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Recently, @Philippa East posted a copy of her letter to the Society of Authors on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2364405197250152&set=pcb.2364405367250135
It refers to the unfair bombardment of celebrity books and their many promotions, especially during a holiday season. Though I am not (yet) published, I wholeheartedly agree with her sentiments (as I am sure many others will be). Philippa is hanging onto hope that the writers’ union will publish an appeal about this approaching Christmas, and I wholeheartedly agree this would hold greater clout than a personal appeal.
However, the Christmas shopping season is already underway, and many authors are not represented by this union, for instance my self-published or Indie friends. Other appeals will no doubt soon appear to urge shoppers to buy local or from small businesses. I would love to add another to highlight how so many celebrity ‘authors’ fraudulently claim to have written novels they have at best rough-edited, and how they have had the unfair advantage of mass media promotion, then ask book buyers to consider this and support a trad author.
A small, unpublished voice like mine would be soon be lost if I posted something singularly … but if this appeal were to come directly from a group of authors joining forces, creating a concise, clear message, perhaps with an attractive backdrop (akin to a good book cover), the message surely has a better chance of being passed around more widely. Many of us are part of other writing communities who might be persuaded to take part, and we have reader friends who might be willing to pass this on, then who knows? The message might just snowball enough to steer one or two buyers towards traditionally written books. If I succeed in enlightening one book buyer, it will have been a worthwhile effort for me, but why not aim a little higher? We could also consider a Christmas posting campaign on FB to promote friends’ publications as well as other trad books.
Of course, non-fiction is a different matter, when a celeb has a story to tell but needs a ghost-writer’s help. But again, I think it should be a legal requirement to publish the name of the main author – in ALL books.
If it transpires I am alone in wanting to make this appeal, then I will. But I thought I would put the idea out there first and see who, if anyone, might be interested in joining forces.
What do you think? Any takers?
My view is that publishers are in it for the money, and celebrity sells more – and more reliably – than as-yet-unknown novelists (potentially supplying a profit which might enable them to take more chances on unknowns?) It might be seen as ‘not fair’, but in my view is more honest to trust readers’ appreciation of well-written novels than bombard them with social media campaigns.
If it has any impact at all on the publishing world, I would be pleased. I can see that it is galling when an author with a genuine passion for writing, say for a young audience, hones their craft and achieves moderate success, and then watches a celeb waltz in like an unoriginal bargain-basement Roald Dahl, have a small fortune spent on publicity, and then be lauded as a great writer. Even worse if that “great writer” hasn’t actually crafted a word themselves.
My feeling is that the impact will be slight. Writers who rise from the ranks to make a big impact, and lots of money for the publishers, are few and far between. A celeb-linked book is almost guaranteed income for the publisher. They all say that they do it because they love great writing, but in the main they like money more.
If it stops publishers going under, then I suppose it’s tending towards the “good side”. But there is a fine ethical line there, and I believe that those big publishing feet often cross it too willingly.
And the celebs themselves are so used to the endless rounds of nepotism, back-scratching, and it’s so comprehensively incestuous that I honestly think they don’t see any irony. Not so long ago I listened to Clive Anderson interviewing Josie Long about a collection of short stories she’s written (short stories as a first book?). For all I know, they may be great, but I had to chuckle when, after discussing how she came to write them, Clive remarked that she was getting some great feedback. I was wondering who these reviewers might be. Zadie Smith, Ian Rankin, maybe even Stephen King? No, Clive supplied Joanna Lumley, Frankie Boyle, and Dawn French.
This links to a short piece in The Bookseller:
The main message is:
“The SoA is asking publishers, celebrities, booksellers, festival organisers, agents and all involved in the industry to recognise and reward all collaborators on celebrity books.”
This doesn’t answer all the questions about celebrity books in the Den discussion but it looks like an encouraging start.
You were – are – part of the zeitgeist @janette
At least, I hope it’s a zeitgeist.
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