WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO, KILL SOMEONE??

Because of the oh-so-common occurrence of bizarre news stories leading to some unknown person showing up on major TV shows and then landing a $$$ book deal, followed by a movie deal...sigh. . . the diligent, talented writers laboring within "the system" cry foul and scream, What do I have to do to get some attention around here, kill someone?  Go to rehab?

The majority of book-buying readers like Pop Culture stuff, news-of-the-day books, or the highly entertaining commercial fiction--evidenced by how they keep voting with their dollars. (We were fortunately spared the last OJ Simpson book once even Rupert Murdoch got embarrassed.) 

But there are still faithful book buyers for biographies, history, women's issues, health, and popular science (in the nonfiction arena), and the widely known literary fiction authors who have managed to establish themselves on the national bestseller lists.  If you are seeking a readership above the level of reality TV, you must take the time to investigate the specific demographics of this group of people:  which magazines  they read; which radio stations they listen to; where they buy most of their books; how they hear about the books they then buy; and how much the internet factors into their daily awareness of books.  When you know this, you know how to go after the readers who are most likely to become a loyal fan of your writing.  And you won't have to kill anyone.

If the more commercial, pop-culture reader is right up your alley, then you don't need to do anything as drastic as cultivating a serious drug addiction, having a complete nervous breakdown, or torching your neighbor's house--but you will have to compete with others who do.  Since they steal the headlines, you'll be left with offering the antidote (instead of "He's just not that into you" you'll have to come back with "Well, she's not that into you either!")  How far you go with any of this depends on the extent of your pathology or how shameless you can become.

The mass audience is just not going to get off their media-driven thinking, and publishers are going to continue put their money behind those authors who bring the most bang for the buck -- commonly referred to as THE PLATFORM of an author. 

WHAT IS YOUR PLATFORM?

Fast-food reading.  How much can we expect in the book department of people's lives?  Apparently most people would rather live vicariously through other people's lives, no matter how tedious or moronic they might be, instead of developing rich inner and outer lives of their own.

While you pursue your next book deal, may you enjoy living your own life.