Why are Women Devouring Fifty Shades of Grey?

[kentauros]

235. Or just know people that read or write it

with the same standards for quality

Even there, you'll still have to slog through some sub-standard stories. Of course, you won't have to read the whole thing, making it even less to deal with.

One thing that irks me about some writers of fanfic that I know is when they post something to fanfiction.net and it's substandard crap! I know they can do better, yet insist on falling back on the "I'm just doing it for fun" excuse. I write for fun, too (with the possibility that a non-fanfic story I have going will be published.) But I have personal standards, and it reflects badly on me to post stuff I wouldn't normally allow to see the Internet Light of Day. Why settle for less?

However, upon reading some of this epic thread, I see that this book is really a reflection of America today. Education standards are down from what they were decades ago. I'm not saying kids have to read the classics (in my younger years, I really abhorred Steinbeck's "The Pearl" yet loved Homer's "The Odyssey" and H.G. Wells' "The Man Who Could Work Miracles".) Only that their teachers get them to see what quality writing can be like and compare it to what's popular now.

Of course, it's difficult to fault any of these "lesser" writers for finding their audience, no matter how we may pick their writing styles apart. They're making millions entertaining people with what those masses want. I'll just reach for a more educated audience to entertain