Is Stephen King dissing Tom Clancy ?

[The Good Guy]

There is on on part were Stephen King talks about stylistic imitation. He says in these words "you can't aim a book like a cruise missile, in other words. People who decide to make a fortune writing like John Grisham or Tom Clancy produce nothing more but pale imitations, by and large, because vocabulary is not the same thing as feeling and plot is light-years from the truth as it is understood by the mind and the heart".

I'm having a hard time understanding this (despite how obvious it may come to some of you lol). Is Stephen King really attacking Tom Clancy? I would be surprised if he was because he is a very well established writer, maybe even at the same level as King (at least that is what I had thought at one point). Most of the writers that King does attack I can understand why, Stephanie Meyer, Dean Koontz, Dan Brown, James Patterson, e.c.t, and while I am not the biggest fan of Clancy I do think that he is better than the ones I just listed and I can understand why so many people appreciate his writing/story telling.

[~Ally~]

The comment appears to be complimentary of Grisham's and Clancy's work because he is saying not just anybody can attempt to imitate their writing style and equal their success. I read that as no matter how good the imitation, writing or plot is if the work doesn't come from the heart then the stories won't resonate with the readers. These writers works may appear effortless but their writing doesn't happen as easily as people may believe.

[carrie's younger brother]

The comment appears to be complimentary of Grisham's and Clancy's work because he is saying not just anybody can attempt to imitate their writing style and equal their success. I read that as no matter how good the imitation, writing or plot is if the work doesn't come from the heart then the stories won't resonate with the readers. These writers works may appear effortless but their writing doesn't happen as easily as people may believe.

Right on, Ally. That's exactly how I read it too.

[GNTLGNT]

...nicely said Ally, and pretty much how I felt upon reading the passage for the first time...

[blunthead]

There is on on part were Stephen King talks about stylistic imitation. He says in these words "you can't aim a book like a cruise missile, in other words. People who decide to make a fortune writing like John Grisham or Tom Clancy produce nothing more but pale imitations, by and large, because vocabulary is not the same thing as feeling and plot is light-years from the truth as it is understood by the mind and the heart".

I'm having a hard time understanding this (despite how obvious it may come to some of you lol). Is Stephen King really attacking Tom Clancy? I would be surprised if he was because he is a very well established writer, maybe even at the same level as King (at least that is what I had thought at one point)...King does attack...Dean Koontz...

I think sK has not mentioned Koontz, at least publicly, except as a fan, but I may be wrong.

[The Good Guy]

I think sK has not mentioned Koontz, at least publicly, except as a fan, but I may be wrong.

He has said both good and bad things about Koontz. It's a love and hate feeling he has towards his work.

[Shasta]

I certainly won't presume to know what he means but I read it that they just knock out the same thing over and over with no emotion or plot. But I may just be projecting because that's how I feel.

[TonyAcree]

The comment appears to be complimentary of Grisham's and Clancy's work because he is saying not just anybody can attempt to imitate their writing style and equal their success. I read that as no matter how good the imitation, writing or plot is if the work doesn't come from the heart then the stories won't resonate with the readers. These writers works may appear effortless but their writing doesn't happen as easily as people may believe.

I think Ally has it right. I took the passage to mean the same thing. One must find their own voice, no matter how hoarse it may be.