I Love Real Fiction

You know, the real-life kind. Most of my friends are hard-core fantasy/sci-fi nerds, but nothing makes me happier than reading a well-written real-world novel. Don't get me wrong- I love fantasy. It's just that, personally, I think it takes a certain amount of talent to write a real-world novel that captures readers.

With fantasy and sci-fi, you already have a built-in 'wow' factor. The thing that makes you go, "Wow! This is so cool... nothing like this could ever happen in real life." And I commend writers of these genres for their amzing creativity... I know how hard it is to come up with ideas. But I think it's way harder for other authors, who have to survive without the 'wow' factor.

Take, for instance, the vampire novel. I have many friends who will pick up any book which focuses of vampires. That's their thing. With real-life fiction, though, there isn't a gimmick. You don't have an infinite number of universes to work in. Instead, you have to appeal to a different side of readers, one which is more concerned with character than action (by the way, I'm focusing more on YA literature, as I have more experience in that genre).

Another thing I love about real-life fiction is that it reflects society. As a literature junkie, I have a small obsession with symbolism and social commentary, and both these items are more prevalent in real-life fiction. There are exceptions, of course, but most of these exceptions I am completely unaware of (I'm very bad at recognizing symbols that aren't totally obvious). In real-life fiction, the issues are at the surface, making people aware of things going on in society. The book Candy by Kevin Brooks, for instance, deals with issues such as prostitution and drugs.

So, basically, I read everything. But real-life fiction provides me with added satisfaction, and makes my life a little better.

This is why I should be president (or a book critic):
-TS