This excellent article in Narrative Magazine discusses the tendency of writers to write-off other writers’ writing (tongue-twister!) based on their opinions of the content rather than the craft, reminds me of heated discussions in my novel-writing class that were fueled by the recent release of Chrisos Tslokais novel The Slap. Many students were angered by what they saw as Tslokais’ male characters’ misogyny, and seemed unable to see beyond a belief that this was therefore irresponsible writing in that somehow condoned atrocious behaviour – or that it was a true account of Tsokais’ own mysogyny – rather than a fabulous portrayal of male behaviour at it’s most dire.
http://m.pw.org/content/the_problem_of_entitlement_a_question_of_respect?article_page=2