James Patterson claims white male writers face ‘another form of racism,’ can’t break into writing
“What does that mean? Can I get a job? Yes. Is it difficult? Yes,” Patterson, 75, told a British newspaper. “It’s even more difficult for older writers. I don’t see many white men aged 52.”
Today, Patterson is faced with backlash from critics and writers who say the author has blatantly ignored recent data showing how the publishing industry has become and is still going on.Business owned by a white man.. In a self-audit of diversity from Penguin Random HouseThe publisher found that about 75 percent of the contributors during that period were white. According to the audit, only 6% were black and 5% were Hispanic. The company also admitted that more than 74% of its employees are white.
2019 Survey from Children’s Publishers Lee and Loebox We found that 85% of the publishing staff who get and edit books are white.Report from 2020 New York Times Similar results were obtained across the US publishing industry, with 89% of books written in 2018 being written by white writers.
“James Patterson for Everyone”, best-selling author Roxane Gay Tweet.. “First of all, write your own book, companion.”
Patterson Use a ghostwriter To help him publish multiple titles a year.
Patterson’s representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment at the beginning of Tuesday.
With over 300 titles in his name, Patterson is one of the most prolific writers in the publishing world. He sold over 400 million copies of his book. New Yorker This week, he praised Patterson as “the best-selling author in the world.” His 260 New York Times bestsellers led Publishers Weekly and dubbed him as the best-selling author since 2005.
Forbes report In 2018, Patterson was worth an estimated net $ 800 million and tied him to golfer Tiger Woods.Patterson Estimated $ 70 million According to Forbes, 2019 alone is chasing only JK Rowling.
Hundreds of millions of people bought his book, but critics and writers ping Patterson about his writing style and the use of ghostwriters to help Patterson publish multiple titles a year. Sent.Patterson said Washington post In 2016, his simple and declarative style means “turn on the projector in our heads”.
“I removed fat from commercial novels,” he said at the time. “In so many novels, there are more than they should be.”
The rise of Patterson was partly due to the success of his “Alex Cross” series, in which a fictional black detective threatened his family and Washington. The series led to three films, with actor Morgan Freeman playing the cross in “Kiss the Girls” and “Along the Spider.”
When The Sunday Times observed the early successes of the series, including the black protagonist, Patterson pointed out that race did not play a problem in developing one of his most memorable characters.
“I just wanted to make a character that happened to be black,” Patterson said. “I wouldn’t have tried to write a serious story about a black family. It’s different in detective stories because the plot is so important.”
Patterson condemned the decision from his own publisher, Hachette Book Group, in addition to comments on white men in publishing. Famous director. Allen’s memoir “Apropos of Nothing” was finally featured by Arcade Publishing.
“I didn’t like it,” Patterson said Allen’s book was pulled. “He has the right to talk about himself.”
“I’m almost always on the side of free speech,” Patterson added.
But much of the attention from Patterson’s interview was in his claim that white men were having a hard time finding a publishing job. Gina Denny, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Publisher TouchPoint Press, I got it When USA Today reported on Patterson’s comments Only 9 authors There were non-white writers on the newspaper’s list of 150 bestsellers. Three of Patterson’s titles were on the list, and only five women in color and four men in color were on the bestseller list. According to Denny, the rest are made up of white men between the ages of 36 and 84, and some of the white men on the list have long died.
“Dead white men could statistically be on USA Today’s best-selling list as much as colored people,” Denny said. I have written..
Several black writers, including Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, author of “Why I Resist”, made an exception to Patterson’s comment.
“What a dull statement from James Patterson. It’s best to pick up a book and educate yourself about what racism is,” she says. I have written.. “Did he miss the good old days when white men had all the writing gigs?”
Frederick Joseph said 20 publishers rejected the best-selling “Patriarchy Blues” last month. Said The publisher said, “I didn’t expect people to buy a black book to discuss patriarchy.”
“James Patterson believes that white men face racism in publishing.” I have written Joseph wrote two best-selling books. “From a black man (now all bestsellers) who rejected the book more than 50 times because the white editor didn’t understand the book or” already has a black male author “… silently. “
Joseph Added“Supporting black writers.”
Meanwhile, Patterson continues to sell. His autobiography “James Patterson by James Patterson” debuted last week, and his bestseller “Run, Rose, Run” from March was recently featured by Sony Pictures. deadline..
