Comments on: Are you a writer who’d rather not perform? Just hire an actor—that’s what Canadian writer Russell Brooks did http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:28:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Steve Jordan http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/comment-page-1/#comment-1145837 Steve Jordan Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:46:14 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/28/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/#comment-1145837 Usually people know when performers are not performing their own work (does Clooney write his movies?). I don't consider it honest to pretend you created another person's work, but if it is prearranged with the creator, I guess the only thing you have to worry about is the possible backlash if your public finds out... Maybe the answer is to be up-front, and present people as the representatives, spokespeople, or "the person the author wishes he looked like." Sort of real-life Avatars to represent us in public! Usually people know when performers are not performing their own work (does Clooney write his movies?). I don’t consider it honest to pretend you created another person’s work, but if it is prearranged with the creator, I guess the only thing you have to worry about is the possible backlash if your public finds out…

Maybe the answer is to be up-front, and present people as the representatives, spokespeople, or “the person the author wishes he looked like.” Sort of real-life Avatars to represent us in public!

]]> By: Garson O'Toole http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/comment-page-1/#comment-1145789 Garson O'Toole Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:29:41 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/28/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/#comment-1145789 Stephen King used a false name, Richard Bachman, and issued a fake author photo for his 1984 novel ''Thinner." King was already famous, but he was trying to direct the stream of his prodigious production into multiple channels. Perhaps King feared a putdown such as the one directed at Beat writers whose output "isn't writing at all – it's typing" according to razor-tongued Truman Capote. More recently the author and New York Times food critic Frank Bruni "revealed the horrifying truth about the author photo for "Ambling into History" … it was digitally stretched out to lengthen his face and make him look less fat" <a HREF="http://gawker.com/5342687/frank-bruni-is-a-photoshopping-liar" rel="nofollow">according to Gawker</A>. Stephen King used a false name, Richard Bachman, and issued a fake author photo for his 1984 novel ”Thinner.” King was already famous, but he was trying to direct the stream of his prodigious production into multiple channels. Perhaps King feared a putdown such as the one directed at Beat writers whose output “isn’t writing at all – it’s typing” according to razor-tongued Truman Capote.

More recently the author and New York Times food critic Frank Bruni “revealed the horrifying truth about the author photo for “Ambling into History” … it was digitally stretched out to lengthen his face and make him look less fat” according to Gawker.

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/comment-page-1/#comment-1145787 David Rothman Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:50:28 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/28/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/#comment-1145787 What a hoot, Martin! Thanks for sharing that example. Oh, well, I can always use the multimedia angle to update the plot. And perhaps even try this in Real Life. Gotta go now and take a call on Line 2. Clooney's people turned me down, but maybe DiCaprio's agent will be more open minded. David What a hoot, Martin! Thanks for sharing that example. Oh, well, I can always use the multimedia angle to update the plot. And perhaps even try this in Real Life.

Gotta go now and take a call on Line 2. Clooney’s people turned me down, but maybe DiCaprio’s agent will be more open minded.

David

]]> By: Martin http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/comment-page-1/#comment-1145780 Martin Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:01:39 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/28/a-writer-who-hate-to-perform-just-hire-an-actor-and-thats-what-just-what-canadian-writer-russell-brooks-did/#comment-1145780 The hero of "The Good Thief's Guide to Paris" by Charlie Ewan doesn't go as far as hiring an actor, but he does use a catalogue model for his publicity photograph - which makes things quite tricky when his agent falls in love with him and travels to Paris to meet him... The hero of “The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris” by Charlie Ewan doesn’t go as far as hiring an actor, but he does use a catalogue model for his publicity photograph – which makes things quite tricky when his agent falls in love with him and travels to Paris to meet him…

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