Risks and the Legends of the Condor Heroes

I started reading the translated version of the first book of The Legends of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong (pen name of Louis Cha), and it’s said to be a Chinese Lord of the Rings. It’s good in that it is based on historical events and figures, has a high focus on martial arts and takes place over multiple generations. However, certain things about it surprised me, and maybe it’s because I’m more attuned to certain things about writing and grammar. For one thing, I just notice all the grammatical errors in the book, especially with commas. Also, when it comes to the writing, I can see when there is too much explaining when things could have been shown. Some of it, as far as the writing is concerned, could come down to the translation.

That’s not to say that I’m this particularly good author or flawless in my own writing. I’m just starting to find out what “voice” is, and I have my own style of writing. It’s just that I’m starting to see things that I haven’t before when reading due to the fact that I write and edit on a daily basis. The book, nonetheless, has managed to capture my interest.

It makes me think if my books will be able to capture the interest of a wide audience. I don’t think that there’s a particular formula as to why a certain book will click, and some just won’t. I’m always thinking about that though, in that I could get published, and my book ends up quickly in the bargain bin. Or, maybe it becomes extremely popular like The Legends of the Condor Heroes. I guess finding that out is worth the risk.