Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: thoughtful
  • Music: Talis Kimberley, "Still Catch the Tide."

Vegemite.

deird1 wrote a really fascinating article about something she terms "the Vegemite Effect,", which is so accurate and earnest that it should just about be required reading. Because she's right. The short precis:

"No matter how good something is, if you were expecting something else, you'll hate it."

People ask me periodically why I chose to be Mira Grant for my science fiction when I was already happily myself for my urban fantasy. My standard answer is all about marketing and branding and setting expectations, and all of this is completely true...but the real answer is all about Vegemite. People who like me for me were going to know that I was Mira Grant, because it was an open secret, and they were the ones who'd just be expecting my words. People who like my urban fantasy weren't going to pick up a book by someone else expecting magic and hijinks. And once Mira established a readership of her own, people who liked science and zombies weren't going to up my books expecting the dead to walk.

The Vegemite effect explains a great deal about how we approach media of all types, not just books, but comics, movies, and television. There's a lot to think about. And if you've ever wondered why sometimes I say "this is salty" repeatedly before I hand you something...

...well, there you go.
Tags: contemplation
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  • 78 comments
...go 1 level up... Expand

seanan_mcguire

September 26 2012, 15:25:11 UTC 4 years ago

That...I...what?

Arrgh.

mel_redcap

September 27 2012, 02:12:28 UTC 4 years ago

On later reflection, I was a tad worried that I might have misrepresented the review, so I went back to have another look. Here's the paragraph-by-paragraph summary, with stuff about screen size in caps:

Paragraph 1: "There's a new iPhone, it's an impressive upgrade but not breathtaking, you might be underwhelmed."

Paragraph 2: "There's a lot to like, but OTHER PHONES HAVE BIGGER SCREENS, iPHONE SCREEN DIDN'T GET WIDER."

Paragraph 3: "OTHER PHONES GOT WIDER SCREENS YAY. iPHONE NOT WIDER!"

Paragraph 4: "TALLER BUT NOT WIDER, boo, unimpressed."

Paragraph 5: "Everyone I've talked to agrees with me [Mel's note: Really?], NOT BIGGER ENOUGH, OTHER PHONES GOT BIGGER."

Paragraph 6: "Okay, it's really neat watching movies in landscape mode."

Paragraph 7: "Improved screen quality, better colours, very nice."

Paragraph 8: "What will app developers do with the new screen size/shape?"

Paragraph 9: "Anti-glare polarisation meh."

Paragraph 10: "I DON'T THINK THE iPHONE NEEDED A BIGGER SCREEN [Mel's note: REALLY?!], obviously Apple felt pressure from Android superphones."

Paragraph 11: "SHOULD BE WIIIIIIIIDER!!! Or not changed at all. Bloo bloo bloo."

Paragraph 12: "Yeah there's more to the changes than a BIGGER SCREEN but I'm not talking about that."

The end. XD