« From Blog To Book Deal »
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 6:40AM ;)
The title of this post is deceiving. No one has been knocking down my little door in cyberspace inundating me with promises of literary advances all the while inflating my ego. This has yet to happen. Don't you like how I just used the word "yet" as if I am sure it will? It proclaims confidence and positivity, two things generally lacking from my character on a regular basis. But, if you want something to happen you have to make it happen. Right? Right!
After catching Meredith Vieira's interview with Carrie Prejean yesterday morning on the Today Show while sucking down my coffee and contemplating my next blog post, I was struck by two things. First, the former Miss California who got into a dog fight with Perez Hilton after expressing her displeasure with gay marriage during the Miss USA contest earlier this year has managed to parlay her conservative leanings and controversies over pageant funded breast implants and sex tapes into a book deal; second, any publisher thinks this book will sell. There must be a market for the story: right wing pageant beauty persecuted for speaking her mind by the liberal media declares her right to free speech and silicone. Riveting. I suppose it depends on the demographic.
So, I wonder how difficult is it really to get oneself published. Much like scorned beauty queens, there have been a spate of blogs that have gone from relative obscurity to high profile (at least on the internet), landing their creators an actual paycheck. Stuff White People Like, a blog poking fun at all the things liberal yuppies pine for, went viral on the internet last year. It caught the attention of Random House who purportedly offered it's founder a $300,000 advance for turning his string of posts into a book. And, there is "The Happiness Project," a blog on Slate.com that has spawned a book by the same name. Not a terribly novel idea but someone must have thought this tome of not so earth shattering advice can sell.
It seems I need a hook, a catch, a gimmick. The mommy blogger thing has been done to death and that would require me having children. Dooce.com set the bar pretty high on this one anyway. Even if I were to breed, discussing things such as mucous plugs and breast tenderness on the internet for the world to read holds no interest for me. Julie Powell already capitalized on the recipes of a famous chef with Julie and Julia. Taking pictures of ridiculous things and then archiving them seems more like photography and less like writing (check out Icanhascheezburger.com and tell me why exactly this site has inspired a book deal if you can.)
Any and all ideas from the peanut gallery will be much appreciated. There is only so much confidence and positivity I can muster at one sitting on my own.
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Update on my non complaint resolution - It has been about a week and so far so good. I have allowed the flood gates to open with regards to snarkiness within the confines of conversations with the best gal pal when both parties have needed to vent. Other than that, I have refrained for the most part from general bitchiness. I must say that it has reduced a level of anxiety in certain social situations in which normally complaining is de riguer. The experiment is working.
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Reader Comments (15)
I share your frustration when I read about these book deals. I think you're right about needing some kind of out there hook. I've never been an out-there hook kind of writer. When I was pitching TV shows, they'd always ask, "What's the hook?" Damned if I ever knew.
I think most of the people who have their blogs go viral and get the book deals are most of the time as surprised as anyone else when what they started for themselves or for fun gets that response. And I believe therein lies the answer. You write what you love for the joy of it and it will catch an audience or not.
Or you sleep with someone in a position of publishing power.
Best of luck on whatever you decide.
Great and thought provoking post...I have heard about all of these sans "What White People Like" which I will have to go look at now. :)
Diablo Cody who wrote Juno was also a blogger discovered though her blog called P____ Ranch. I can't keep up with that. LOL.
Oh goodness, collectively we should be able to come up with an acceptable and enticing topic, don't you think? "On the Circuit with the Horsy Set"? "Fashion Secrets of same"? Ummmm..., "Snark It Is", with snark to be defined after you receive the advance?
Clearly I am of no assistance whatsoever. Drat.
Great topic though, there is lots of fodder here!
tp
Jayne - I think I may have to stop at sleeping with the publisher. I will continue to write about whatever pops into my mind. Just need to get some more eyeballs on this site.
Jenny Mac - Thanks for stopping by. Didn't know that about Diablo Cody. Okay, if only I can come up with a great Juno like script.
Preppy - I always love your advice and wonderful comments. The horsey stuff is good but if I wrote about it then I'd have to move.
I've often wondered the same. What original idea is out there that will entice thousands? I can't figure it out and not sure I really want to. I just want to have a plethora of followers. Well maybe 100. Right now I'm still in the teens. And who could blame 'em? I'm a tad unreliable and my posts aren't exactly groundbreaking. So my plan: a brilliant giveaway. The reality: time has snuck up on me and now I'll be throwing together some stuff just to keep my promise. It might turn out all right. I'll be staying tuned to see what happens :)
Hiya Jen!
Great post as usual!
I totally agree with what injaynesworld shared. I think most of these viral blogs are totally suprised when they start out blogging like everyone else and then for some reason their blog gets a huge response.
"You write what you love for the joy of it and it will catch an audience or not."
I think she's absolutely right.
I use to think when I first started my blog that it would be a way for me to publish a book, but the more I blog the more I realize if I want to publish a book I should just look into publishing a book. Blogging has been an excellent medium for practicing my writing skills, but the thing you have to be careful about with a blog, is that it's very time consuming and social, and can distract writers who want to seriously publish a book. I know of several sucessful bloggers who have put their blogs on hold to start writing and publishing a book. And then once the book is published, they come back to their blog and use it to continue to draw an audience.
So I think the thing to do, is to ask yourself, "Do I want to blog or do I want to publish a book?"
And this is something I need to start asking myself.
My blog has changed so many times in the past two years. I suddenly discovered I like interviewing people, so it's got me thinking about moving my blog in another direction.
I think you've got an amazing and unique writing talent, Jen. And I really mean that. Therefore, no matter what you do with your writing, I know you'll be successful.
Great post!
Elle - Yes, it's nice to have the goal just to find more followers and keep up with the blog.
Ron - Many thanks as always for your thoughtful comment. For right now, I enjoy the blogging. I think I have a knack for putting things in small packages. If someone came to me today and said, "Here now write a book." I'm not sure what I would write about. As I always say, be careful what you wish for. It may not be what you want.
Oh sweet Jesus, tell me about it! We need a couple of book deals STAT! And you're absolutely right, we need that hook, that niche. Some of the blogs out there that get so much attention make me want to scream with their simplicity and lack of thought. But hey, who am I to judge? Anyway, no ideas on this end, just wanted to commiserate. In honor of your no complaining--WE CAN DO IT!
Not sure how you can snag the book deal lady, but if you ever do...I'll be first in line to buy it. Your writing is insightful and thoroughly engaging! Just my two cents.
This is freaking hilarious, Jen. I loved your reference to Mom bloggers and dooce. Totally had me laughing.
Hmm...so what is Jen going to write about and get published for? Thinking, thinking. If you aren't willing to "breed", then how about something with horseback riding? Can you talk to the animals? :)
Oh god, the fodder available in our hunter/jumper and dressage communities could spawn not only a book but also a soap opera. Like Jen says, the problem is that she'd have to move into the Witness Protection Program afterwards and I'd lose my BFF so that ain't gonna happen.
Potential titles: Hos on Horseback, Trainer or Terrorist....You Decide, MoneyPit
I love your writing style and find it highly entertaining - I say, keep on doing what you're doing.
I also agree that you could write a book on the horse community (it's worse than junior high), but you would need to move....so not a good idea.
I could rent out my boys if you want to experience children and write about them.....but they would tell all the family secrets to dentists, hair stylists, etc.....so not a good idea either.
I admit...I don't understand the popularity of many of the blogs that have gone viral...or spawned book deals, or lifetime movies...or whatever.
I'm often overwhelmed by the sheer number of books at my local 2-story Barnes & Noble...and I think, "God...there's SO MANY. How does anyone even get noticed?" And these are books that are already published!!
How much of it is luck? How much is talent? The only thing I know for certain is that if you do nothing, then nothing will happen.
I think talent helps, but is obviously not a prerequisite.
There's an awful lot of crap out there!
Speaking of Carrie Prejean, it cracks me up how quickly she dismissed her lawsuit when her s*x tape surfaced. LOL. She's a strange bird.
I honestly thought I wanted to write a book at one time. So much so that I contacted a lawyer, started asking some questions and also purchased five ISBN numbers (the minimum number you can order). But I think you need to have a connection (someone who has written and published a book) to help you. Just to make sure you're not being deceived by anyone and that nobody steals your idea.
Pfft, get with it; books are completely outdated. You have to do mindless things like turn pages and, frankly, if I can feel something in my hands then I don't want it entering my head. Blogs are the way forwards. You'll see; in a few years Dan Brown will be sitting around on his golden throne crying because no one wants to turn The Da Vinci Code into a blog.
Good blog, by the way.