UK Literary Luvvies

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Love_hate_small_town said:
When writers post about what a slog their book is it makes me never want to read that book. Why write a book for the sake of it? It’s going to be formulaic AF. Female protagonist with a creative job mixing in creative circles with one down to earth friend who is a teacher or nurse.
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Exactly. It'll be the most run of the mill commercial fiction too. I was watching an interview with Ann Patchett recently and someone called her "brave" Ann was borderline offended and started telling the audience how her Dad was a police officer and how he was much more deserving of the word "brave" than novelists are and I completely agree! She's still an absolute legend. The Literary Luvs would do well to learn some of her humility.
 
Love_hate_small_town said:
When writers post about what a slog their book is it makes me never want to read that book. Why write a book for the sake of it? It’s going to be formulaic AF. Female protagonist with a creative job mixing in creative circles with one down to earth friend who is a teacher or nurse.
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I would like to see Dolly write something a bit deeper- she’s a good writer and has some good observations about the human condition, and she’s also a genuine reader so could take inspiration from psychological stories like The Bell Jar. Something not about troublesome men or dating apps or friendship groups- how about a woman who lives alone and struggles with an eating disorder or something? EIKAL was liked because it was fresh, but now there’s so many copies it seems formulaic.
 
soph30 said:
I would like to see Dolly write something a bit deeper- she’s a good writer and has some good observations about the human condition, and she’s also a genuine reader so could take inspiration from psychological stories like The Bell Jar. Something not about troublesome men or dating apps or friendship groups- how about a woman who lives alone and struggles with an eating disorder or something? EIKAL was liked because it was fresh, but now there’s so many copies it seems formulaic.
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Do you really think she's a good writer?
 
I like her writing and always felt like the dynamic between her and Panda was off in that Pandora had more experienced writing roles and gave dolly a break into the times (?? Or was it the daily mail?) and there seemed to be this unsaid agreement that panda was the more experienced and ‘better’ writer. I know it’s awful to pit them against each other as they have very different writing interests but I always preferred Dolly’s writing. She had far more of a voice. I’m not even sure that Pandora has found her writing voice and I’d put that down to a lack of any formal training.

I wish dolly would go and do something truly out of her comfort zone to give her something to say. Not just column content comfort zone but spending a few years out of the spotlight doing something new and different because I would genuinely love to read more of her but when she has something unique to say.
 
But is that not potentially some jealousy too?

I think she needs to quit the advice column. It's awful. And as I said, didn't like Ghosts.
But Everything I Know About Love I read when I was 29 and it was revelatory, I bought it for a number of friends for their 30th birthdays and they all adored it. She absolutely hit a nerve with millennial women when she wrote that book, and that takes some writing chops.
 
The first time I heard of Dolly Alderton was years ago, when she wrote a piece for Sali Hughes‘ website about her favourite mascara. I knew nothing about her at the time, but I was struck by how well written it was, she made a basic subject a fun and interesting read.


ETA. I’m not even defending her, just wanted to say that when I first read her, without any preconceptions, I liked what she wrote.
 
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mfch said:
I think Dolly is a great writer- probably the most talented of that set- but Ghosts was formulaic rubbish. She can do better.
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I really enjoyed everything I know about love
I haven’t read ghosts - but I was surprised when she announced she was doing fiction and it turned out to be run of the mill ‘chick lit’ thought she would have done something a bit deeper

Though as I said I haven’t read ghosts so I could be wrong - maybe it’s good? But this thread tells me otherwise and confirms my suspicions
 
jenmarks said:
I don't think Dolly is a good writer, and i know for a fact that her writing isn't well thought of, either amongst journalists and editors, or publishers.
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She can be a bit purple prose but the fundamentals are there. It can sound a bit clunky even after editing, but has some good descriptions :) Why do you think her writing is bad?
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However she doesn't seem to be able to get into any characters' heads that aren't her, which is her fatal flaw. The Ghosts protagonist was too similar to her.
 
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soph30 said:
She can be a bit purple prose but the fundamentals are there. It can sound a bit clunky even after editing, but has some good descriptions :) Why do you think her writing is bad?
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However she doesn't seem to be able to get into any characters' heads that aren't her, which is her fatal flaw. The Ghosts protagonist was too similar to her.
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I agree with this. She's not a bad writer but Ghosts felt like she'd mixed some of her own stories with some of her Dear Dolly columns and threw a (truly forgettable) narrative around them.

I feel like she can't quite balance deep and meaningful without very self consciously wanting to prove her ability to tap into the zeitgeist. She's not the Nora Ephron she thinks she is, she tries too hard to be 'whip-smart'.
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soph30 said:
I would like to see Dolly write something a bit deeper- she’s a good writer and has some good observations about the human condition, and she’s also a genuine reader so could take inspiration from psychological stories like The Bell Jar. Something not about troublesome men or dating apps or friendship groups- how about a woman who lives alone and struggles with an eating disorder or something? EIKAL was liked because it was fresh, but now there’s so many copies it seems formulaic.
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Her new novel was just announced and it's about...heartbreak 😅
 
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Mermaid456 said:
She’s just announced her new book on her insta! It’s about heartbreak x
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And it's called Good Material so the protagonist is probs a writer 😫
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Also is she still with her guy? Is it long term? I know it’s fiction but I’d feel a little guilty writing a novel all about heartbreak that drew heavily from my own experiences (because we know it bloody will be, heavily, and that the protagonist will be a millenial from the North London suburbs) when I was in a serious relationship. I mean, if it’s only a strand and there’s a story to be told with it as an anchor… but it won’t be, it will be generic :)
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Also sorry but Dolly just collects men and experiences, she’s probably had a million heartbreaks which will dilute the resonance of her emotions. Bojo as the guru or I’m not reading 😂
 
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