(Repost) Food For thought SG Fans: Why do you want to know more about Stuart Gibbs books?
This is to all Stuart Gibbs fans (or any fans of books in general, but I've been seeing this mainly on Stuart Gibb's blog&website). My question to you is: Why do you want to know more about upcoming books? Now I will admit, sometimes I get giddy asking questions about Big Game, Spaced Out, and even Spy School #4, but I want to know exactly why you want to know more about his upcoming books. I'm reposting this sort of as a PSA and I suppose as we get near SS#4 toward the end of summer I might repost this again. If you go to stuartgibbs.com and look at the blog, there are hundreds of comments. And they're along the lines like "Is SPYDER/Erica/Zoe/Chip/Ashley/Nefarious going to be there?" or "Do Ben and Erica finally go out/ Ben gets that hug from Erica?". There are SO many questions that are pretty much huge spoilers. If you don't want your friend to spoil a book, why would you want the author?
"Because I want to know info before everyone else!"
This is true, but the problem is, do you really? Sure it'd be cool to know that Ben & Erica are going out, or Teddy finally earns the trust of Summer, or that Ben is the cool kid at spy school before everyone else. I see many flaws in this however (yes, I'm being hypocritical, but after this post I will stop asking Stuart for answers on his upcoming books) Which is more fun? Waiting a few months, building up a bunch of suspense, and then reading an intense, exciting novel to learn something shocking, or having someone tell you what happens, and reading it is boring? It's almost as if right before a movie you've been waiting to see comes out, the movie producer suddenly says "The hero dies!" and ruins everything. Plus, people will see your comments on his blog, and will know all this info minutes after you do, and is spoiling an awesome book you've been waiting months to read all worth to get insider info. a few minutes before the general public?
"What if I e-mail him/her?"
That is true, but you see, you still are being spoiled. What's the point of books in general, and author's writing them, if you know what happens? Why would anybody buy a book in which they already know the plot, the climax, and the shocking new info?
"I just need to clarify one thing! That's it!"
Yes, sometimes people will shut up if they get to know just one thing, but again is it worth it? If you know something important about Big Game, Spaced Out, or Spy School #4, would you still buy the book?
"Yeah, I will. Of course!"
Ok, sometimes people still buy the book, but I don't get why. Would you buy Spy School even if you already read it 10 times?
"I collect books!"
Irrelevant.
"Well, I'm sure there's still enough action to make it exciting"
Ok, let's pretend that you love the Spy School series and you get ready to buy Spy School #4. But before you hand over 10 bucks, the B&N cashier explains to you that Ben & Erica finally become a couple (this is because B&N gets the shipment of books before they're released to the public, and he happened to already have read it). You say thanks, hand over the money, and go home to read it. Now you're reading it. Ben and Erica are in the mountains, fighting off SPYDER. "Wow" you say, that blogger dude is totally wrong, this is awesome" But here's the problem. Most of the time, all the action is leading up to the climax, or a semi-climax, meaning all that action is somehow linked to the part you know. Is it exciting to see Erica for some reason give Ben the hug she promised him at Spy School, if you know that ten chapters down the line, they're for sure going to become a couple. In my belief, I think It'd rather have all the action take place without any end surprises given away.
"Man, now you've ruined my dreams. Thanks a lot"
I'm not saying you have to stop asking questions, I'm just saying that you should think before you ask. Do I really need to know this? Even if I do, will I still buy a book? Will I like it as much as I would if I hadn't known the answer to this question? This is important stuff. Avid readers out there, please, don't just ask away. Think. I'm begging you.
Comment your thoughts on this. Also, think about this question and send it out (If you still disagree with my argument)- If SG were to answer your question, what would you do? Would you really want him to?
"Because I want to know info before everyone else!"
This is true, but the problem is, do you really? Sure it'd be cool to know that Ben & Erica are going out, or Teddy finally earns the trust of Summer, or that Ben is the cool kid at spy school before everyone else. I see many flaws in this however (yes, I'm being hypocritical, but after this post I will stop asking Stuart for answers on his upcoming books) Which is more fun? Waiting a few months, building up a bunch of suspense, and then reading an intense, exciting novel to learn something shocking, or having someone tell you what happens, and reading it is boring? It's almost as if right before a movie you've been waiting to see comes out, the movie producer suddenly says "The hero dies!" and ruins everything. Plus, people will see your comments on his blog, and will know all this info minutes after you do, and is spoiling an awesome book you've been waiting months to read all worth to get insider info. a few minutes before the general public?
"What if I e-mail him/her?"
That is true, but you see, you still are being spoiled. What's the point of books in general, and author's writing them, if you know what happens? Why would anybody buy a book in which they already know the plot, the climax, and the shocking new info?
"I just need to clarify one thing! That's it!"
Yes, sometimes people will shut up if they get to know just one thing, but again is it worth it? If you know something important about Big Game, Spaced Out, or Spy School #4, would you still buy the book?
"Yeah, I will. Of course!"
Ok, sometimes people still buy the book, but I don't get why. Would you buy Spy School even if you already read it 10 times?
"I collect books!"
Irrelevant.
"Well, I'm sure there's still enough action to make it exciting"
Ok, let's pretend that you love the Spy School series and you get ready to buy Spy School #4. But before you hand over 10 bucks, the B&N cashier explains to you that Ben & Erica finally become a couple (this is because B&N gets the shipment of books before they're released to the public, and he happened to already have read it). You say thanks, hand over the money, and go home to read it. Now you're reading it. Ben and Erica are in the mountains, fighting off SPYDER. "Wow" you say, that blogger dude is totally wrong, this is awesome" But here's the problem. Most of the time, all the action is leading up to the climax, or a semi-climax, meaning all that action is somehow linked to the part you know. Is it exciting to see Erica for some reason give Ben the hug she promised him at Spy School, if you know that ten chapters down the line, they're for sure going to become a couple. In my belief, I think It'd rather have all the action take place without any end surprises given away.
"Man, now you've ruined my dreams. Thanks a lot"
I'm not saying you have to stop asking questions, I'm just saying that you should think before you ask. Do I really need to know this? Even if I do, will I still buy a book? Will I like it as much as I would if I hadn't known the answer to this question? This is important stuff. Avid readers out there, please, don't just ask away. Think. I'm begging you.
Comment your thoughts on this. Also, think about this question and send it out (If you still disagree with my argument)- If SG were to answer your question, what would you do? Would you really want him to?
Interesting thought. Though I think people would buy the book anyways even if it is spoiled. Why? Because you didnt got full details and you know you wanna get to see how the action goes and how the characters react. Or to see what they were saying was true.
ReplyDeleteLela Da Pancake-
ReplyDeleteWell, what I'm saying is while some of the things you're curious about aren't big. think of the many times you see kids asking on SG's blog asking when Ben and Erica are going to start dating and such. I mean, I guess you would still read it, but there's no element of surprise anymore. Also, whatever SG says, you basically take it to be fact.
-Justin
Hmm tru tru
DeleteJustin visit book club please.
ReplyDeleteI would still buy the book so I could find out what leads up to the spoiled part. Also it's a spy book and I want to try to figure out what's happening. All the small things not just the big spoiled thing. Some people might not get the book though, they'd think since they know it already there's no point in reading it. I get that but I'd still buy the book.
ReplyDeleteZoe-
DeleteI think that a lot of my argument wasn't really mentioned, mostly because I tried not to mess with my original post. See, once you know certain things about the book, like you said you eventually figure out what happens. Me personally, I'd rather experience to roller coaster ride books offer, because while it is the longer way, it's worth it.
Also, assuming that you aren't knowing what happens, what's the point of knowing info. that is useless until the book comes out, which you would've figured out in the first couple chapters? Does knowing Ashley will be in the book or whatever really improve your experience as a book-lover? What would be the point of knowing that info.?
I agree with Justin, although if someone spoiled the book for me, I would still read it and buy it, for the same reasons as Zoe. I would rather have it as a surprise, because then I could have the surprise and all the details. Someone spoiling it probably wouldn't give you the story word by word.
ReplyDeletehmmm.... I personally don't want spoilers for books. Partially because I want to read it how the author wrote it, and partially because, well, it ruins everything.
ReplyDeleteOne of the books I have been waiting for for a year is coming out tomorrow (The Crown by Kiera Cass). I would be very mad if someone spoiled it. If someone spoiled it, it would also ruin all of my ships and stuff.
Now, all of my ships will be ruined tomorrow anyways, but I still wouldn't want any spoilers.
I know right! The whole point of paying for a book and reading it is to go through the whole experience before you know everything, not for someone to just tell you it and then the whole rollercoaster is pointless.
Delete-Justin
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