Are Authors Our Truthers?

 

 

Writers, regardless of genre or even whether they pen fiction or non-fiction, poetry, or children’s books, seek out truth. They write with some driven sense of a truth that they seek to insert into their works. They then look to validate their truth and actively promote and defend that truth.

What is truth? Can you define it, even?

* Is it what most people accept something to be?
* Is it based on an accepted scientific method or verifiable measurement?
* Are there truths that can’t be registered or measured?
* Are truth and fact exactly alike? 

When authors write books, each one is trying to say something of interest, style, or substance, and make a statement or pronouncement. Writers may even have multiple perspectives to share, facts to state, and opinions to deliberate. Truth is in the eyes of the writer and how he or she chooses to express it. 

Every book tries to declare or reclaim a truth — or several of them. Writers love to make pronouncements, show us how life should or could be, bring things to light, correct injustices, and get the facts right. Indeed, authors, even with an erotic romance, epic thriller, or a children’s book adventure, seek to say something with veracity that will stay with the reader. 

Books attempt to be the authoritative voice on a topic, to take ownership of history, things, people, and places. Some writers use a paintbrush that brings color and depth to their subject matter, providing a unique perspective on multiple levels. Others make dumb conclusions or present the right conclusion using the wrong evidence and argument.  

Authors are not the same as a journalist reporting for a newspaper, magazine, or website. Nor are they the same as a blogger, podcaster, youtuber, or someone posting on X or Facebook. We expect more from books. They are an investment in time and cost. Writers, if they are to give us truth, have to have a high ethical bar, be of sound mind, and more concerned with facts than conjectures. 

The book market is flooded with millions of voices published each year. Which truth will you read and embrace? Which truth will you write?  

Authors can literally redefine our understanding of the world, give us a prediction of what is to come, and show us a vision of what could be. That is a heavy burden, one that society can’t afford to get wrong. 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, 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 over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it 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 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.