Interesting article on Irish Writer's site.

http://www.writing.ie/guest-blogs/what-makes-a-book-take-off-john-greens-the-fault-in-our-stars/

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And in John Green's own words

http://fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com/post/51645711954/why-has-the-fault-in-our-stars-been-so-successful

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Green pays heavy tribute to his editor and his publicist for getting his book out there but it's also the universality of the story.

The other thing that caught my eye in his blog was the fact that he was saved from a book cover that might have been overly pink and pastel and girly.

Personally, I am ALWAYS put off by any book cover that appears to be flogging itself to the chick lit girly brigade. I think it polarises gender in the same way lads mags do for men.

Thanks for this Annette. I was taken by this extract from the blog:

Perhaps it goes back to The Fault in Our Stars tapping into something that a massive proportion of the population has felt at one time or another, something fundamental that reflects their experience of life, some truth which they feel compelled to pass on to others.

The writing that stays with me the longest tends to connect with this opinion. David Guterson's 'East of the Mountains' - and how acts of simple kindness can have profound consequences on the life of another - is a recent example of such a novel for me.

I'm afraid author ballyhooing and bellowing about their books on social media makes me often run in the other direction.

Colin

It's true so often the ballyhoo has nothing behind it. I often feel this about books reviewed in the papers.

In the end it's the story and its execution that counts.

You could say there are some great writers who don't ballyhoo though, since writers are generally retiring types who personalitywise just don't push themselves forward.

In the end if you have a great story and you tell it well it works.

Also John Green wrote quite a few before he wrote 'the one'.

since writers are generally retiring types who personalitywise just don't push themselves forward

Yes, I'm generally drawn to this character of writer - and their work rarely disappoints. I'm thinking particularly now of Andrew Motion and Pat Barker, who both attended a local literary festival recently, quietly answered questions, and seemed genuinely unassuming and modest people; Susan Hill is another example for me of a quietly gifted writer.

Colin

So basically it's whether the writing really connects with people's experience that makes all the difference. That's encouraging to know, in this age of media hype, social networking and who-can-shout-the-loudest-about-themselves.

thanks for posting, jaytee