Monday, July 22, 2013

The New "Who is John Galt?" Eponymously Anonymous J.K. Rowling

© Debra Hurford Brown
"Who is John Galt?" was the cryptic question written on walls in Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged.

Galt in Rand's novel is a creative and highly independent individual who becomes the ideological center of the novel's theme of self-sufficiency and freedom. Throughout the novel the question is asked, building to the climax of the novel.

Perhaps J.K. Rowling's name will come to represent that for independent publishers. With her publishing of The Cuckoo's Calling under a pseudonym and subsequent "outing," her novel has shot from relative obscurity to super-fame. Has Rowling betrayed women? Is Rowling's experience in any way instructional for the struggling and obscure writer? Was the project a marketing ploy or really an attempt by Rowling for a brief time of liberating obscurity?

Writers' website and blog Indies Unlimited posted a wryly humorous and timely article entitled "Chris James: I admit J.K. Rowling wrote my books." Later in the article is the revelation that Stephen King has fessed up that he actually is J.K. Rowling. So , let's see . . . that means that actually Stephen King wrote Chris James' books!

This should be the clarion call for all independent, self-publishing authors. We are undiscovered J.K. Rowlings. We are all graduates of Hogwarts and are never muggles. We all have a lightning scar/tattoo. Agent Tom Riddle just turned down our manuscript. We write our interrogatory manifesto on subway walls.

"J.K. Rowling wrote my books."
"I am J.K. Rowling."

Here are some suggestions to pump ourselves up with ink rather than accidie.
  • All "About" pages on our webs should include one of the above two quotations. Oh, WTF, use both!
  • Dedications for our books should be to J.K., including one of the above quotations.
  • Book signings should mention one of the above.
  • We should add J.K. to our business checking accounts (any maybe she will add us to hers).
  • Photoshopping J.K. and us together should be a no-brainer for marketing.
  • "Like" J.K.'s Facebook page (I just did) and post on her wall regularly.
  • Name-drop J.K. Rowling regularly in your blog posts to increase the hits your page gets.
  • But, by all means, persevere as she did, wish for support of nature, and accept your success with as much grace and dignity as she.
We are all of one family, and finally we have discovered that family's common name--Rowling. Maybe my next novel will be Rowling Shrugged.

Copyright 2013 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved



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