Woke Authors Getting Massive Advances For Books That Don’t Sell
A new report details that woke editors and publishers are getting sucked into giving out huge advances to left wing authors for books that don't sell.
What's that old saying about going woke and going broke?
The Free Press reported on the publishing industry's massive mistakes in recent years, and how company's often rush to buy progressive books that almost immediately flop. And why. And as an author of two books myself, it's abundantly clear that these decisions are being made to prop up a predetermined political ideology instead of making sound financial choices.
One of the most prominent examples of failed left wing books is "Pageboy," a memoir from actor Elliot Page about transitioning from Ellen Page. Page received a $3 million advance, but sold just 68,000 copies, despite massive promotion, media puff pieces and a celebrity figure with a substantial following.
Another example is "Dear Miss Metropolitan," a book about three "black and biracial" girls, which garnered a $250,000+ advance, only to sell 3,163 copies since it was released over two years ago. Claudia Cravens' book, "Lucky Red," received a $500,000 advance and sold just 3,500 copies despite being a "queer feminist Western."
Why are there bidding wars over unsuccessful woke books? Because of institutional racism and progressive political obsession within the book publishing community.
The Free Press quoted an unnamed senior editor saying, "We flat-out decided we weren't going to look at certain white male authors, because we didn't want to be seen as acquiring that stuff."
Ironically, that type of discrimination against white men doesn't seem to apply to Elliot Page.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - SEPTEMBER 10: Elliot Page attends the "Close to You" premiere during the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival at Royal Alexandra Theatre on September 10, 2023. (Photo by Brian de Rivera Simon/Getty Images)
Editors Would Rather Books Lose Money Than Have The Wrong Politics
The trend of books with progressive point of views failing isn't that different from what woke entertainment companies like Disney have done in recent years. Spending millions of dollars on projects with no chance of success in order to appease the political views of their employees and other industry figures.
“It just so happens that, in this case, the new generation is a generation of ideological fanatics,” said Adam Bellow, an employee at right leaning Post Hill Press.
Despite having a substantial social media following and a book, "Unmasked," completed on a timely, important topic, there were no large advances available. Even though my book more than doubled the sales of some of the "woke" books that editors rushed to pay for.
But in order to avoid being seen as purchasing conservative content, editors and book publishers have decided to sacrifice financial success. Prioritizing elevating "marginalized" voices like Jemele Hill; another beneficiary of a massive advance for a failed book.
It's remarkable that in tough economic times, where corporations are laying people off left and right, that some of the biggest in the book industry are willing to risk massive advances just to be seen as supporting the "right" type of progressive causes. They were already woke, and if they keep making these same mistakes, it's going to push them closer and closer to broke.