morning. Since I don't really read books anyone might consider potential future classics*, let me know if you've read anything new you think might fit the bill.
*In case you don't follow The Writing Spectacle, where I talk about my reading habits, I primarily read either old books or new ones that are underappreciated. When I do pick up a newer traditionally published book, it's from a thrift store.
Charles Dickens was a "hack" in his day. His books/serials were geared toward the masses and look where he/they are today.
ReplyDeleteI don't read the "buzz books"-- those that come out with a lot of hype and sales, whether they be literary or whatever. I read and write for entertainment value only. Who knows, maybe I'll be this generation's Dickens.... *gigglesnort*
I wouldn't *mind* writing classics, but I'd rather earn a living. :-)
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