An Author By Any Other Name

I think most of us realize by now how hard it is to break into the publishing world – not just to get a book contracted, but to then make that book successful. There are so many millions of books out there for readers to choose from (in digital, paperback, and hardback formats) that making yours stand out from the crowd requires perseverance, hard work, and just a bit of luck. Unless you’re Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, or Tiger Woods, that is.

I just ran across this article about how Tiger Woods’ now infamous car crash in the middle of the night has sparked renewed interest in a physics text book. The title is Get a Grip on Physics by John Gribbon. I don’t know about you, but reading about physics (my absolute worst subject in college) ranks somewhere around negative 10 on my list of favorite things to do. The only reason Gribbon is now seeing his book snapped up by millions of Amazon readers is the connection to Tiger Woods.

Look at Sarah Palin. Her book, Going Rogue, hit the best seller list weeks before its release. Personally, I like Ms. Palin but I doubt if the book was written by her former running mate, John McCain, that it would have achieved the same popularity before it was even available.


Then there’s Glenn Beck. I recently finished reading Arguing With Idiots, which I enjoyed immensely. It’s an easy read, filled with pictures and little boxes full of tidbits and “Idiotic Moments”. It’s a beautiful tome, superbly formatted, and filled with lots of pictures and short paragraphs which appeal to the average American who is not an avid reader. Beck makes no bones about the fact that it was written largely by someone else. But with his name on the cover, it will sell far more copies than if Mr. No Name Ghost Writer was given the author credit.

I don’t begrudge anyone their success. But it sure would be easier to get ahead in the publishing industry if only we authors had a famous name to add to our titles.

Hmm, think I'll approach Glenn Beck about becoming a ghost writer on his team...

And if you receive any of the aforementioned books for Christmas, consider yourself lucky. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!

Candace Morehouse
www.candacemorehouse.com