Authors can become equal to rock stars in some circles. They go on lengthy book tours where people will wait in line for hours just to get their favorite books signed. The author’s books propel them into the spotlight but popularity will only last for so long.
And it is when the spotlight begins to shift that some authors begin to show their true colors as they do everything they can to keep it on them.
Unless they write an eternally popular series, their book’s success will have a time limit. This limit has forced authors to act desperate to keep all eyes on them to gain a celebrity status. This celebrity author culture is extremely toxic because authors have to keep peddling new content in order to stay relevant.
Some manage to do that by continually adding on information about their books until it inevitably ruins the book’s setting. It also blurs the line of what the author intended while writing the book and what they added to stay relevant. J.K. Rowling is one notorious example of this.
While this practice is certainly annoying, it is harmless to everyone except those who care about literary criticism.
However, there is a far more insidious practice among celebrity authors that invites rebuke. Dan Mallory, New York Times best-seller, was called out for doing it just last week. That is, lying about himself to appear more interesting than he is.
Mallory lied about his education, his mother's cancer and his professional career. He might be a special case but he is not an exception.
Authors know most people won’t dig too hard into their personal lives. Wikipedia barely even lists authors unless they are particularly noteworthy. With that lack of scrutiny comes the ability to lie about many details of their personal lives. Some authors even fake memoirs to get famous.
When people start to give these people the attention they so desperately want, they become egomaniacs. Author E. L. James is one notable example. She is well known for being impossible to work with, as well as responding poorly to any kind of criticism.
This is not the kind of person who deserves a spotlight, yet she got one.
Authors do deserve some credit. After all, they did produce the work. The fame is so fleeting for those who do become book superstars that they must struggle to keep it.
This means that only the super lucky and super determined get to keep their limelight for a substantial amount of time.
Fame is a fickle fortune, and those who seek it are perhaps not worthy of it. Certainly Dan Mallory and E. L. James have proven they don’t deserve it. Let’s get rid of celebrity author culture and return to the simpler days of the death of the author. It was a mistake to make a celebrity out of every kind of media producer.
