All of Hubara is worried about the narrowing of literature if you can become a writer with the help of the general public. The Otava publishing house says that the number of followers is important when considering the publication of influencers’ books.
Do social media influencers become authors too easily? During the last week, the discussion about the publishing contracts of social media celebrities has been lively. Social influencers already have a large audience, to whom it is easy to market the book, which is why many have suspected that publishing houses take influencers into their ranks with too quick literary arguments.
One example of the phenomenon has been considered the writer’s school of the publishing house WSOY, where social media influencers have been selected. Helsingin Sanomat wrote last week about the writing school, which is free for its participants.
– From my point of view, it narrows literature that writers are chosen based on the existing audience instead of looking for skilled writers and stories.
According to Hubara, literature is increasingly subjected to market logic and it is not thought that it has an independent value as an art form.
He says that he hasn’t missed books written by influential people.
– The posts and advertisements of influencers are not terribly well written or terribly inventive, and at least I personally don’t get the feeling that even if he is a skilled writer, he would write a book.
However, Hubara does not think that a writer should have studied writing. He himself started out as a journalist and writer without formal qualifications in the fields – although he has studied English philology and communication as a minor and is about to start his doctoral studies in general literature.
Hubara also says that he got his first publishing contract thanks to the work done on social media. She had a blog called Brown Girls which had a lot of followers and visibility. Since then, Brown Girls has grown into a whole media.
– Of course, the publishing house has also seen that it has commercial potential, in addition to the fact that they wanted to give a platform to the things I wanted to deal with.
Many influencers are not mega-celebrities
The book started when the Nemo publishing house in Otava contacted Nurmisto and asked if he would like to write a book on the subject. Nurmisto says that in the eyes of some, it may seem that he got the publishing contract from the passing lane. However, he does not agree – he had been writing the This village’s homopoika blog since 2010.
– I had many years of experience and visibility because I had written and spoken on this topic.
He points out that the passing lane debate has been going on for years with athletes, musicians and people in the entertainment industry.
– Maybe it is relevant in a different way. If a person has never written a word anywhere and then writes a book.
Nurmisto is disturbed by the idea that there is no good to be seen in the discussion about influential people’s books: let’s start from the fact that all influential people write really badly and the writers’ school produces finished books that are all miserable.
According to Nurmisto, the good sides of books written by influencers are the same as other books. The books give the reader peer support and expertise.
– That influencer doesn’t necessarily add value to literature either, but it’s clear that if someone has been writing publicly for fifteen years, during that time he has gathered an audience for whom his writings and thoughts resonate.
Nurmisto also points out that when discussing the books of influential people, the focus has turned to the masses instead of individuals. He emphasizes that many influencers are not \”mega-celebrities who receive hundreds of thousands of euros\”.
Hubara agrees that influencers’ books are a diverse group.
– Not everyone makes everything from the same mold, all those books are not the same, says Hubara.
Hubara mentions, for example, Satu Rämö, who is a social media influencer and blogger. Rämö’s detective _Hildur_ (2022) was the best-selling book in June-July.
A ready-made audience can be helpful
The book may also start along other routes. According to Miettinen, the publisher’s job includes searching for suitable books.
– We’re always trying to figure out where to find a good next book. Whether it was a non-fiction book, a fiction book, a children’s book or a book for young adults. It has certainly happened that someone has noticed that there is an interesting and good author and that there is a good topic.
From the point of view of the publishing house, isn’t it attractive that influencers already have large audiences to whom the book can be easily marketed? According to Miettinen, it is case-specific.
– Sometimes it is a really big help, whether you are a social media influencer or otherwise have a strong presence on social media or other media.
Miettinen says that there is no harm in having a ready-made brand or audience, but it is also not necessary. The task of the marketing and communication team is to gain visibility for the book.
According to Miettinen, the number of books written by influencers has increased, because there is also more influence on social media these days.
Miettinen says that WSOY’s writer’s school was part of the idea of cooperation.
– For years, we have worked with certain influencers to create cooperation patterns for the increased visibility of books and have gotten to know these people well.
He doesn’t know if there will be manuscripts from the writing school. If they do, the publishers will evaluate them with the same quality criteria as other manuscripts.
The criticism received by the writer’s school has surprised Miettinen. He says that he followed the discussion on the subject. Many are worried about the future of literature, but Miettinen sees no reason to worry.
– In my opinion, worrying about the decline of literature is completely unnecessary. In Finland, incredibly fine and high-quality literature is published and published, even though the language area is small.
\”Influencer books have their own legalities\”
Books by influencers also have a role in children’s and youth literature: to inspire children and young people to pick up a book. Toiskallio says that influencers reach children and young people better than traditional media.
He believes that the gate theory can work from reading to inspiration. When you find the world of books, you can find anything.
– If only something in the world of children and young people would make them think that a book is more than a compulsory thing related to school work.
Toiskallio says that influencers get to publish books \”certainly a bit easier\” than ordinary people, but not everything that is offered is published. While the number of books written by influencers has increased, the screen has also tightened.
– The supply is large and every time we carefully consider whether the criteria we want are met. All of us who work with children’s and young people’s books have such a mission that we either want to attract people to books or reading, inspire, share information or inspire.
Toiskallio says that books by influencers and other books for children and young people are also partly selected with different criteria.
– Influencer books have their own legalities. Of course, we will see how many followers there are, for example. After all, there are very different levels of influencers.
According to Toiskallio, the already wide audiences of influencers also help in book sales.
– Of course it helps. It is attention that may have previously been obtained through extensive advertising. Influencers already have their own audience and have a direct connection with fans.
_What thoughts did the story evoke? You can discuss the matter until 23:00 on August 26._