Criminal Advances in Book Publishing
Let’s boycott books by Blagojevich, Condi, and other non-writers.
Earlier this month, Rod Blagojevich received a six-figure book contract.
Blago is not the only secret, surprisingly diligent writer we the public know as some other professional. Chesley Sullenberger received a two-book deal worth $3.2 million, with one book being a collection of “inspirational” poems. Condoleezza Rice received a three-book deal worth $2.5 million. And Kathy Griffin—yes, Kathy Griffin—also received a $2.5-million book deal. (One comment on the excellent Galleycat blog notes that Chesley’s “$3.2 million would have financed a 3-4 percent raise for 1,000 people” at Harper’s.” Not to mention preventing dozens of layoffs).
I am no expert on the publishing industry, but I know book editors have been laid off recently, and fewer and fewer authors are receiving book contracts as the industry contracts.
However, non-writers—a white collar criminal, an airline pilot, a Bushie, a comedian—can now purchase whole swaths of the Icelandic coastline by telling an editor at a beleaguered publishing house they will give this book writing thing a whirl.
True, one bestseller can pay for one hundred struggling mid-list writers’ advances. But why not just give 50 struggling mid-list writers a decent advance, and then hustle to make one—or a dozen of them—into bestsellers?
Giving Blagojevich a million-dollar advance is literally criminal. Buying his book would be too. Maybe we consumers can exercise some nominal control over this insanity by refusing to buy books by celebrities, no matter how many banner ads we see for them. How about this for a slogan: “Only Buy Books Written By Writers!” Or just “Buy Writers,” a la “Buy American”?
