James Patterson: Success Story

HConn · Jan 21, 2010

Whatever you think of his writing, this profile in the NYTimes shows the methodical way he broke through conventional thinking and became a multi-millionaire. I'm only part-way through it so far.

Also, it's writer-porn.

Libbie · Jan 21, 2010

Yeah, the dude has got no mercy. I'll give him that.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 21, 2010

Ah. That's my dream for sure.

justAnotherWriter · Jan 21, 2010

Greed + mediocre talent + business acumen + more greed = James Patterson

Aggy B. · Jan 21, 2010

HConn said:
Also, it's writer-porn.

Yeah.

Matching Mercedes. 20,000 square foot mansion. Beach front.

I have to admit, if I knew a way to get all that, even if it meant writing crappy books (or having other people write crappy books and then put my name on them) I would be very tempted. I think we all would. Which is probably why we hate Patterson so much.

:Shrug:

PoppysInARow · Jan 21, 2010

justAnotherWriter said:
Greed + mediocre talent + business acumen + more greed = James Patterson

I couldn't agree more.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 21, 2010

justAnotherWriter said:
Greed + mediocre talent + business acumen + more greed = James Patterson

Greed. Yeah. OK. How dare he want to make money.

KTC · Jan 21, 2010

Shadow_Ferret said:
Greed. Yeah. OK. How dare he want to make money.

contrary to popular belief...money really isn't everything.

James Patterson = the only 'author' (and I use that term loosely) on my boycotted author list. he'll never get a cent from me.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 21, 2010

KTC said:
contrary to popular belief...money really isn't everything.

Tell that to someone who isn't unemployed and struggling to get by.

quickWit · Jan 21, 2010

KTC said:
contrary to popular belief...money really isn't everything.

is too.

Aggy B. · Jan 21, 2010

Money may not be everything, but the fact is there is nothing wrong with wanting to make money.

Hell, I want to make money. I would like to be able to do so without compromising my writing, but I deserve to make a decent living. (Every one does.)

It sucks that the really talented people aren't usually the ones making assloads of cash. But the fact is you have to sell the book. If you know how to sell a (crappy) book better than someone else knows how to sell a (brilliant) book then you will make more money. Because being a (published) writer is about more than just writing.

Fredster · Jan 21, 2010

I read a few of the Alex Cross novels in the 90's, and his first book featuring winged children. I liked them all, but ended up stopping because I didn't care so much for the Cross character after 3 or 4 books.

It has recently been pointed out to me that the book I'm writing now is similar to the Cross books in that the main character's scenes are in first person, and all the others are in third. Maybe that means someone will be interested.

KTC · Jan 21, 2010

quickWit said:
is too.

all kidding aside, i'm a firm believer in the house of NO IT ISN'T.

i guess you'd have to ask me how i felt if i didn't have it, though. i do know i wouldn't do certain things for money. i can happily turn it down in some cases.

HighDesertBrat · Jan 21, 2010

KTC said:
contrary to popular belief...money really isn't everything.

True, but no money is something -- a great, stinking pile of male bovine excrement. Not to put too fine a point on it.

justAnotherWriter · Jan 21, 2010

Shadow_Ferret said:
Greed. Yeah. OK. How dare he want to make money.

No, there's wanting to make money, and then there's greed. James Patterson is the greediest writer I've ever heard of. He doesn't just want to pursue his passion and make a ton of cash along the way like Steven King does, no, that's not good enough for him. He wants to squeeze every last cent out of everyone who ever even thought of buying a book.

To him writing is an assembly line process, the ultimate goal of which is cash money, not expressing himself, telling his story or making people happy.

I want to make money writing. I think we all do. And I wouldn't mind making a LOT of money writing, but I sure as hell wouldn't sit in board rooms designing ad campaigns and wondering how I can come up with 9 ridiculous plots a year that will entertain the mindless masses and get me a trophy wife and an 18 million dollar "cottage".

James Patterson is not a writer. He is a fiction manufacturing executive.

quickWit · Jan 21, 2010

KTC said:
all kidding aside, i'm a firm believer in the house of NO IT ISN'T.

i guess you'd have to ask me how i felt if i didn't have it, though. i do know i wouldn't do certain things for money. i can happily turn it down in some cases.

Yes, of course. The things that really matter have nothing at all to do with money.

Nice to have, though.

KTC · Jan 21, 2010

HighDesertBrat said:
True, but no money is something -- a great, stinking pile of male bovine excrement. Not to put too fine a point on it.

no you have me curious. is male bovine excrement worse than female bovine excrement?

HighDesertBrat · Jan 21, 2010

Well, male bovine excrement is bullshit and female bovine excrement is cowshit.
It all smells the same, though.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 21, 2010

justAnotherWriter said:
To him writing is an assembly line process, the ultimate goal of which is cash money, not expressing himself, telling his story or making people happy.

If people are buying his books in droves, RETURN readers, he's obviously making them happy. He's producing a product they repeatedly come back for.

That's the ultimate goal: To satisfy readers. And he's successfully doing that.

justAnotherWriter · Jan 21, 2010

Shadow_Ferret said:
If people are buying his books in droves, RETURN readers, he's obviously making them happy. He's producing a product they repeatedly come back for.

That's the ultimate goal: To satisfy readers. And he's successfully doing that.

Yes, this is true, his methods and motives aside, he is doing this quite well. And that's the sad part, not because of what it says about him, but because of what it says about us.

At least the global, collective us. I proudly count myself among those who have tried to read his books, shook their heads and added some more paper to the various landfills around the globe.

DWSTXS · Jan 21, 2010

justAnotherWriter said:
No, there's wanting to make money, and then there's greed. James Patterson is the greediest writer I've ever heard of. He doesn't just want to pursue his passion and make a ton of cash along the way like Steven King does, no, that's not good enough for him. He wants to squeeze every last cent out of everyone who ever even thought of buying a book.

To him writing is an assembly line process, the ultimate goal of which is cash money, not expressing himself, telling his story or making people happy.

I want to make money writing. I think we all do. And I wouldn't mind making a LOT of money writing, but I sure as hell wouldn't sit in board rooms designing ad campaigns and wondering how I can come up with 9 ridiculous plots a year that will entertain the mindless masses and get me a trophy wife and an 18 million dollar "cottage".

James Patterson is not a writer. He is a fiction manufacturing executive.

I agree with this.

I'm all for success.

I'm all for making my readers happy.

still though, after reading that article about him, I just feel like he's sort of. . .sleazy.

ETA: I'm not jealous of his success. I remember reading teh first one or two of his books. Now they just seem so bland.
I do NOT feel this way about Stephen King and I do not like all of his books either. Same thing with Grisham. I just get the feeling that if I met Patterson, I would feel creeped out. Like I said, he just comes off as sleazy.

seun · Jan 21, 2010

Readers know what they want.
In this case, it seems they want a book written by someone they've never heard of with Patterson's name on the front.

It's a dark and mysterious world.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 21, 2010

It says we like to read.

djf881 · Jan 21, 2010

Shadow_Ferret said:
If people are buying his books in droves, RETURN readers, he's obviously making them happy. He's producing a product they repeatedly come back for.

That's the ultimate goal: To satisfy readers. And he's successfully doing that.

That's because they're stupid.

Fredster · Jan 21, 2010

This resonated with me:

James Patterson said:
f you’re writing ‘Crime and Punishment’ or ‘Remembrance of Things Past,’ then you can sit back and go: ‘This is it, this is the book. This is high art. I’m the man, you’re not. The end.’ But I’m not the man, and this is not high art.

Give me a fun book over high art any day.

James Patterson: Success Story

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