$1.5 million advance for Assange's biography

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/12/28/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-to-write-his-autobiography-f/?icid=maing%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec2_lnk2%7C33551

What crap. I hope everyone boycotts this book and anything else that Knopf publishes. I sure will.

LC,

I am with you 1000%

What about the hundreds of millions that will be spent on fireworks New Year's Eve?

N/A

What the hell do fireworks or tree logging have to do with this POS Assange getting a million and a half for his biography?

N/A

No, just clarify.

Maybe Bradley Manning will be the next book celeb!

Anyone who has the talent for writing and feels badly for not having a best seller should take note of what makes for a great seller - a name.

Therefore, if fame and fortune is the goal, forget the great novel. Instead look for the notorious activity that will create name recognition. Then, it doesn't matter what is written, the publishers will line up. Here are a few suggestions: mistress to Senators and Congressmen, preferably presidents; high end criminal activity; extremely dangerous activity; marry a celebrity or billionaire; marry someone in the mafia; commit treason or acts similar thereto; become incarcerated in a foreign country - there are certainly more for this list that someone else may recommend.

I forgot to add, publishers do not look for the great novel; they look for the great seller.

I understand all that. I am objecting to the concept of rewarding criminals for their criminal behavior. Which is what this amounts to.

Rewarding criminals for criminal behavior happens often. The criminal may go to jail and while there, he receives offers for a book worth millions. He doesn't write the book, as DK mentioned. I don't think many people would believe that GWB wrote his own book.
With a name that sells, the publisher will find a willing writer to coherently write the words.
To become famous, either do something extraordinarily good, or bad. Best selling newspapers, magazines or books are seldom about something good. People want to hear about dirt. The dirtier the person is or is perceived to be, the greater the sales.

You want to be famous? Steal something big, Get sexually involved with a public figure, or even resort to kiling. Killing the bad guys is not as salesworthy as killing the good guys. Acts or even thoughts of vegeance can be book-worthy.

Many writers try to avoid controversal subjects. Those subjects are often the ones that are attractive to the reading public, and therefore publishers.

We know who we are by the people we associate with and often by what we read about.

The above opinions are my own.

Abe I'm still waiting for the fireworks from my first kiss.

"Whom god wants to destroy, he first drives insane". I read that somewhere.

I've seen a lot of authors and artists craving for fame... who have been driven insane. Some often also commit suicide.

The internet is not a very good place to be in constantly. Use it sparingly, is my motto

Ahad,

LC wrote:

What the hell do fireworks or tree logging have to do with this POS Assange getting a million and a half for his biography?

My point was that we will throw money away on fireworks, and think nothing of it, but feel cheated if it is spent on something else we don't believe in. Those who buy the book may be looking for entertainment, and if they get it, they got their money's worth. If they light a firecracker and get enjoyment out of that, they got their money's worth.

I'm not sure about the tree logging thing. I know that trees need to be cut to produce books. Killing the forests is making money for someone whether it be in the Amazon or in the Rockies. Creating jobs is not always a good thing.