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Ros Kindersley

Ros Kindersley is managing director of JFL Search & Selection.

All hail celebs

28.04.08

The annual literary gong season is in full swing and, with the help of a couple of ringers, the publishing industry is more than holding its own in the battle for column inches.

Using celebrity status to sell books is hardly a new idea, but the furore surrounding Katie Price's selection as a finalist in the British Book Awards and Lily Allen's appointment (and withdrawal) as a judge of the Orange Broadband Prize was astounding. Most published celebrities are quite open about their extent or lack of talent; they understand the value of branding and the power of publishing to establish a relationship with audiences.

Those that challenge celebrities' credentials forget that leveraging notoriety is a tried and tested publishing marketing strategy; literary history is littered with examples of revered authors more famous at first for their actions rather than their work. Celebrity is no guarantee of success, but if the success of these books means a healthy publishing sector that is more likely to take a chance on an unpublished talent, then that is a cost worth bearing.

We live in a celebrity-obsessed culture and the publishing industry recognises it must find ways to make itself relevant to new generations of potential readers and writers. Would the Orange have received half as much coverage if it had selected a panel of respected, yet largely unknown, experts?

So, who cares if Colleen McLoughlin doesn't write her own books? If publishing wants to continue to compete with the footballers' wives and pop stars' diets and maintain a high public profile, it will need to be brave and controversial. By ensuring the industry remains relevant to new generations, talented people will be attracted to publishing and gain the necessary expertise to pursue a career, thus securing the industry's future growth and success.

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By Richard

That argument doesn't wash I'm afraid. Nepotism has all but destroyed a newcomer's chance of getting an acting job when the acting industry chooses fame over quality. It's pathetic to see Edward Woodward, his son and his grand-son in the same show. It demonstrates to the more intelligent viewers that acting is a piece of piss - all you need are connections. Acts of Nepostim (which is what you're talking about) will result in lost opportunities for new and untried writers. Publishers will simply KEEP publishing sure fire sellers - no need to take a risk when you can publish poor quality twaddle which sells to The Sun readers. The red top papers out sell the broadsheets three fold but they are dumbed down comics. Is that how you want the writing industry to be seen?

28 Apr 08 22:22

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By xfmjunky

I would be the first to appreciate that down-market literature has a place in the overall scheme of publishing and that many notable (some not so) works have followed behind notorious reputations. To argue that publishing should court page 3 readers to keep itself afloat is a crummy justification of an unreasonable downward shift towards knocking out reams of tripe. As such it is a grave insult to writing and publishing talent, be it employed, established or not. Ms Kindersley might seem like she’s standing up for fun or free speech, in truth the implications of her blog – that sensation funds quality in an otherwise floundering industry – is undermining of the principle of increasing circulation of literature in all its forms.

02 May 08 12:28

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