For this one I have to take #'s 2 and 4 below together. First of all I have to thank the reviewer for feeling this way, especially since he is a man. BUT. While I understand that having cred in an area would make people more likely to read a non-fiction book on a subject, I cannot agree that a person's credentials work the same way with a work of fiction.
Yes, I have been a "Broadway Baby" all my life in terms of going to shows and keeping up with the reviews, the gossip and even taking college level courses in theater. But I am not, nor have I ever been in the theater so I really have no credentials in terms of having actually acted, tried to act or even being married to an actor. All my experience is second hand. So what am I supposed to say in a bio that would make people buy this book? "Chris has been a theater voyeur her whole life." I do think "a student of the theater her whole life" might work but I'm still not sure that that gives me cred enough to sell a book.
Who do you know connected with theater who could give you a back-cover blurb about how authentic you sound? (maybe someone from your school days?)
ReplyDeleteYou sounded totally believable to me, but I am a Broadway nobody.
Chura
This blog got me wondering about authors who write fantasy or other topics they can't be "expert" at. I looked up Tamora Pierce on amazon.com-- she's a fantasy/action YA writer--to see what her author creds are. Here's an excerpt:
ReplyDelete"A self-proclaimed 'geek,' she devoured fantasy and science fiction novels, and by the age of 12 was mimicking her literary idols and writing her own action-packed stories. It was thanks to her father that Tamora began writing. 'He heard me telling myself stories as I did dishes, and he suggested that I try to write some of them down,' Pierce says."
I think this is a nice example of one way you could go-- in this case, the interest BECOMES the credential. I know you think that's not enough, but I think it works.
Just a thought :)