Twighlight readers I have a question (Flamers stay away)

[Orinon]

To all those who read Twilight and enjoyed it
I'd like to ask what was enjoyable about it.
I'm asking as a a young writer who knows there is something to learn from a series that has sold over 89 million copies.
so please tell me what was so enjoyable there has to be something that kept you going.
and all those who want to take this a an opportunity to flame the series, look somewhere else.

 

[Gxas]

I merely enjoyed the read. It actually captured my attention throughout the entire series and I finished all four books in three nights. However, I will let you know that after I closed each book I said out loud, "That. Was. Retarded..." And then went on hating myself for grabbing the next one from my sister's room and starting it.

I couldn't tell you exactly what kept me going. It may have been the story or may have just been the self-pity I was feeling that helped me connect on a certain level with Bella (Not being able to be with the person she wants to) but I honestly have no idea to this day.

EDIT: You also spelled Twilight wrong in the title. FYI

 

[fnlrpa]

There are probably going to be trolls even if you say no flaming

 

[Orinon]

There are probably going to be trolls even if you say no flaming

yes but at least then everyone will hate them for ignoring my rules, besides I'm asking and honest question.

EDIT: You also spelled Twilight wrong in the title. FYI

thanks for the tip

 

[spartan231490]

To all those who read Twilight and enjoyed it
I'd like to ask what was enjoyable about it.
I'm asking as a a young writer who knows there is something to learn from a series that has sold over 89 million copies.
so please tell me what was so enjoyable there has to be something that kept you going.
and all those who want to take this a an opportunity to flame the series, look somewhere else.

simply put, the plot was good. The premise was unoriginal, the writing was mediocre, and the characters were often irritating.(I almost lit the series on fire when I had to read Jacob's POV for half a book). That said, the story was very well told and it sucks you in despite all the flaws because in many ways, they only add to the story. Most people use that boring everyday language, well, everyday, and we all know our fair share of people that make us want to kill them on a daily basis.
In short, it sold on how well the story was executed, despite bad writing, irritating characters, and an overdone premise.

http://www.sfwa.org/members/bell/writingtips/summer09.html
this is a pretty interesting discussion on plot vs. premise, and I suggest reading it. In it, the author talks about Harry Potter, but it's basically the same thing for twilight.
This author actually has a lot of tips posted for prospective writers that make for interesting reads. Here's the link to "home page" of her writing tips.
http://www.sfwa.org/members/bell/writingtips/index.html

 

[DuctTapeJedi]

Just an additional question for fans:

Doesn't it creep you out that a hundred year old guy is chasing after high school girls?

 

[Yassen]

Here you go, this should explain in great detail why twilight is so popular.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2010/eight-ways-twilight-is-better-than-real-life/2/

Before anyone claims me of starting a flamewar, this is not a rant about twilight being bad, this is just the author making observations about why it's popular which is exactly what the OP asked. Okay? Okay...

 

[Thaluikhain]

I read the first one to see what the fuss was about, and then read the others to see how the series finished.

The author wasn't bad, but she went out of her way to avoid giving the main character a character (so the fans could impose themselves upon her) and to endlessly tell us that Edward was wonderful (because the plot requires him to be pretty useless). That really annoyed me.

 

[Macgyvercas]

To all those who read Twilight and enjoyed it
I'd like to ask what was enjoyable about it.
I'm asking as a a young writer who knows there is something to learn from a series that has sold over 89 million copies.
so please tell me what was so enjoyable there has to be something that kept you going.
and all those who want to take this a an opportunity to flame the series, look somewhere else.

You should ask about Lord of the Rings or A Tale of Two Cities. Those have sold <150 million and <200 million, respectively.

 

[spartan231490]

To all those who read Twilight and enjoyed it
I'd like to ask what was enjoyable about it.
I'm asking as a a young writer who knows there is something to learn from a series that has sold over 89 million copies.
so please tell me what was so enjoyable there has to be something that kept you going.
and all those who want to take this a an opportunity to flame the series, look somewhere else.

You should ask about Lord of the Rings or A Tale of Two Cities. Those have sold <150 million and <200 million, respectively.

Don't know about the second one, but If memory serves LoTR was actually relatively unpopular for over a decade or something like that. Also, you learn more from looking at bad writing than by looking at good writing, for the same reasons that Extra Credit's say that you learn more from bad games than good games in their "Playing Like a Designer" episode.

 

[Wintermoot]

haven't read it but the appeal is self-insertion fan fiction just have the main character have the IQ and personality of sand paper and have the other characters worship her
at least that,s what I gathered. Why else would they have a character with a sixpack running around topless 60% of the time?

 

[Macgyvercas]

To all those who read Twilight and enjoyed it
I'd like to ask what was enjoyable about it.
I'm asking as a a young writer who knows there is something to learn from a series that has sold over 89 million copies.
so please tell me what was so enjoyable there has to be something that kept you going.
and all those who want to take this a an opportunity to flame the series, look somewhere else.

You should ask about Lord of the Rings or A Tale of Two Cities. Those have sold <150 million and <200 million, respectively.

Don't know about the second one, but If memory serves LoTR was actually relatively unpopular for over a decade or something like that. Also, you learn more from looking at bad writing than by looking at good writing, for the same reasons that Extra Credit's say that you learn more from bad games than good games in their "Playing Like a Designer" episode.

Touche, good sir.

 

[kwagamon]

This might sound like I'm flaming, but really I haven't nothing against the books other than I don't enjoy them. That out of the way...

I think the main thing to learn about Twilight is understanding who you're marketing to, and less about writing. The primary audience of Twilight as far as I can tell is young- to mid-teenage girls with most of its following outside of that being slightly older women up into their mid-30s. The story plays into a truly staggering amount of wish-fulfillment that these groups think about. I'm not going to list them because I've only been awake a little while and am tired, but the real lesson in my opinion is knowing what your audience likes and then just writing about that regardless of how much you may like it.

Again, I don't hate Twilight, I just don't think it's particularly good and I think it's hard to argue that its over-hyped.

 

[Aj Hedgehog]

I read the books to write a review on them, so that was the original motivation to read through the books. As I read through I found this urge being ebbed away by a combination of grade school plot, dull and unimaginative writing and frankly embarrassing character 'development'. The whole series left me with the impression that the author was merely writing down her unfulfilled fantasies from middle school, sadly with the same vocabulary she had then.
However whilst I sit her and bash this book from my point of view, which as a 20 year old male I can imagine is as far from the target audience as possible, this book did reach young girls (and some older ones). My speculation for this is because the main character was so bland and emotionless with little development that is was easy for the people whom were reading it to project themselves onto her and live through this fantasy of dating a dangerous glittery man. Therein I believe lies it's appeal, it's strange ability to have hit an untapped fantasy of the public.
As such my opinion of this book was not that it was a marvellous bit of writing that stirred these peoples emotions but a fluke to hit the gap in a market with something that is easily accessible to people reading it.

Bear in mind everything written here is my (heavily) bias opinion. Also I have not seen the films either which you may want to find about as well as I think they played a large part in the massive boom of the books sales.

 

[Gxas]

Here you go, this should explain in great detail why twilight is so popular.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2010/eight-ways-twilight-is-better-than-real-life/2/

Before anyone claims me of starting a flamewar, this is not a rant about twilight being bad, this is just the author making observations about why it's popular which is exactly what the OP asked. Okay? Okay...

I laughed so hard. I love how the real life ones are written.

In Real Life: My gorgeous, powerful boyfriend enjoyed my company for a while, but when I became needy he started to think about how every other girl in school also is attracted to him and given that he has lived for a couple centuries and will live forever he thought about seeking someone more ?on his level.?

I just laugh so hard that its written in a way where he actually is hundreds of years old.

 

[kwagamon]

simply put, the plot was good.

Same way Justin Bieber's or the Jonas Brothers' or whoever came before songs are good. In other words, they know how to exploit an audience. There is nothing more to it than this. There are no redeemable qualities to any discerning reader. Nothing.

You. Are. an idiot. the books only sold so well because people enjoy reading them, therefore they have merit. Also, I love how you assume that out of 89 million copies sold, none were purchased by "Discerning Readers". I have read LoTR, To Kill a Mockingbird, Scarlet Letter, Great Gatsby, SoT, WoT, Night angel Trilogy, ect. I have read several classics, but I own a full bookshelf of fantasy books. Twilight has redeeming qualities, just not many of them. Here's the thing, it doesn't need many because it's one good quality(the plot) is good enough to make it a pretty decent book. Does it deserve to be as popular as it is? HELL NO. but it isn't a worthless piece of trash either.

Very well stated. Glad people can be mad while still keep a level head and provide a good argument. Honestly I think in hindsight Twilight is better than the novel Invasion for Magic: The Gathering and that includes a heavy bias because I dislike Twilight and love the Magic novels.

 

[Gxas]

snip

A couple of 'em are, sure, but the only reason this book received any success at all, again, is because they know how to exploit an audience, just as the tween musicians (or their producers) do, not because of its quality, and you know that perfectly well. Don't try saying that's not the case with a straight face.

The problem is that they exploited all these tween girls while still having an engaging plot. If they didn't, I certainly would not have read through the entire series. I have much more integrity than that.