Time magazine's (Feb 9, 2009) Lev Grossman reports on John Updike's death and celebrates his career. He notes that Updike wrote almost a book a year for his life, "not just novels but short stories, memoirs, poetry, critical musings on art, architecture and literature."
I can't help but think that Updike might not have been able to be so prolific (and perhaps so accomplished) if he had not has time to develop his art, if his publisher hadn't given him the kind of marketing budget he deserved. I also wonder how many more Updikes there might be out there--now and during Updike's lifetime--if they, too, had publishers who really--I mean REALLY--supported them.
It's true that many literary stars are well supported today. But in Updike's time, midlist and emerging authors enjoyed the same support. Scroll down in this blog a bit to see what publishers have been spending their money on instead.
I couldn't find the direct link to "Updike at Rest" but another one by Grossman is online at http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1874276,00.html.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
4 comments:
Thank you for commenting on posts at #SharingwithWriters blog, a Writers Digest 101 Best Websites pick at
www.SharingWithWriters.blogspot.com. You might also find www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com full of resources you can use and
www.TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a free review site will benefit your book or increase your reading pleasure.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Editors used to nurture emerging authors, help them develop their craft and hone their voices. Lots of wonderful books have been written about that former time in the publishing. Somewhere along the line the field became an industry in every sense of the word. I find it perplexing, though, that publishers don't put much muscle into marketing. Why? Anyway, I echo my comment on your last posting about the field being in the midst of change. The current model seems unsustainable.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing "it's a new era" regarding publishing and I believe this post echos that phrase. How sad times have changed - I hope the tide turns so more authors have the opportunities Mr. Updike did.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to witness how the change unfolds.
ReplyDeleteI think with all the changes in publishing this has never been a more exciting time to be a self-published author.
ReplyDelete~Barbara
www.joyfulpaws.com