Thoughts on the popular reading list

I don't feel like editing this.

It's been said that the WC'S most talented writer's never make it to the top of the popular reading list. While on the surface this argument seems rather preposterous it may well contain some validity. The list is an algorithm measuring views and reviews over x amount of time. How many on site friends a writer has and how many reviews they have made of other writers has an influence over a piece success/ failure on the list. The other factor, and in my mind the most significant is entertainment value. For a piece to be entertaining it has to be relatable to the reader. As I write this the current #1 is "A*s Hat by Robbie." It's a cute, funny poem written by the sexiest writer on this site on a subject everyone can relate to. The last #1 I had was Dream girl Tanka. I have to admit I was a bit baffled by that one. It was a slightly lewd Tanka I whipped out in about 90 seconds but it was funny therefore it had high entertainment value. Entertainment value doesn't always mean light fluff. PoppySilver has had some recent #1s that were out and out gut wrenching. So has Girl Friday. After I read those pieces besides being impressed with how good they were I thought "Okay women's issues poetry is in now so my hyper masculine tirades are out." Then I scored a #1 with "Slaughterhouse Dreams. A violent, metaphorical piece about being trapped in a low wage job. It was easily relatable so it had high entertainment value.

    Okay so by now you must be wondering "What Point is Ricochet getting at this time?" We don't live in a world of literary classics or bards reciting poetry to blushing girls on the banks of the Thames river. We live in a world of "fifty shades of gray" and crappy hip hop being sold to teenagers who wouldn't know great poetry if it kicked them in the gonads and this site really isn't any different. People want to be entertained. Obviously that means different things to different people but it's an important point to the "the best writers don't get the recognition on the WC they deserve" argument. Literary brilliance doesn't always translate into entertainment. I've been trying to read "Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man" by James Joyce for a couple of years now. Some literary critics have postulated Portrait of an artist to be the most important piece of literature ever written and honestly, the bloody thing gives me a headache and I use it to kill roaches now. Yes I can here the gasps of horror from some of you and yes, I am a philistine. For entertainment value I can burn through a John Grisham novel in a weekend. Literarily brilliant James Joyce may be but entertaining he is not while Grisham is easily readable though hardly profound. So who is the best writer? Someone who is literarily brilliant or someone who can spin a damn good story people can relate to?

Author's Note

Just my opinion boys and girls. Feel free to post whatever you think

Reviews

[Pax]

Entertainment value - that is why games, tv and other entertaining vises are a sure hit from the economy. So I would not wonder it will gain more attention.

But as I observed the popular list, I think you forgot to see that most people who reached number one are those who has a solid fan base or solid readers of their RR(read request). And there is also a number of talented writers who turned off their ratings, so definitely they will not reach the top spot.

I for one often times go to the popular reading list. I turned on my rating because in that way I can gain reads for a possible feedback on which I can learned from(so it’s not always for popularity), and sometimes when I turned it off the read is less but I really don’t care when it talks about personal objectives(too emotional & too personal). I also turned off my RR as well as I don’t send one, in that way I can’t be on the top spot… but I did achieved it before, perhaps it was just luck or perhaps I reviewed plenty of users at that time… now I don’t have much time for that, I am only here to express my creativity and emotional pondering – nothing more, nothing less… when you reviewed me it’s great, if not it’s also great… as long as I have this outlet, I’ll never get lost in my emotional pondering… so just write if you must, keep improving yourself…

Popularity gets through your skin, it's normal we are all humans.... it only depends on where you stand in for who you really are... there are more things to life, than focusing on one road.

Likes and dislikes varies on person to person, so we don’t have a valid or stronger point on which is the best piece or not, it may be best for us and for other it isn’t… so perhaps only a balance viewpoint is taken to light…

this is just my thoughts my friend...
a thought-provoking piece you have here...

[shallimarRose]

I agree with here... You have opened up a great debate for discussion here Ric.. xo

[Baby Ricochet]

Good insights. Thank you MR pax

[Angel]

Takes me back to high school days, when the Prom Queen was the biggest...erm...well, let's just say that an alley cat has better morals...and her King was a brainless jock who got a bye on his exams...
"Popular" is just what appeals to the masses...and that's all it is. Now, me, I like Shakespeare, but that's my preference, most folks can't understand him. I am also a huge sci fi fan...I love writers like Isaac Asimov, or Harlan Ellison. Rudyard Kipling is still on my shelf, along with Anne Rice and many others... Not many of those books that I have loved for many years ever made it to the top ten list...but no matter, they have still made more impact on the world than many penny dreadful novels that have.
The "popular writing list" doesn't have a thing to do with good writing. And I think we all truly know that.
The popular writing list isn't really about who is the best writer...it's just another foolish popularity contest. I find it incredibly sad that a community of writers would get their drawers in a wad over something so pathetically silly...
As another of your reviewers has said, the majority of human beings are not very bright...

[Baby Ricochet]

By now I've had at least 20 #1s on this site and yes it does feel good to score them. If that makes me the site prom queen I'd like a pink prom gown and a gold Tiara please. All we got here is grotesque judgements of other people with nothing constructive. Just like FOX news

[Angel]

I think you'd be much prettier in a soft lavender, with a platinum tiara.

[Baby Ricochet]

I do like Lavender

[Angel]

Shows you have good taste ;-D

[Baby Ricochet]

HA!..................

[Joyce S. Greene]

I am standing on my desk clapping after reading this essay! How very true. I attempted to read James Joyce a couple of times and gave up and have never regretted it for a moment.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Joyce

[Brian Angeles]

I was a top review once. for a chapter I worked one. Though I felt good about it I agree with you, entertainment is entertainment. Well spoken mate.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Brian

[Jay]

To answer your question as plainly as I can (I'll just pretend you're not being rhetorical): the best writer is always the token of an in-house mobocracy.
And to concur with you, Ricochet: that's just the way it is. The good thing about it all? There's more to WC than the popular writers list.
Atleast, for now...

[Baby Ricochet]

Good insight. Thank you

[Mic]

Will admit to a preference for poetry, though probably only because my attention span is normally very short. Prose is a different creature, and fear most youngsters here suffer from my same malady.

As with most, popularity means little to me either. I just like bumpin' words together at times. Good thought, Rick.

Oh, and yes, entertainment is entertainment...and you're entertaining, Ric. :)

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you mic. I read some stories on the wc. Some of them are good and if not I won't read the whole thing. It doesn't take long to read a crappy poem so I'll suffer through the bad poems and make some flip remark as a review. I'm not investing that kind of time in a bad story.

[TL Boehm]

I admit that my itty bitty ego has taken a beating here at the cafe. I was top writer ONCE and that was back when you could spam everyone on your contact list with an RR in one click - and the piece was a rant. It felt good though.
I get fewer reviews than i'd like - much fewer than I give but I'm used to it now. I agree with you - its often just the entertainment and not the talent - but I am going for longevity and quantity at this point in my life. (winks)

[Baby Ricochet]

Well I like your writing. Thank you TL

[Commanda Panda]

I say if you are a writer you should just automatically expect not to be popular until you're dead. The really deep writers are usually ahead of their time and are the only ones to address issues that everyone around them is trying to ignore. If you write about something people want to sweep under the rug then it's safe to say that most will try to do the same to you. That's why you have to write for the pure loving of writing.

[Baby Ricochet]

Could be....

[Corset]

I think it doesn't have anything to do with literary talent, it's the same concept as why everyone slows down and gawks when there is a auto accident, they see someone else having a meltdown and it comforts them to know there are other humans out there going through what they go through. The same concept as why the Jerry Springer show was so popular, the same reason my "Nosebleed" hit number #1, not because it's literary genius, but because it's a human condition they can relate to.

[Baby Ricochet]

For sure. Thank you for your input corset.