![](http://theurbandaily.com/files/2011/10/lil-wayne.jpg)
In an interview that took place near the end of 2009,
bestselling author, John Irving, admitted that he worries for new writers and admitted that
his first novel would never have been published had it been written today.
What he said makes sense considering that at the time that he wrote his first
novel, publishing houses were more interested in great storytelling compared to
now. The mentality today among publishers is to only publish what they believe will
make money even if it's crap. What's known to sell? Scandals and controversy.
They get the most television airtime, front page coverage in newspapers and on magazine
covers. So there's definitely a market for these stories. But what kind of
market? Avid readers who are long term book-buying clients? Or the part-time
reader who's only interested in celebrity gossip? Most likely the latter.
Ben Greenberg, executive editor of GCP said: "We
are thrilled to be publishing Wayne's prison memoir. He kept detailed journals
of his inner and outer life while he was on Rikers Island, and they certainly
tell a story."
Rubbish!
![](http://www.vibe.com/sites/default/files/lil%20wayne.jpg)
If it's prison stories that Mr Greenberg is really
interested in, wouldn't the prison guards, doctors, or the chaplains—who've
been working there longer than the eight months Lil Wayne spent there—have far
more interesting stories to tell? Wouldn't those stories appeal to a bigger
market? Such as high school librarians who would share these stories with
students to teach them the consequences of going to jail? Especially if they
were to read the graphic details of beatings and prison rapes. Since an
educational aspect could be attached to these stories, wouldn't one expect the
shelf life to be longer, since it would appeal to readers who aren't fans of
Lil Wayne?
There are many reasons why the publishing industry is
falling apart today, I won't list them all. But I have a suggestion, why don't
they try investing more in quality works than throwing money away at the
flavour of the month. They can stick to investing more time with worthless celebrity
books that will yield short-term profits. If GCP wants to continue down this
path and ruin the integrity of the publishing industry, they can go ahead, they
just won't be doing it with my money.
Russell Brooks is the author of the thriller Chill Run.
Let's hope Grand Central didn't give Lil Wayne a huge advance, because they might never earn it out. I too like celebrity trash, but I'll take it in small doses on the Internet. For free... Call me cheap, but these "tell alls" usually don't tell much, let along "all." Count me out.
ReplyDeleteIf Grand Central gave Lil Wayne a huge advance and he doesn't earn out his advance, it'll serve them right. I've read one "Tell All" called FAIR GAME by former CIA operative, Valerie Plame Wilson. That book was a real inspiration for me and I'm sure it has been for other people. She wasn't a celebrity before she was maliciously OUTED as a covert agent. But she had some very interesting things to say. Me being a thriller novelist it was also an informative (research) read for me. I'd like to see more books such as those.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a well-written post on this subject. I find most celeb memoirs tremendously annoying. What would affect the average person in an extremely negative way becomes the success story for the celeb? Ugh.
ReplyDelete(One of the best looking blogs I've seen in a while by the way)
Russell GCP did give him a big advance. "It's only business," they would say.
ReplyDeleteI ghostwrote in a past time, I hope they hire someone good enough to string his notes together.
The book will sell 200000+ to a second edition and be gone from history in a few years.
One factor I wonder about, where will the book sell the most - in record stores? ,,, no wait they are mostly gone.