Normally, on the third Tuesday of the month (hard to believe it's already mid-July, isn't it?), I discuss the latest Blog Chain topic. However, as of 9:20 CDT on Monday, no topic has been posted. Apparently our topic picker (I don't want to feel like I'm putting her on the spot) either forgot about it or got too busy. If we do get a topic, I may have to wait until Thursday to discuss it.
Anyway, since I have an open spot on the blog, let's see if there are any writing/publishing topics people want to discuss. Want to talk about Random Penguin Publishing, or JK Rowling's newest book? Do you have questions about self-publishing or writing craft? Please post them below, and I'll answer your comments as my schedule permits.
6 comments:
Random Penguin - they couldn't have planned a better name!
Sorry, no questions. Too early.
Of course that's not their real name, but it flows better than Penguin Random House--and it's much funnier.
The thing about that JK Rowling book was I heard a while back that she was writing a mystery and then people came out and quickly said that was bogus. Turns out the initial report was true, only she published it under an assumed name. Now if you want to jumpstart your book sales, just claim JK Rowling really wrote it.
I hadn't heard about the rumor before, PT. It's funny that it's not being discussed more. Yeah, the name reveal is a nice marketing ploy, and I know something similar happened with Stephen King when he wrote as Richard Bachmann. I still hope my work will find an audience on its own merits, though.
This is a problem inherent in publishing success. Once you are "branded" as a particular type of author - in Rowling's case children's fantasy - you are not encouraged to explore other genres or audiences. Publishers want a sure thing and have invested so much in promoting an author's "brand" they don't want to take a chance on something new or different. They're afraid readers may not respond well to the "new" genre/style and the book will be a colossal failure, which has happened. Readers are not always willing to leave their comfort zone. Many successful authors have had to write under a pseudonym in order to satisfy their creative whims: King, Nora Roberts,Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton, and Dr. Seuss, to name a few. It's kind of a double bind: once you get published and "make it" you'd think you'd have the latitude to write what you want but find you are bound by others' expectations.
Thanks for commenting, Marianne. Do you think this branding affects indie writers as much as traditional writers? Some bloggers seem to think indie writers are more their own brand, not their series.
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