What I'm finding hard to deal with is that these new-found celebrities can bring out a book just like that because they have a large following that will buy the book hot of the press. Obviously it isn't just the stars themselves that are to blame: publishing companies are looking at these online content creators with dollar signs in their eyes, and seeming to lose their integrity along the way. It's unfair to real-life authors who have spent years working on novels and suffered from countless rejections, to then have to see people like Zoella releasing a book in a matter of months. And before you say "Well if they keep getting rejected maybe they should give up!" - bear in mind that we wouldn't have the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter if authors gave up so easily. J K Rowling was rejected from over 10 publishers before the Philosopher's Stone was published!
It baffles me how the fans of the YouTube gang can't see how they're being manipulated; their management company(s) are taking every golden opportunity to line their pockets, by striking deals left right and centre. It seems these days that making videos online is a stepping stone to a book deal, and it's so frustrating to witness. It's also getting exceptionally boring: announce a book release, spend every day tweeting about how hard you're working on said book, have a launch party, go on a book tour ... It's DULL.
I don't particularly have anything against these YouTubers - but I wish they would just stick to what they're doing, and leave book deals to the authors. Their fans are only buying the books because they come with their idols' name stamped on the cover: it has nothing to do with getting young people to read. As an aspiring author, I can't tell you how much it saddens me to see the downfall of the publishing industry. And I know it's not just YouTubers, and it happens in all realms of celebrity, but it's still so hard to see.
What's your view? Let me know in the comments below, or on Twitter - I love a good debate, so long as you're respectful. Mwah x
I completely agree with you - companies are just looking at the money the can make from it. Don't get me wrong I love youtubers but if they wanted to be an author, they would have took the writing route. This is a really good rant!
ReplyDeletemegan xxx
www.megxnscott.com
Yeah I love youtubers for what they do, but it's all going a bit far now! thank you lovely xxx
DeleteI totally agree! I remember Zoe saying in one of her vlogs how the publishers really liked her writing style so offered her a book deal (which they can't have liked too much because it was ghostwritten), but she rarely updates her blog or even publishes things online anymore except videos, where she talks and doesn't write. It made no sense to me at all and was clear that all the publishers wanted from her was her name on the front cover. It's a shame for all involved really, the bloggers/vloggers who are being used to make money, and the viewers who are being manipulated into spending silly amounts of money.
ReplyDeleteBethan | Thought from Beth x
Exactly, the whole thing is just really bizarre!! I feel sorry for the youtubers because they really are being used - money truly does make the world go round and it's so distressing! x
DeleteSo with you on this, it's really frustrating to watch because it's something so personal to an author and a book to Youtubers is just another branch of their 'brand' - and as far as getting young people to read ... Authors get people to read by writing books with meaning not just books about makeup and hair. I don't have anything against them, they're obviously doing it because the publishers want it and it's a fun thing to do if you know the publishing deal is handed to you but it's hard to watch anyway.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! :)
soffyaaah.com
Xx
Yeah I agree with you completely, it frustrates me so much to see them being praised for it when it's actyally really wrong! Thanks lovely xx
DeleteLoved this Katy! Couldn't have put it better myself.
ReplyDeleteRhianna | robowecop
Thank you babe! I'm gonna read yours after my bath :)
DeleteI must say, you've got to give it to the management company - Gleam have managed to produce Girl Online, Tanya Burr Cosmetics, The Pointless Book, CoLab Dry Shampoo, Real Techniques, along with Amity Fest, Louise Live (sorry, can't remember what it was called!) and now Beauty Chat Live - basically any British Youtuber's products that are not independent merch have probably been created within the walls of their offices! They've really tapped into the market and made a hefty buck from all the girls lapping up anything these youtubers are releasing! I'm not saying what they're doing is right, but they've certainly done it well...
ReplyDeleteMegan x meguana.co.uk
Yeah as a business they are incredible at what they do! There's certainly no denying that x
DeleteJust had the biggest rant ever on someone else's post about this so I am going to copy and paste it :') xx
ReplyDeleteIf I'm honest I have kept my mouth shut because I want to be liked, I don't want to come across as a jealous B***h but the fact Joe sugg has came out he is releasing a book has somehow really peed me off! Who HASENT got a book now? I don't see why anyone who has a blog (Tanya, Zoe etc) Can't write a book themselves? They blog that's how they started why can't they carry that on? Because it will take more time than a ghost writer doing it in a set number of weeks!? I honestly don't know what "BIG" youtubers I can trust anymore, I feel they get thrown anything and talk about anything now and don't care if we would like it they just see the ££££. And the fact Alfie is bringing out a 2nd book....hmmm did the 1st one not make enough money? did he not have enough adoring fans queuing around london for him the first time around? I feel like Gleam are shoving them anything and because it means money there taking it and don't care about anything else.....I really don't want to sound like a B***h but when the billionth Youtuber comes out with the same thing over and over again it gets a bit irritating.....I love this post by the way, Glad someone has had the guts to talk about it! Xx
Oliviacherylx.blogspot.co.uk
Haha I couldn't agree more babe! Pisses me off sooooooooooo much xx
DeleteThis news definitely makes me angry and a tad bitter as well, to be honest. It really is insulting for actual authors who write their own books. If you can't fully write your own book and don't have anything particularly life-changing to write about, DON'T!
ReplyDeleteyes exactly!!!!
DeleteCouldn't agree more. I did actually purchase Zoella's book Girl Online and I have to say it was so poory written! A grammatical error on the first page. I have a deep love for books and will try most things but I was shocked at how unoriginal it was. Yes the storyline was great in terms of appealing to a young teenage girl, however where are the books today exploring realistic, or at least original storylines. I look at Girl Online in comparison to the other books on my shelf and it seems to stand out almost like an eyesore. The front cover really seemed to fit her online persona when an author, to me, is meant to express themselves through the words they write not showing a whole different story on the front page. I don't want to bad mouth anyone as if that's what they wanted to do than great, however publishers and shortening deadlines to get books out faster and to maximise their profits. It seems a shame that this is what writing is turning into. I used to love reading, yet the first thing people do when they buy these new books is take a selfie of it and let it sit on the shelf. There are so many good books out there to read that I could recommend and those authors fail to get the recognition they deserve just because they don't do YouTube videos and endless interviews.
ReplyDeleteOoh that was a long post- Sorry!
Megan
http://therestisstillunwrittenblog1.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you for your comment! I couldn't agree more, it's ridiculous that this is the direction literature is going in now :( x
DeleteI studied creative writing at university so I know a lot of people who dream about becoming published authors - to see these girls release a book simply because it's another item to stamp their name on does annoy me when it's so difficult for 'regular' people to get a book deal. As Annie Rose said in her comment, it makes sense if the book is beauty or baking, or another topic the blogger or Youtuber focuses on online, but I don't understand why fiction is being released by women who (as Bethan mentions) don't really even seem to have any interest in it!
ReplyDeleteIt's also disappointing as when I was young I looked up to authors like Jacqueline Wilson and Enid Blyton, who wrote incredible stories which have been popular for years and years, but now the focus is on books which I think most people agree are just designed to make a fast buck.
x
I study it now, so I can completely understand what you're saying! It's so frustrating to see hard working people bypassed in order for companies to earn a bit of extra cash, grrrr x
DeleteI completely agree with this, me and my friend were talking about it just yesterday!
ReplyDeleteI may be mistaken but John Green was a writer before hand and having a youtube helped his books lift off? If so I believe that is completely fair, very smart as well. But all these new youtubers just making books for the hell of it really does grind my gears. I would maybe like them if they were a bit more original but literally each book I've seen so far seems like a copy, the pointless book - Wreck this journal, Tanyas book - It by Alexa Chung and Zoella's book I haven't read but from the blurb sounds just like another teen book (can't think what the title is)
I dunno I may seem bitter but I think they are just becoming sell outs which is pretty sad. Fair enough for them though, if they want to take that advantage.
Jessie | Taylor Mayed
Yeah I think John Green was a writer first-off, and at least his books are actually well written and not just someone throwing a book deal at him for cash. Exactly they are all so unoriginal, it's so frustrating to see that this is what the literary industry is coming to! Yeah they're taking advantage of something which maybe a lot of us would also do, having not been in that position I can't say but it is sad! x
DeleteI've never thought of this topic like this. I guess it's pretty obvious the youtube books are instead of 'real authors' books, but it never accrued in my mind. I haven't read Zoella's book, but I've heard it isn't original, and is pretty cliche. And Alfie's book is like a copy of Wreck This Journal. This topic is annoying me more and more by the second so I'll end here. x
ReplyDeleteZoesSecretStyle.blogspot.co.il