The Midnight Sun Scandal
Since I am a follower of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, I recently checked her website only to learn that one of her unfinished manuscripts was leaked on the internet. I read her statement and immediately felt for her-- she knows who leaked the mss, it was most likely someone close to her, and she feels so horrible over it that she can't find the heart to keep working on the book.
My immediate reaction was sympathy. I know that if one of my friends or family had leaked a half-finished book of mine onto the internet (especially when it was already accepted by a publisher) I would feel terribly betrayed. Just out of curiosity I peaked over at the Twilight Lexicon fansite to see how the fans were taking the news that she may never finish the book.
Most of the fans felt similar to me-- Poor Stephenie. However, there are some girls who are frustrated with Stephenie and felt she needed to just suck it up. There were opinions that she was punishing the fans for something they didn't do and that she should just be more adult about it all and finish the book anyway.
First of all, even though the leak was from a close associate (certainly a betrayal), this would never have become an issue if Twilight fans everywhere hadn't started reading it, posting it, and sending it to their friends. So I don't really the buy the idea that the fans had nothing to do with it. Second, as a novice writer myself, I already know how writing a book is not just like finishing a homework assignment. If your heart is not in the project, it is nearly impossible to write. Even the stuff you do manage to write is only a shadow of what you write when you are excited about your work. I finished writing my second novel a few months ago, and during the process I passed chapters to my brother-in-law for review and editing. If he had decided, for whatever reason, to start posting my unfinished story on the internet, I think my energy for the project would have drained away.
So while I'm sorry that so many Twilight fans are devastated and feel the world has ended because they may never get to read Midnight Sun, I can totally understand the author's decision. Hang in there, though, Twilight fans. I don't think any writer like Stephenie will give up completely. It's in her blood. Give her some time, and she'll get back to it.
My immediate reaction was sympathy. I know that if one of my friends or family had leaked a half-finished book of mine onto the internet (especially when it was already accepted by a publisher) I would feel terribly betrayed. Just out of curiosity I peaked over at the Twilight Lexicon fansite to see how the fans were taking the news that she may never finish the book.
Most of the fans felt similar to me-- Poor Stephenie. However, there are some girls who are frustrated with Stephenie and felt she needed to just suck it up. There were opinions that she was punishing the fans for something they didn't do and that she should just be more adult about it all and finish the book anyway.
First of all, even though the leak was from a close associate (certainly a betrayal), this would never have become an issue if Twilight fans everywhere hadn't started reading it, posting it, and sending it to their friends. So I don't really the buy the idea that the fans had nothing to do with it. Second, as a novice writer myself, I already know how writing a book is not just like finishing a homework assignment. If your heart is not in the project, it is nearly impossible to write. Even the stuff you do manage to write is only a shadow of what you write when you are excited about your work. I finished writing my second novel a few months ago, and during the process I passed chapters to my brother-in-law for review and editing. If he had decided, for whatever reason, to start posting my unfinished story on the internet, I think my energy for the project would have drained away.
So while I'm sorry that so many Twilight fans are devastated and feel the world has ended because they may never get to read Midnight Sun, I can totally understand the author's decision. Hang in there, though, Twilight fans. I don't think any writer like Stephenie will give up completely. It's in her blood. Give her some time, and she'll get back to it.
Comments