Madonna writes books? wow look at this...

[Stop_the_War]

[Cleita]

1. Betcha she uses a ghost writer, like many celebrities do

who publish books. They just give the writer their ideas and the writer does the rest. You can't say she did the artwork too?

On edit: I'm told it's a good way for unknown authors to accumulate a resume as well.

[amazona]

4. no it isn't a good way to accumulate a resume at all

Unless you want to stay unknown forever. I can get absolutely NO career mileage or credit for the book I ghostwrote.

The only way for unknown and new writers to get ahead is to be able to put their own names out there.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[Cleita]

7. I'm sorry. I hope that at least you got paid.

One of my writing teachers said it was, but she didn't say whether she had ever done it.

[amazona]

11. yes I did get paid

Got paid in advance, in fact, only reason I did it.

I am very leery of writing teachers unless they have actual paid publication, not small "literary" publication or the like. Not saying this is the case with your teacher but it happens.

Another one I've heard is that people should write for free to get "clips." Uh, no, they shouldn't. Editors and publishers do not consider writing for unpaid publication proof that you can write professionally, and some smaller publications take it as a sign that you should write unpaid for them as well. One of my friends fell into this trap and was unable to sell any writing for two decades although he had a huge stack of "clips."

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[tjdee]

2. She also has a children's clothing line.

Being a mother is the best thing that ever happened to her.

The English Roses was her first book, and apparently it was a story she told Lourdes??

I didn't realize she did more books though. Wonder if they're any good.

[amazona]

3. celebs don't write "their" books

The more people buy fake books, the less room on publisher's lists for new writers to be able to break in and have a chance.

Please don't buy any books written "by" celebrities if you care about literature.

Thank you!

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[jdj]

5. she was one of MTV's chief envoys in the assault on

fine arts, and now she's an author?

I love what she did for female sexualty, and I'm sure her aims are good, but I have to agree.

[Swamp Rat]

6. !

:thumbsup:

[Greybnk48]

8. I don't know if they are any good or not

But I recall she was attacked for writing them because they are based on her belief in Jewish Mysticism/Kaballa (sp?) Also spelled with a C.

[rucky]

9. Every celeb and their grandma thinks they can write a children's book:

Billy Crystal
Jamie Lee Curtis

What they don't know is that it is a highly skilled endeavor. The professionals take about a year to write & illustrate one.

I bet they don't even know what reading level they're writing for.

[orpupilofnature57]

10. Thats going a little far, all three are college grads not to mention..

All three are probably the most literate people on the planet.

[bmovies]

12. It's this damned celebrity culture we live in

All well known Hollywood celebrities are being hired not for their actual abilities, but on the strength of their name recognition.

Book publisher: "Hey, I know! Let's hire Madonna to write up some childrens books!"
Assistant: "But what if she cant write worth a damn?"
Publisher: "Not to worry! We'll hire a ghostwriter to write the damn thing and slap Madonnas name on it! It'll sell millions!"

Remember the good old days when full length cartoon movies were voiced over by complete unknowns? They were hired because their voices actually fit the character. Now it's all about hiring NAMES in order to help them sell the cartoon.

Same with Broadway. Now they're going through the process of hiring NAMES to star in plays and musicals. Oh, Broadway has always casted a NAME before, but it is happening alot more now.

It's getting very tiring.

[amazona]

13. it *is* tiring and it takes away opportunities for others

Fame has become a black hole -- a gravity well that takes all the dollars and chance for accomplishment and drags it over to just a chosen few.

The more it's about "names" the less opportunity there is for specialists who can do the job and do it better.

Publisher's slots have only so many rooms for books on their list. If all the list is celebrity crap, then there will be no opportunity that season for a real person to create something real and creative rather than just cranking out according to formula.

At least with perfume, even the most benighted person probably (I hope!) realizes that Britney Spears and J. Lo. didn't really mix up the perfume themselves or even have the "idea" for it. And no more did Madonna tell these stories to her child before the ghostwriter dreamed them up.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72