Midnight Sun, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Gone Rogue

This summer my girlfriend was all a-twitter (not the social media site) about the Twilight Series. Being that I’m the grumpiest reader in all the land, I ignored it. She even told me of a manuscript that was leaked that she was excitedly reading as an addition to the series. Now that Twilight has done so well I did some inspection, and here’s what I found…

On her site, Stephanie admits that the manuscript, Midnight Sun, is an incomplete version of her next project. This book tells the same story as Twilight (the first book) but from the perspective of the vampire, Edward.

Stephanie goes on to say:

I did not want my readers to experience Midnight Sun before it was completed, edited and published. I think it is important for everybody to understand that what happened was a huge violation of my rights as an author, not to mention me as a human being. As the author of the Twilight Saga, I control the copyright and it is up to the owner of the copyright to decide when the books should be made public; this is the same for musicians and filmmakers. Just because someone buys a book or movie or song, or gets a download off the Internet, doesn’t mean that they own the right to reproduce and distribute it. Unfortunately, with the Internet, it is easy for people to obtain and share items that do not legally belong to them. No matter how this is done, it is still dishonest. This has been a very upsetting experience for me, but I hope it will at least leave my fans with a better understanding of copyright and the importance of artistic control.

(I guess that will teach her a harsh lesson… giving that manuscript out will turn out to be a million dollar mistake. Speaking of which, how exactly do publishers think they’re going to beat the system that has plagued music and movies when eReaders become popular…? Good night and good luck!)

However, Meyer also posts a link to part of the draft in the same post. I’m not going to tell you where to find the full version–if you want it you’ll find it easily–but now you know the facts.

33 Comments

  1. Pingback: Week in Review: December 15-19 | Better World Books Blog

  2. Jamie Ericsson says:

    I think that Stephenie has a right to be angry about her book getting leaked out. (But if I got a hold of it on the internet, I would read it). Rock on, TWILIGHT!

  3. Hey Jamie,
    I agree with you, fundamentally, but I don’t feel too bad, especially considering there are studies that show that books released on the internet before publication actually do BETTER sales (http://www.free-culture.cc/freecontent/).

    We’re actually going to have a number of signed copies of Meyer’s work… so look out Twilight fans!

  4. Hey Jamie,
    I agree with you, fundamentally. But I don’t feel too bad, especially considering there are studies that show that books released on the internet before publication actually do BETTER sales (http://www.free-culture.cc/freecontent/).

    We’re actually going to have a number of signed copies of Meyer’s work… so look out Twilight fans!

  5. uhmmm i’m a great fan of the twilight saga!!!!
    i think stephanie meyer has the right to be angry obout the incidence, though i already have a copy, well anyway twilight really rocks, hope to have another sequel about bella and edward!!!!!

    for strephanie meyer, i idolize you for me you are such a good writer!!!!!

  6. I cant wait to read MidnightSun.I have read all the Twilight Books exept this one.Im dieing to read Edwards poin of view!Cant wait!!!!!!!!!

  7. Auriel Arthur says:

    God, am I the only one in the entire universe who thinks this is BAD, and that that stupid, pathetic editor did something WRONG??!!!!??!
    God, if you love Steph so much, then why are you taking sides with something that hurts her??!! Somethings wrong with you people. Money, money, it’s all you stupid people think about. God. It’s sickening. Well, Steph, don’t worry. I think you are perfecty right. Don’t listen to anyone. Listen only to youeself. Cuz you rock!!!!
    Your loving and supportive fan, Auri

  8. i can’t wait to read midnight sun…but breaking dawn was a disappointment cuz i never wnted the story to end plus i m anxious to know what happened to renesmee….anybody else concerned about her???…well Edward’s point of view would be dead exciting too….i can’t wait..

  9. i read the portion stephanie meyer allowed on her website and i actually like this bit in Edwards narrative more than the original Twilight. it’s funny, heart-warming, satirical and ironic. it brings meaning to every grin in the Twilight series and shows the true frustrations of Edwards sacrifice and his opinions of “institutional” Bella. I dont think it was written poorly i found it to be as addictive a read as the others if not moreso. It is wrong someone leaked her writings on to the internet and ruined it for the rest of us readers. i was going to wait til the book hit stores until i heard it was postponed indefinately, which is a dissappointment considering Edwards narrative of all the books would be funnier , ore hear warming and all in all better than those prior.

  10. when will it be released? I can’t wait to read it!
    *o*

  11. I don’t know if this is an April fools joke or what….but see for yourselves!

    http://www.4tnz.com/content/stephenie-meyer-finally-release-midnight-sun

  12. Omg-I totaly agree with you Kix!! Midnight sun is so much funnier than all the other books. But that justs sucks that someone had to leak midnight sun on the internet!and spoil it for the rest of us!! P.S Can’t wait till midnight sun comes out!!!!!! TWLIGHT ROCKS!!!!!!!

  13. i really do hope midnight sun will be release…i cant wait to read as edward point of view…

  14. bobbie reid says:

    i too am looking forward to midnight sun iam 57 and i have thoroughly enjoyed theses books i consider them a gentle release after working all day i wonder though if you have recognized the resemblance edward has to james dean maybe this is why his attraction is through ages

  15. The movie Edward does look like James Dean, now that you mention it. Though I think he was appealing in writing before we even saw the movie version!

  16. hello twilight fans! OMG stephenie im so sorry about what happened. you have every right to be upset. but you are so brilliant and you shouldnt let this stand in your way of showing your great talent. i would just like to let you know that my co-workers and i cant get enough of the twilight saga, our lives revolve around twilight. so if you could please finish MIDNIGHT SUN that would mean the world to us! -9W crew

  17. While I respect Stephenie Meyer as a Author, I believe she should not let this get her down about writing Midnightsun. I read the chapter she posted on her website and thought it was just as amazing as the other Twighlight Saga books. I have to say I pray she does write the rest of it and have it published. I am such a huge fan of her work as well as the movie and I am counting down the days until the New Moon comes out. I am however angry at the person who leaked it because I think that Midnightsun could of added a whole new pespective into Edwards world. I wish best of luck to Stephine Meyer and everything that has to come of her work.

  18. I loved breaking dawn!I dont know how people can say they don’t like it and I was so glad that it ended on a high! as it was the last book in the saga and I think that if it had a sad ending it would always play on your mind and would put you off reading the other books again as you would know that in the end after all the characters went though just for it to end badly or for one of them to be killed off!! But what really upsets me is midnight sun!! arhhhh midnight sun!! I, being so stupid read the chapters S.meyers put on her website and found I can’t stop thinking about the rest of my book.. It was like watching a great no fantastic movie then after half way though the dvd stops and the rest of the film can’t be found anywhere! I’ve searched everywhere to find out if she is still going to finish the book and everyone has a opion on it?? So whats true? The fact is there are thousands maybe millions of twilight fans out there that are calling! yelling! screaming! for another book to come out–midnight sun yes please- but others as well like maybe edwards view being told for all the twilight saga! (finding out what he was thinking in newmoon would be great) or the aftermath of breaking dawn or a so many years later book? (if desperate housewives can do it then why not!) If j.k rowling can get 7 books out of harry potter isnt it only fair that S.Meyers could give us her fans the same?. I myself need another twilight fix asap and to hear that S.Meyers might be writing again only for it not to be about twilight at all is horrible!! yes that makes me sound a little crazy but I need to know more!!! yep I’m crazy alright lol!!! maybe if all her fans all around the world paid her money to carry on writing more about twilight then she would? If thats all it would take to get my T fix then my moneys in the mail now to her!! lol… So please please S.meyers finish writing midnight sun we (your fans) have followed you in your writing journey and brought your books and plenty of other twilight related items and have thought nothing but the best of you and have we have all fell in love (a strong word but true lol) with your characters you have created in these books and we all miss them a lot! its like not hearing from your friends in ages,so please can you finish it. But can someone please let me know what is going on??? Is midnight sun going to be published? is there anymore twilight related books coming soon? Thanks for reading my crazy maybe a little werid ranting.

  19. i love the Twilight series. my favorite is breaking dawn. second eclipse. third new moon. forth Twilight. but i love all of them sooooo much. i hope she keeps writing them.

  20. Love the Twilight Series! I am praying that Stephanie will publish the Midnight Sun book. I read what she posted on her website and LOVED it. I liked Twilight, but to read this from Edward’s view was amazing. I will say I was a little disappointed with Breaking Dawn don’t get me wrong it was a great book, but I felt like there could have been a little more editing to it, it kind of went on a little too long in a few spots, and I was a little sad when it ended. The only good thing is there is so much more she can do with how it ended so let’s all hope for more!

  21. Samantha says:

    ‘Breaking Dawn’ could have done with a little more careful editing but great story all the same! I read the ‘Midnight Sun’ manuscript on Meyer’s website and was charmed instantly to have the story told from Edward’s perspective. The fact that Meyer retells the conversations to the word are a little shallow; it would have been nice to gain more of an insight to things “unsaid” in ‘Twilight’.
    Otherwise, great story.

  22. This is about Midnight Sun *Please remember this is an unedited rough draft. It is full of typos and all the other flaws that unedited manuscripts have. Enjoy it for what it is, but know that the final copy will be infinitely superior.

    These are her words. This means that she intends to finishing writing the story. I have only one work for you, Stephanie, please! I know it sounds stupid, but many of your readers are so captivated by these characters that you’ve created that we can’t get enough. You’ve brought us into a new and exiting world, and I’m beside myself to explain the attraction. My husband is at a lose for words over my addiction to your books. I’m a grown woman for God’s sake.
    Please finish the book and write the next one from Edward’s and Jacob’s point of view.
    You have so many loyal followers. Most of us search our entire lives to achieve something you’ve earned. Please keep it going. Don’t stop the gift that God has given you.

  23. hey it sad that midnight sun was illegally posted on the internet.. i hope stephanie finishes the book the first 12 chapters were amazing. cant wait till she finishes

  24. i lOVE STEPHANIE MEYER SHES AMAZING AND TBH I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH EDWARD HES A DREAM!! WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT FROM A MAN WELL VAMPIRE!
    I DONT THINK THE MOVIES DO THE BOOKS JUSTICE YOU SEE A DIFFERENT PICTURE IN YOUR OWN HEAD UNLIKE THE MOVIE THAT SHOWS YOU!!

  25. I am a huge fan of the twilight saga’s and would really love for midnight sun to come out. I think that Edwards side should be heard. TWILIGHT REALLY ROCKS. I HOPE STEPHANIE FININSHES THE BOOK AND RELEASES IT TO ALL THE TWILIGHTERS.

  26. When will Stephenie finish MIDNIGHT SUN…………I cant wait anymore……plz tell me some1 any1 plz tell me…………..

  27. I’ve read all the books awsome! I really hate that it got put out there early cause I know it feels like a big evastion of privacy, but like one other said it if I find it of coarse I’ll read it but I’ll still buy it when it comes out and I hope u still finish it cause there is still so many out there with no internet and well its just so adictive. I also hope there is more bokks cause it never gets old and u left the last book wide open for more with the new additions and of coarse u cant take Edward and Bella out with maybe the battle for the love of their daughter between Jake and the new 1/2 human/vamp!!!!!

  28. Jordan:)twilightlover says:

    i am such a huge twilight fan!!!i love stephanie! i hope midnightsun would come out soon!!!! i think it was genius to take the book and put it into edwards percpective!!!! i have the whole twilight saga in my room right now! i love twilight!!!! i mostly love how nothing keeps them apart from eachother!and while your reading, you can tell it was deffinently not a mistake that they found each other, they are destined to be together. i wish a guy loved me that much!!!! i guess itll hapen someday!i love edward cullen!!!! i love vamps and wolves!!!!

  29. paine cullen says:

    b**** TELL ME WHERE THE FULL VERSION IS!!!!

  30. is midnight sun going to be released or not? can’t wait to know!

  31. i hope she finishes it soon and it was wrong for them to do wat they did to her …. i love the twightlight saga theses books make me want to read … i read her novella bout bree tanner took me 2 days couldnt put it down keep up the good work

  32. I’m a really big fan of Stephenie Meyer’s twilight saga. It’s the most interresting series I have ever read. The one thing that I dont like is that by not writing the book “Midnight Sun” is showing the person who leaked it, and her fans, that she is not exactly strong enough to write it. Besides, she shouldn’t stop just because of one person, she should show that she is, atleast, strong enough to ignore that person and do it for her fans. They encourage her to right “Midnght Sun”.

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