When my best friend from high school, Suzanne Brockmann, first became a published author, she was writing category romance for Harlequin and Love Swept. She wanted to move up and knew that the best way to do that was to create a series. Many books set in one world means a devoted and growing readership.
We brainstormed on how to create a series that was totally original. There had been series set in families and small towns. Suz wanted something that had never been done before and no idea would be dismissed without a proper hearing.
One day I was at the dentist’s office and read an old Newsweek magazine. That issue contained a story on Navy SEAL training. While this was long before SEALs were part of the zeitgeist, it was clear to me that these men were heroes, in amazing shape, and worked in teams that would allow Suz to write numerous interweaving stories. I called her immediately.
As this was before the internet as we know it, later that day she was sitting in the library, reading the article, and she knew that this was the answer. Now, several decades and millions of dollars later, Suzanne Brockmann is a multi-bestselling author who has won two RITAs (the highest award of distinction in romance fiction) and a lifetime achievement award from the Romance Writers of America.
I am happy to have had a small part in her success. Especially as she has used her platform to write about and support the LGBT community and people of color. But the work we did to build her career involved many book tours and events. Decades later, many of the stores we visited to sign books and meet readers have been shuttered. Walden Books and Borders no longer exist. Amazon and ebooks have completely changed the publishing landscape.
The major lesson here is simple. Technological advances can dramatically change the showbiz landscape. Creatives and their advisors must be flexible, ready to pivot and change strategies on a moment’s notice. And they must keep aware of the technological changes and their economic and legal impacts.
In future blog posts I’ll detail how each genre of showbiz has dealt with technological changes. Some have done so successfully. Some, not so much.