We’d like to take a moment to call your attention to the Tumblr of Knopf publicity director Paul Bogaards, where he has published a conceptual power list (A man after our own hearts!) delineating the hierarchy of book publishing in 2012.
The abridged top five:
- Brand name authors (e.g. Steven King)
- Proven self-publishers (e.g. J.A. Konrath)
- Amy Einhorn’s hair
- Authors who have been to Heaven, met God (e.g. Todd Burpo, Tim Tebow)
- Fantasy writer George R. R. Martin
The list goes all the way to 100, shouting out all the book reviewers, a couple of book fairs, BookScan, summer Fridays and lots of people’s hair along the way.
Read it to find out where you/your boss rank, and if he would nail you. Or simply to bear witness to the birth of an Internet meme (fingers crossed): Binky Urban fan fic. (See #80.)
In Mr. Bogaard’s opinion, publicists come in at #98, but for this we think he’s #1.
