Being a fan of all things fantasy and being one to follow the bestsellers obsessively, it was only a matter of time before Twilight caught my eye. I can not begin to think i am anything like a snob when it comes to my consumption of books but I do like to discuss the reasons for their popularity. I began reading Twilight when the first movie came out, because I can not watch the movies without having read the books.

It amazed me after reading the first book to realize, Stephanie Meyer, despite her books popularity, is not really a good writer. The books, at best, are juvenile, the characters unrealistic and the plot simplistic with very few turns and twists that you can not predict. I realize the contradiction in calling characters in a fantasy book unrealistic, but in all fantasy, there is usually something in the characters themselves that can be related to in the real world. The girl, Belle, is far too dramatic and doesn't seem to comprehend the fact that Edward is trying to keep away from her because he wants to kill her. Also, the idea that Belle thinks its fine for her vampire friends to try to kill her, whereas its such a crime for her werewolf friends to do the same, seems like a hole in the plot as big as a mac truck.

So, why is Twilight so popular? The books are garbage compared to other fantasy, the characters are annoyingly obtuse, and the main character is an idiot. The books are popular simply because Stephanie Meyer has done something that is nearly impossible, she has created a wholly original work that caters to the romantic side of our average tween. I have read many vampire romances but none quite like this one, which is the appeal. I recognize the juvenile way in which phrases are put together and I still couldn't put the book down for the life of me.

I fear, however, that just because this book is popular, other people could get the idea that they do not need to work on their writing when it is a progressive art form. No one, not even the great authors, were instantly that way and this book being published may deter a number of could-be great authors. If writing great is not what determines how you get published, then what is?