Replies

  • Janet Starr Hull June 11, 2012 at 4:16pm

    Good one....!!!!!

  • Sharon Lindenburger June 10, 2012 at 8:29pm

    No, I would not do a reality show. Despite its popularity, I think it's the dumbest genre ever. It plays to the lowest common denominator, and the only reason producers produce reality shows is because they're cheap. Could it help sell books? Maybe...but not the kinds of readers I would want. But I'm not the typical author-type. First of all, I'm an editor, LOL! But as a writer I write for scholarly audiences. 

    • jeff herman > Sharon Lindenburger June 11, 2012 at 3:39pm

      But what if I offered you $100,000 and a day on the set of Jersey Shore?

    • Sharon Lindenburger > jeff herman June 11, 2012 at 3:53pm

      I would turn down the offer, Jeff. The integrity of my work is important to me and so I'd need to have the same sense of integrity in the promotion of my work. So reality show...no...but if you offered the $100,000 for me to do a lecture tour, to me that would work much better for my purposes. :)

  • Roger Lawrence June 8, 2012 at 8:14pm

    I wouldn't be seen dead in a reality show. If that meant the death of my novel then so be it.

    • jeff herman > Roger Lawrence June 8, 2012 at 10:45pm

      Does this mean you are willing to be seen in one while alive?

  • Candace "Zee" Zorowitz June 4, 2012 at 9:41am

    Great question. Made me ponder two issues, how far I would go to promote my book and the nature of reality shows.  As Jeff points out there are “junk food” shows that exploit for entertainment. Some psychologists believe these shows are actually affecting human behavior, so that public tantrums and bullying behavior is becoming more acceptable. I can’t imagine being a part of this.  

    Sandra notes there are shows that enlighten about new genres or perspectives. I think there is another category such as “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent”, that entertain and even inspire when underdogs triumph (think Susan Boyle). If they inspire or educate what’s the harm?

    So how about a reality show “Book Pitch Fest” where every week potential future authors compete to have their book published by a major publisher? Hard to imagine what the weekly tasks would be. Best query letter? Best Trailer? Team challenges? I don’t know if anyone would watch but I’d sign up to compete.

    • Sondra Sneed > Candace "Zee" Zorowitz June 4, 2012 at 3:39pm

      I was also thinking an agency would be a great place for real tv - certainly a lot of drama and emotion all over that.  But, oye, does it have to be a competition "I'm not here to make friends" kind of show? 

    • jeff herman > Sondra Sneed June 4, 2012 at 4:21pm

      Such a show would actually have to be greatly contrived.

    • Candace "Zee" Zorowitz > jeff herman June 5, 2012 at 10:36am

      Don't you think most of these shows are either very contrived or edited to shape the reality the producers want?

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