From The Bookseller:
If you thought the children’s books market had reached peak celebrity then look away now for there is a veritable deluge coming in 2017. This includes, though is by no means limited to, David Walliams, David Baddiel, Tom Fletcher, Clare Balding, Adrian Edmondson, Julian Clary, Christian O’Connell, Mo Farah, Greg James, Chris Smith, Dermot O’Leary, Miranda Hart, Danny Baker, Dara O Briain, Fearne Cotton, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Chris Hoy, Isla Fisher, Gemma Cairney, Frank Lampard, Chris O’Dowd, Brooklyn Beckham, various YouTubers and rather curiously, George Galloway.
In a culture where celebrity sells I understand why publishers go down this route. The phenomenal success of David Walliams has put every publisher under pressure to have their own chart-topping version. Celebrity authors are a ready-made PR story, they have existing fan bases, social media followers and famous friends to endorse their books. When celeb books work they can be hugely lucrative which, in theory at least, means profits can be invested in nurturing new talent.
For me the big positive is that celebrities can be such powerful advocates for books and reading. In our publishing bubble it’s all too easy to forget that vast numbers of families don’t own books and never visit bookshops or libraries.
. . . .
I’ve read some good celebrity books, I’ve read some terrible ones. Some celebrities can write, have big imaginations and comic timing, many don’t and need a talented editor and ghost writer. However, some of the formats favoured for celebs are starting to look pretty lazy. Illustrated comic middle-grade feels utterly saturated, magical young series fiction somewhat less inspiring than the famous names on the covers.
Link to the rest at The Bookseller
If a celebrity book sells, and the buyer doesn’t recognize the author as a celebrity, does it count as a celebrity sale?
I confess. The only name I knew was George Galloway.
As far as I can tell The Bookseller is a British publication, hence you get a list of British “celebrities” most of PG’s readers have never heard of (which is not exactly a loss). For a US equivalent substitute a random mixture of sportsmen, TV personalities, actors and second rate stand up comedians.
As for quality, it all depends on who does the writing. Rick Castle’s mysteries got some good reviews, but maybe this does not count as he’s not only a celebrity but a fictional character (though non existence is not obviously a hindrance to being a successful author.)
Thanks! That explains it. I thought I was even more out of it than usual.
I’m in the same boat: I know Isla Fisher is an actress frequently mistaken for Amy Adams. I suspect Brooklyn Beckham is an offspring of David Beckham. George Galloway is a British politician, right?
Anyway, I don’t see a problem with celebrity books if they’re focused on their expertise. Danica McKeller’s math book sounded interesting when she published it a few years ago. She’s a mathematician so she fits the expertise rule.
Never tried to read any fiction written by celebrities. I like the idea though, of a “movie star by day, writer by night.” Throw in “solving mysteries / saving the world” and I’m there 🙂 Brian May is the only one who comes close to this, except swap out writer for astrophysicist, which is also cool.
David Niven’s autobiographies are wonderful. But they’re only partly fiction. 🙂
Ooh, I just looked him up: Actor, soldier, and he wrote two novels as well as memoirs. Awesome! Thanks for the tip.
Yes, celebrity sells.
Not always but often enough to be worth the investment.
It is a function of the familiarity of the name and appeal of the brand. This is old news, going back to the 60’s:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_Score
Hillary Clinton was one heck of a bomb with that ~$16 million advance.
That wasn’t a for profit venture but rather influence peddling.
Yes. Twenty-three alleged celebrities mentioned here, and I recognize three of their names. I suppose it depends on which circles you frequent.
Lyle Blake Smythers
I must live under a rock because I only vaguely recognized two names in that whole list–I could pick neither out of a line-up.
Me, too. I haven’t heard of ANY of these people. Maybe I’m just old?
Who ARE these people?
Also, I’ve apparently bought a couple of books by actors, but not because of the name. Good blurb hooked me.
Despite Allen’s constant assertion that the answer to a question in the title must be ‘no’, yes, celebrity sells. There is no other explanation for Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian.
Oh, you’re talking books. Well, I just bought Frank Abagnale, Catch Me If You Can. Stan Redding did a good job of ghosting this book, but if not for Mr Abagnale’s celebrity, no sale.