Just have to share that I just went to check out the NMS website and Stephanie Meyer--you know, the author of Twilight--is one their list of "Scholars You May Know."
NMS just went down a notch in my book!
I don't know...is it smarter from the author's persepctive to write a book that only 2% of the population can read and appreciate, that only a fraction of that group will buy, and that has little to no chance of becoming a profitable film, or one that can be read (and bought) by a much larger group, with the potential for lucrative movie deals? It really depends on whether you believe authors should be artists who create without regard for economics, or whether it is fine for them to be tradespersons who turn out a saleable product that meets popular demand.
I hate the Twilight books, but I'm not their intended audience, and I don't think that I'd disparage their author as being somehow less intelligent just because she managed to write something with mass appeal. Remember that the average adult reading level in the US is around the 8th grade level, and people choose leisure reading that is written around 2 grade levels below what they are capable of comprehending. She knew her market...
