My nine-year-old niece recently made some adoring comments regarding my duel careers as a professional entertainer and published author. I smiled and responded, “It’s not all that glamorous.â€
Her eyes rounded. “I think it is. Don’t you know how lucky you are?â€
“I didn’t mean to imply I’m not fortunate,†I back-peddled, fearing I sounded ungracious when I was only being honest. Honestly, I love my life, with its marvelous highs and sometimes heart-crunching lows. I just don’t think it’s all that glamorous. Then again, I’m looking at my life from behind the scenes. My niece views my chosen careers through the eyes of a fan.
She focuses on how I dress in cool clothes and sing and dance on stage, how people watch and applaud. I obsess about lack of rehearsal time, inferior monitor systems, and my advancing age in a youth-centered industry.
She marvels that my books are at Borders, my latest release made the cover of Affaire de Coeur, and that my picture’s in this month’s Romantic Times BOOKclub. I worry about impending promotional mailings, outstanding contracts, upcoming reviews, and the research I need to do for my work-in-progress.
My niece isn’t privy to the rehearsals and rewrites, auditions, submissions, rejections, and politics. She only sees the end result. The performance. The novel. The awards and accolades. My name has been on marquees and book covers. My face is in magazines and all over the Internet. In her eyes, I’m a star. And the life of a star is glamorous.
I put myself in my niece’s shoes and instantly saw her point. Before I knew the ins and outs of entertainment and publishing, I thought the lives of the people who dwelled in these worlds were indeed charmed. The less I knew about a favorite celebrity the more I was intrigued. I admired their work, so I admired them as people. Authors were particularly fascinating to me because I knew next to nothing about their private lives. I considered myself fortunate if the publisher printed a head shot and a short bio on the book jacket. Lucky if a trade magazine ran a lifestyle article on my favorite scribe. Before the Internet, there was an aura of mystery and glamour surrounding authors.
Now we have websites and blogs.
Many authors (myself included) are quite forthcoming about the details of their lives. You don’t have to wonder what I do with my days… I tell you. Although, I don’t air extremely personal matters—not my style—I’ve seen others do so. Many (myself included) make it clear that publishing is a tough business, and often treat readers to an inside gritty look at our process. So much for the aura of mystery and glamour.
My niece’s innocent comments about fame had me spinning the pros and cons of authors participating heavily at message boards or maintaining candid blogs. Are authors in danger of overexposure or alienating fans by airing their personal views on sex, religion or politics? It happens in entertainment all the time. I know people who burned out on the ‘Bennifer’ media frenzy and therefore avoid any movie starring Affleck or Lopez. I have relatives who now boycott a jazz legend that they loved and supported for years because he recently voiced political views that differ from their own. Tom Cruise’s popularity has taken a bit of a hit since he spouted his views on psychiatry and antidepressants during an interview with NBC ‘Today Show’ host Matt Lauer. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and, in this country, free to share their views. But is it always smart PR? Many people find it difficult to separate an artist’s work from the artist. If you don’t like an artist because he/she has offended you in some way, you are less likely to support that artist’s work. I don’t care how talented they are. It’s human nature.
I can’t get this topic off of my mind—thank you, niece—so I decided to ask the readers here at RTB. Have you ever been so turned off by an author’s personal views that you refuse to buy their books? What intrigues you most? An author who teases you with tidbits of their life? Or an author who bares all? Are authors, like Hollywood celebrities, risking overexposure and alienation?
“It is dangerous to let the public behind the scenes. They are easily disillusioned and then they are angry with you, for it was the illusion they loved.†–W. Somerset Maugham
No related posts.
Beth, I totally agee with the quote at the bottom of your post, “It is dangerous to let the public behind the scenes. They are easily disillusioned and then they are angry with you, for it was the illusion they loved.†I have gotten unfavorable comments (and the occasional ‘you go, girlfriend”) for what I’ve put in my blog (hate that word), and I am not the least bit known or popular! I have begun to sensor myself already from what I would write to what I do write. For my hubby, it’s all about the image, and not putting out there what we wouldn’t want the entire world to read. Or, after reading an entry he will come to me and ask me what I meant when writing a particular line. Words are so personally interpreted that people put their own spin on things. I have tried to scale back the amount of personal-ness when I journal, but there are times that it’s hard because I can be a very chatty person. Oh — the accolades come from my girlfriend who reads my blog. *It’s great to have a personal cheerleader.*
I think it depends on what an author writes. It’s my opinion that as long as your blog, site and revelations match your writing style, content and public persona, you’ll probably be okay, e.g., an erotic romance author can probably get away with writing about frank sex, even in a personal way, whereas an inspirational romance writer’s audience would be scandalized.
My philosophy is that the people who are turned off by me or what I have to say are the same people who’d be turned off anyway by my fiction. My characters are black, outspoken, sexual, and deal with racial issues sometimes. If someone is outraged by a post pertaining to race on my site, that person was never going to be one of my regular readers anyway unless they’re masochistic.
A nice-girl traditional romance writer with tons of conservative readers probably wouldn’t be wise to come across as anything other publicly or she’d likely lose readers.
I don’t write traditional romance, so if a reader picks up my book expecting traditional innocuous formula, they’re likely to be sadly disappointed.
I found Alisa Valdes-Rodriquez’s blog, la Queen Sucia. She’s the author of The Dirty Girl’s Social Club, an ethnic, gritty, funny and “real” chick lit novel.
She’s Hispanic, speaks out on ethnic matters, opinionated, gritty, funny and real in her blog, but I think that’s cool considering her audience and what she writes. Her blog matches her books and her writing voice.
I think people like Britney Spears lose fans because she is other than what they’ve been led expect. Brit cultivated this inital innocent, cute-young-girl image than she metamorphed into sexy pop tart. She gained a racier following that liked to watch her writhe through songs like Slave, but likely lost plenty of her former cute-young-innocent fans.
Now she’s not too glamorous anymore and has a pseudo-black husband. The exposure is probably harming her career because she’s not exposing what people expected of her prior persona. If she were only exposing her privates a la Paris Hilton with rich playboy types, I bet that would be better tolerated.
Tom Cruise was handsome nice guy actor, who came off as intensely invested in his career and craft. He was Top Gum and the Mission Impossible guy in a stable marriage to a gorgeous actress. Now, he has all these gay rumors swirling about, he’s always touting some bizarre religious cult, and he’s not acting cool anymore. A different sort of actor could get away with the weird better.
I enjoy reading author blogs and while the illusion I have of some writers have been ‘tarnished’ by a few things, it hasn’t prevented me from buying books. I’m pretty much a non-confrontational sort of person and I realize that everyone has an opinion about the big things in their lives (religion, politics, sex, morals, etc, etc.) and I try to remember that when I read something that makes my blood boil.
As long as the blog is interesting it can be quite personal in nature or just focused in a specific direction. Alison Kent has a blog that I go to everyday, but it’s not about the few personal tidbits she sprinkles in, but because it has a writing/industry focus that I enjoy.
I say blog what you want. As long as you are comfortbale with the content, then that’s all that matters. Blogs are like TV shows, if you don’t like what’s on the screen, move on! And if you don’t attack others in the airing of your opinion, then the people who boycott you probably weren’t that stuanch of a supporter anyway because ultimately you can like a person’s work even if you don’t agree with them personally. My liking apples and you bananas has nothing to do with how Jack and Diane find each other and fall in love. Wouldn’t life be boring if we all agreed?
Beth, I don’t choose to get into heavy political discussions, controversies and intense rants on my blog. If I do rant about something, I go for humor — like my battles with land crabs or today’s ant infestation discovery. My goals are to amuse and entertain. If someone doesn’t get my sense of humor on my blog, then they probably won’t get the humor in my books. I’m not always laugh-out-loud funny on my blog, but I definitely want people to be glad they visited when they’re done reading my entries.
There are a few blogs that I read where the writers often discuss controversial topics, often in heated entries. I may often disagree with their position in the debate, but that doesn’t stop me from reading their books.
Now, in real life, I have occasionally met writers who are miserable human beings. Time and again, I’ve observed them treat others in harsh, nasty or mean ways. Those are the people whose books I might avoid. Can’t help it. It feels like buying their books would be positive reinforcement for negative behavior.
Wow. Thank you everyone for your insightful posts. This was exactly what I’d hoped for. I actually have comments for each of you but as luck would have it, I’m doubling today (two gigs in one day) and I’m rushing out the door. Hence I’ll be in the casinos instead of at the computer. Drats. Looking forward to catching up with this discussion later tonight. Please, keep ‘em coming!
Wow. Thank you for your insightful posts. This is exactly what I’d hoped for. I actually have comments for each of you but as luck would have it, I’m doubling today (two gigs in one day) Hence I’ll be in the casinos instead of at the computer. Drats. Looking forward to catching up with this discussion later tonight. Keep ‘em coming!
Comments about the recent RWA controversies have affected my purchasing decisions. The three to four books I buy a week will no longer include authors who have made statements that sounded dismissive of or downright hostile to other genres of romance — no matter how much I enjoyed their works previously. I just don’t think that kind of nastiness (and, in some cases, bigotry and homophobia) needs to be rewarded, when there are so many other authors’ books to enjoy.
Hmm…this is a tough one. Generally, what someone says doesn’t affect my buying decisions–IF what they say is done so in an intelligent or humorous manner. Even if I disagree with their viewpoint, as long as they can present themselves as rational about the subject and respect those who have opposing views, I’m cool.
But there are authors who can’t seem to do that, and I definitely won’t buy their books.
And worth mentioning, it works the other way too. I’ve bought books from authors after encountering them on-line. Last week I read a blog I really enjoyed, and automatically checked for that author’s works when I was next in my bookshop. If someone can write an interesting, thought-provoking blog, it’s natural to wonder if they’ll also write a good book.
I cannot remember the name of the actor who said, “All I owe my public is a good performance,” but I tend to agree with that point of view…up to a point. I think Tom Cruise crossed the line with his behavior on Oprah, and the statements he made about Brooke Shields, etc., on The Today Show. For reasons unknown to the public, Mr Cruise seems to have decided to drop the private persona he has cultivated so carefully over the years. I am at a loss to figure out why he thought this was a good idea. It was not so much what he said as the way he said it that was so distasteful to me — actually I thought he looked like a clown in the film clips I saw of the Oprah show.:oops: He can drop me from his fan base!
And my point about all of this? Authors, entertainers, politicians, ordinary citizens, we all have the right to express our opinions, and post, write, otherwise express what we believe, but perhaps we need to look at the manner in which we do so, otherwise we may just appear foolish.
I pretty much agree with everyone here! LOL
I am trying to be very careful on my blog now to not post anything that reveal my political or religious leanings because I know for a fact there are people who have enjoyed my books who don’t think or feel the same way I do, and I don’t want to tarnish their enjoyment. My writing is very central in most things and you probably couldn’t tell what my positions are on most topics.
I do have occasional rants about things, but never about people or organizations in particular, and never in an attacking manner (I hope!). I have definitely eliminated people from my potential reading list because of vitriol and hostility they have spouted online. And I have also made a point of noting authors and buying authors I have “met” online who have impressed me.
I think my blog matches my books in that I keep things light. I’m not writing gritty crime thrillers or political exposes, I write sexy comedic romance. I’ve found new authors and bought books after finding their blogs, but I have also passed over books I might have bought after a blog alienated me. I think I probably wouldn’t have loved those books anyway, however, if I found the author’s blog such a mismatch for me.
I’m drawn to author’s blogs who struggle with the same issues I struggle with. Ditto with women and their family life. I don’t need to know everything, and I surely don’t share everything.
I have no problem reading about other’s opinions. It’s only when those people don’t see any other side which turns me off. There is a blog I bookmarked and recently took off because of comments made.
I’ve also gone out of my way to purchase books by author’s blogs that I’ve read. I think blogs are a great tool as long as they are not abused or used constantly as a soapbox.
Hollywood celebrities are an entirely different animal. Some believe that courtesy doesn’t pertain to them. Pity that.
Grins*
I like insider blogs…I like to hear about they ways I might identify with people I admire…but I have let their statements on ploitics or religion steer me away from following them.
The main example I can name is Jane Fonda. I am so opposed to her actions and views I can’t bring myself to spend money on her work, no matter how talented I think she is. I’m coming close to feeling the same way about Sean Penn.
Nevertheless, I think the blogs and such are great tools for writers/entertainers. When I was in school for my chosen profession, one of the lines of thought was to steer clear of discussing religion, sex and politics with our clients, because the viewpoints on these subjects are so close and personal to each different person that it can lead to conflict and that is not good for building a business 0or career.
Of course, adhering to this guideline is easier said than done.
I think this is a Very Big Issue deserving of scrutiny.
I have definitely been influenced — though, interestingly, primarily on the negative front — by author blogs and posts on reader message boards.
However, an important caveat is that if I love what a writer produces, it couldn’t mater less to me how she is on the ‘net. Hey, make an idiot of yourself, I’m willing to overlook it. However, if I am on the fence, it matters oh so very much.
Recently, I read the first book by a debut author and liked it — I didn’t love it, mind you, but I definitely thought there was potential there, despite the many criticisms that I had. Recently, on a much-visited message board this author violated just about every rule of “good” author online behavior that there is. The upshot of it all is that in during a contentious debate, her supporters seemed to convince her that after just one book she is an icon and, foolishly (IMHO), that made her so cocky that she was very rude — make that VERY rude — to those who had helpful critiques (well, I thought so, anyway) of her work.
What I’d like to say to that author is this: Honey, I know Judith Ivory and you ain’t no Judith Ivory. You’ve got potential, Ms. Author, but right now I couldn’t give the proverbial f**k about what you write in the future because you need to be taken down a peg. Or six. It’s unfortunate, because before this little episode, I thought there was a lot of potential there. Now I quite honestly couldn’t care less and it was solely — SOLELY — because of the author’s online behavior.
So, there you go. It ain’t pretty, but it’s real. Human nature, that is.
It’s a hard question. Where do you draw the line? As someone who serves as an unofficial assistant buyer for an independant bookstore, as well as a reader, I find myself reading author blogs to find out what authors are working on. It both furthers my personal obsession with the genre and prepares me for the professional responsibility of selecting gems out of the publisher catalogues I’ll be given(and we ALL know the blurbs don’t tell the whole story
) .
As someone who blogs, I figure a blog is SUPOSED to be a place where you’re able to speak freely about whatever you want. But when I’m reading author blogs, I find myself influenced (on either a positive or negative level) by what’s said.
There was an instance where after reading an author’s blog, I was so offended that my carefully prepared speech asking the buyer to consider carrying her books went right out the window. There have been instances where reading an author’s blog annoyed me enough where I refused to read any more of her books, but didn’t cause me to think I didn’t want the store to work in to carry them. I’ve also been swayed TOWARDS authors books by their blogs, both personally and professionally.
After all of that, I’m still not exactly sure where that line is. But if I had to guess, the question is this. Do I want the people buying books at the bookstore I work in exposed to this author? Because if they DO like the books, customers, like me, will go and investigate more. And as a bookseller, not to mention a fellow reader, I want them to come away happy. Both from the book they’ve bought and their interactions with the authors who’ve written them:)
As a pre-published writer, I find the insights you and other pubbed authors give into the business very helpful, eye-opening, and in some cases jaw-dropping. But I want to know what I’m getting into.
As for blogs, I do believe anyone can say anything they want in a blog–being mindful of defamation and sedition and all that. But the writer has to keep their fanbase, colleagues, and others in mind as well.
For me (no fanbase), I don’t talk in detail about my family, my day job, or my dating life. If you want to know all that, buy me dinner, lol!
The comments are interesting. I’ve thought about this topic some more since posting earlier today. In a way, it reminds me of the Dixie Chicks/President Bush controversy a few years ago. The lead singer of the Chicks made an anti-Bush comment at a concern in England and sparked a huge amount of backlash against the group. People burned Chicks CDs and called radio stations, threatening to boycott sponsors if the station continued to play Chicks songs. I thought that went wayyy over the top. If we don’t like something that’s said and choose to not buy or listen to the speaker’s music, that’s our right and choice. But to take it one step further and threaten a radio station’s livelihood is inappropriate. That’s like compelling someone to agree with our position by leveraging their income. If I disagree with an author’s viewpoint on her blog, I can exercise the choice to disagree with her there or simply not revisit the blog. I don’t require that the authors I read have the same opinion as I and I would never try to influence someone else to not read her because of the difference of opinion.
I remember the Chicks “scandal.”
I thought the actions you mentioned were over the top too. I absolutely love their music. But their choice in they **way** they expressed their opinion influenced me more on my choice not to listen to them or buy new music than the opinion itself.
So, I figure it would pay for me to try to watch my p’s and q’s too, though I’m not always good at it!
I just KNEW this would be an interesting topic. LOL I’ve been away from my computer all day. To respond to every comment would take too long, although every comment did resonate with me. I think it was Sandy who said this is a ‘big issue’. I have to agree. Especially after reading all of these comments. I truly appreciate those who chimed in. You’ve given me a lot to think about. The brain’s a buzzin’.
I mentioned the blog la Queen Sucia on a previous comment. When I visited today, I read that Alisa is shutting down her blog because of nastiness of some commenters who disagreed with her and her difficulties with boundaries.
If many readers start to seek to define the authors they read and want to only read authors who agree with them (some to the extent of sabotaging the author’s sales and career because the author doesn’t align with their views), more authors will decide that the effort of blogs aren’t worth the hassle and take them down.
I may be a bit different than most people. Maybe I am not reading all that many writer blogs but the ones that I have have never said anything to offend me.
A few times an author’s behaviour on-line has thrown me off but I always find myself giving at least a few of their books a try. I discovered that one author who had some boundary issues was not to my liking so I never really thought about her again except when she popped up at inappropriate times. Then, a few months back I saw one of her books and I read the backblurb and it sounded right up my alley. I loved the book and read another of hers that was fantastic. Now, I have read 2 others that didn’t leave the same impression but, it let me know that writers are people too and even if they are annoying at times, they just might surprise you by writing a book you would consider a keeper.
I think the only way that I would not buy someone’s book is if they were rude to my face – like at a booksigning or something.
As an aside, Tom Cruise looks like he has wigged out but I think it may be a mid-life crisis thing. Anyways, I was really looking forward to War of the Worlds but was worried about how I would perceive TC so I rented MI-2 which I really enjoyed the first time I saw it. I had a real hard time separating TC the real guy from the movie. I went to WOTW anyways and realized at the end that this guy is a great actor because I didn’t think once about the fact that he may have gone a wee bit mad.
CindyS
I recently read a blog entry that completely turned me off from the author. I will never buy another of her books or the other authors involved, and that includes one of my favorites.
There’s a big difference between not buying an author’s books and going on a campaign to wreck her career. The whole Dixie Chicks episode was way over the top, and I would actively oppose any such crusades against fellow authors.
I wouldn’t *stop* buying an author’s books if all she did was express an opposing political point of view, but I might actually *start* getting interested in an author who seemed like a kindred spirit and/or whose views were intriguing to me and eloquently expressed. Some of the comments about the RWA standards went beyond simple political statements, IMO, and were so offensive to me that they did affect my opinions of the authors.
In general, sneering at others’ art is not the way to make people want to buy yours.
One shouldn’t forget that sometimes “artistes” take a certain controversial position, not from any sincere principle, but as a deliberate, fascile PR exercise.
Sometimes, they mis-read the trends and the potential reaction. Tough.