An Interview With Pop Culture Author Ben Widdicombe

 

1.     What really inspired you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying it into a book? I had been living in New York City for twenty years and observing, for my job, a very specific slice of the population—the rich and famous. Superficially, they can be a shallow bunch. But I also felt that I was seeing particular cultural currents that were having serious ramifications for the world at large, like for example the election of a reality television star to the presidency. So, I was inspired to write a book about how the trashier elements of the culture, which many people dismiss, connect to the bigger picture.

2.     What is it about and whom do you believe is your targeted reader? Although the book makes some serious points about popular culture, it was also written to be entertaining, and it is a swift, hopefully amusing read. I think it will appeal to smart people for whom the occasional supermarket tabloid might be a guilty pleasure.

3.     What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with them long after putting it down? Gossip culture is popular culture is mainstream culture, and in a democracy, mainstream culture determines political outcomes. It is easy to hold our noses about celebrity nonsense, but it is deeply ingrained in American culture, and we ignore the trashy stuff at our peril.

4.     What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers? Almost every writer oscillates between thinking their own work is maybe okay, but then on another day losing faith and thinking it’s all terrible. You have to learn to work through the regular crises of confidence.

5.     What trends in the book world do you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? Unfortunately, it is becoming much harder to make a living by the written word, either through journalism or book publishing. There will always be the spectacular successes, but I think writing will increasingly become people’s passion project rather than their profession.

6.     What challenges did you overcome to write your book? I took most of a year off to write the book and relied on savings. It was stimulating and a nice break from the 9-to-5 world, but a bit hard on the finances.

7.     If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours? I hope people will find my book a respite from some of the more serious problems facing the world this year. It is intended to put a smile on the reader’s face.

About The Author: Ben Widdicombe has lived in New York City since emigrating from his native Australia in 1998. He was written social and celebrity columns for the New York Times and Daily News, and is currently the editor-in-chief of Avenue magazine, a 45-year-old lifestyle magazine based on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. For more information: https://twitter.com/benwiddicombe?lang=en

 

Please Contact Brian For Marketing Help Now

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.