How do you become a famous writer.

Anonymous #1

How does it happen?

Reply 1

username5173262

Write a book, then die.
Then after you die, precedent has it, your book will become an internationally known classic.

Reply 2

LaurenWeaver_

Original post by V℮rsions

Write a book, then die.
Then after you die, precedent has it, your book will become an internationally known classic.

There is MUCH more to it than that. Firstly, writing the novel is the somewhat easy part. Seeking an agent and publisher is harder than flying to moon with a jetpack. Following the author's passing in life, their book may not become as well known, it all depends on how famous it was when they were living.

Reply 3

stem_leader

1. Write a great book (for whatever definition of great sets you apart from whatever peers in the genre/classification you're in)
2. Get it published by someone capable of taking the book to market
3. Achieve some meteorically rare marketing moment that makes the book go viral

Optional... die sometimes before or after step 3... i.e. before you can tarnish the reputation of your own work by turning out to be a jerk in some way.

Reply 4

LaurenWeaver_

Original post by stem_leader

You make the second option sound so easy. Yet, it is hard to find a publisher and get signed by them. It all depends on how good the book is written, and whether the publisher believes it can sell or not.

Reply 5

stem_leader

Original post by LaurenWeaver_

Step 2 is easy.

Publishers fear missing out, play them off against each other and identify who are the key people. Work on a highly targeted marketing campaign that sows the seed to them that there is a hot new writer that their competitors (plural) are going to sign. Make it a bidding war.

Getting any of the deals in the arts follows the same formula... be it a record deal, book deal, theatre deal, film deal.

No-one is sure of their own taste enough to make a big bet on a new piece of art, but they will listen to the wisdom of the crowd as it applies to their peers and competitors to create the affirmation needed to do a deal with confidence.

The only hard bit about step 2, finding the right people, and formulating the right marketing campaign.

I did this stuff in the music industry, and you do know bands I worked with.

It's step 3 that is hard... that one is down to being in the right place at the right time... but if people knew what that was everyone would do it.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 6

LaurenWeaver_

Original post by stem_leader

If that's the case, why do most famous authors go through so much rejection before they are finally signed? Take J.K. Rowling for instance, upon searching for a publisher for Harry Potter she went through numerous rejections, before Bloomsbury eventually took her on, and take a look at her now. I aspire to write a novel, but I know that finding a publisher will be the most difficult part.

Reply 7

stem_leader

Original post by LaurenWeaver_

And on the flip side I know a lot of people with deals, and their writing isn't bad at all, but few convert into big books. There has to be something more.

But to get a deal... that's trivial, stop thinking the writing is enough and that if you write it they will come. You can game getting a deal, so game it.

Damn, the desire to give up a sliver of my pseudonymous identity on TSR to mention a book written by someone I know... not their first book, but their first truly brilliant book. Yup, I'll do it... Jane Feaver - Crazy... holy crap she finally wrote the book that was always in her. Also... that book covers the hardship of being a writer, so it's a bit meta in this thread.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 8

Prefect1992

Bro there's no need because we all live in the matrix, just study sociology you get 50% on assignments for spelling your name right and using a pen. Also no need to cook your chicken because the earth ain't round