Joe the Plumber book deal?

[Cresent City Kid]

I am one of those delusional Americans that think there's a book in me waiting to be written. My father was a prolific, if not successful author in the field of sociology. I wanted to continue his work with a focus on the economic disparity in this country from my viewpoint at the bottom of it. I planned to debunk the idea that being poor was primarily the result of bad personal choices. I was going to be honest about some of my choices, but I am still struggling with some of them. I didn't want to make them public until they were behind me. I still believe that where you start has the biggest effect on where you end up. I just thought it was more important to solve my problems than to write about them. So I put the book on hold.

After I rode out Katrina and its aftermath, I considered writing about that experience and tying it with my original premise. But if no one's concerned with Galveston now, who's going to care about my Katrina experience 3 years ago? I came to accept that I might not have chance to have a book published. More qualified authors than me have been turned down. I moved on. Enter Joe the Plumber.

This is a case of wrong guy, right place, right time. This is a guy who will likely just regurgitate GOP talking points, with help from a ghost writer. He has what I never had, a foot in the door. Regardless of how shallow his depth of knowledge is, he will get a book deal from name recognition alone. If only I had known the way to a book deal was to ambush a presidential candidate on camera! I might not have done it, but it would have been nice to have the option.

I am probably a better writer, and musician than Joe, but I can't compete with his fame. I will have to be content with being able to sleep at night, without hypocrisy. I wish him just enough success to move him into a higher tax bracket. Go get 'em Joe!

[CJCRANE]

1. From Plumber to Propagandist.

Seems like a good route to making that $250K he dreamed of.

[leeroysphitz]

2. Flash. Meet pan. n/t

[Cresent City Kid]

10. LOL

Can a reality show be far behind?

[SmokingJacket]

3. Listen, don't think about your audience.

Write the book that interests YOU -- don't shoot yourself down because you think no one will be interested. If **you** are interested and you can communicate your enthusiasm and interest in the subject, others will be interested.

There are lots of memoirs out there right now, and the market is still hot for them. For every book you see on the new book shelf at Borders, there's an editor out there looking for the next thing.

Joe the Plumber might get a book contract, but so what. He won't have written it; it'll just be an artifact from this crazy time in his life.

[Cresent City Kid]

7. Thanks for the encouragment

I've actually started, but I'm a harsh self-editor so I write in fits and starts. I'll take your advice and plough on.

[DemNoir]

4. Only in America

Can a guy who has never read a book get a deal to write one

[Ezlivin]

5. And he'll sell it to others who won't read it

The usual RW suspects will make bulk purchases of the book to drive up ratings, but in the end most of them will remain unopened and unread.

[Gwendolyn]

6. How about pitching a book idea along the lines of...

"How Joe the Plumber shattered my dreams"

It could be a comical foray into the effects of self-pity on one person's life, filled with self-deprecating, ironic anecdotes and the occasional poignant observation on how this negative emotion can completely cripple one's chances to experience even the smallest joy and success. Done right, I think you'd have a runaway success on your hands.

[Cresent City Kid]

8. That's an interesting angle

I don't think I'm exactly in the psychological place you describe, but a book called How the Hell did Joe the Plumber Get a Book Deal? could be a fun topic. I could still write about my shortcomings honestly, but they would look better in comparison. "Joe" and I are roughly close in age so I could take us both through time. I have ability, he has opportunity, yada yada yada.

You may have got me started in a better direction, whether you meant to, or were just yanking my chain. Either way, thanks.

[Gwendolyn]

11. I was brainstorming with you.

And trying to get you out of an obvious funk with some laughs and chides from a stranger. :)

There're lots of angles to work. But you know, ideas are the easy part. It's the actual writing that sucks so much. Good luck!

[Cresent City Kid]

16. I hear you

I'm not in as bad a funk as it appeared (see, my writing needs work).

I follow elections closely, and for once I'm enjoying the experience. This election has 4 things I've been missing: a lead in the polls; Sarah Palin; Joe the Plumber; and DU. So many easy targets... the jokes almost write themselves. This is holding up my book more than anything, but that's okay.

[Naturyl]

13. Looked like a swipe to me.

Could be wrong, but it sounded to me like you just got dismissed as self-pitying.

If so, don't take it too personally. I get similar responses when I discuss my own roadblocks. Somebody is bound to drag it out every time.

[Gwendolyn]

15. "Poor yous" never helped anyone looking to create an oeuvre.

[Naturyl]

17. And Judge Judy style "tough love" does?

Please.

The OP had a perfectly valid point. Dismissing him as "self-pitying" is not going to help the situation.

It's a fact that idiots like "Joe the Plumber" are likely to be offered completely undeserved book deals while the OP's prospects appear grim. I don't see how labeling this reality "self-pity" will do anything to motivate the OP.

To be honest, smearing people who point out problems or injustices that affect them personally as "self-pitying" is a classic right-wing strategy. I'm not calling you a right-winger, I'm just suggesting that your approach is probably far less productive than you imagine it is.

[Gwendolyn]

18. Well I'm glad that all those poets out there didn't let Paris Hilton stop them...

from pouring their hearts into their work just because she got a publishing deal. Last time I checked, book stores were overflowing with all different kinds of books, plenty of them worthwhile reads, not just odious celebrity schlock.

So what's productive, telling someone the world is a terrible place, that their chances are hopeless to nil, give up now, let's focus on being bitter instead? Funny, as I don't see that as a Dem "strategy" at all.

At least I offered an idea. ;)

[Naturyl]

20. That's not my "strategy."

Where you got that, I'll never know, but my "strategy" would simply be to acknowledge the legitimacy of the OP's complaint and offer some encouragement that doesn't involve insulting the OP.

Done with this, though. Best of luck with the psychological "bootstraps" mentality.

[Gwendolyn]

21. That's good. I do hope you work out your passive agressivity,

and epic projection of issues onto other people probs.

[Cresent City Kid]

25. Here's how I see it

The original post was a microcosm of the book, dumb luck and starting position trump talent when it comes to opportunity. That's not breaking news, I just felt like shining light on the topic.

The argument between you guys, Gwendolyn and Naturyl, seems to be over Gwendolyn's original reaction, which I didn't know what to make of when I read it. It did have the makings of a sarcastic shot at me, but I wasn't sure. After subsequent responses, I'm convinced there wasn't malicious intent. I appreciate Naturyl sticking up for me. I think this is just a misunderstanding inherent in this type of communication. If the 3 of us were in a room talking, it would be easier to figure out intent behind comments. There was a shot taken, but in fun which was hard to determine from words on a monitor.

Can we get back to making fun of Joe the Plumber now?

[Gwendolyn]

28. Absolutely, might as well get it in now, since he's only got a few days of fame left.

CCK I did think you were feeling sorry for yourself, or dejected at least, and can empathize with that feeling as I sit here working on my own oeuvre. As I read your OP I thought of an idea, and what I posted is exactly how I would write the story.

(Poke a little fun at myself, do some research with regards to privilege versus hard work success rates, how attitude factors in, perhaps touch on why people feel compelled to write, blah blah. That's the title I would've pitched too.)

Around here, when someone's feeling blech, you whip an elastic band at their head and try to help in some way. As I said, I'm a stranger, but if what I posted gave you some smidgen of an idea, even if it's on the other end of the spectrum, that's cool. Karmatically speaking, it all works out.

But yes, onto Joe the Auteur... and all the homage he deserves. :)

[Naturyl]

30. Mmm-hmm.

Thanks for the well-wishes. I hope you work out your epic condescension.

[cliffordu]

9. Coloring book???

[Cresent City Kid]

12. How about "Monopoly the Joe the Plumber version"?

Community Chest has a "get out of tax free" card.

[chollybocker]

14. JK Rowling is trembling in her boots.

[csziggy]

19. OMG! I just had a flash of Joe the Plumber in a music video

With lyrics set to the tune of "On the cover of the Rolling Stone"! I think I might :puke:

Maybe Weird Al Yankovic could revisit it with a parody.

[Cresent City Kid]

26. Wait a minute

I'll take a crack at it and get back to you.

[Earth_First]

22. "Everybody Poops: The Joe Wurzelbacher story" n/t

[KharmaTrain]

23. You Assume Joe Can Read

There's a reason he's a plumber's helper...a typical knuckledragger with a 5th grade education at best.

Gotta hand it to the dude, he's making the very most of his 15 minutes as possible...he knows his shelf-life ends on Tuesday.

Now what do you call a person who would pay to read a book about this loser? Mom would be one...or loser for another.

I've done a lot of writing over the years and have always learned that its the stuff you do you don't expect to do well that does. You may think you have the next Great American Novel in ya, but, as you say, most of us do...but it's the smaller stuff that always gets the most interest. Writing for pay is not all its cracked up to be...especially if you have a tight deadline and you've hit a writers bloc...but I don't see that being a problem for Joe...this book will feature lots of pictures to color.

Cheers..

[bklyncowgirl]

24. Good, he makes the big bucks from this he WILL get a tax hike under Obama

Something he'd never rate working as an unlicensed plumber. See there is justice after all.

[Javaman]

27. which will include such riviting chapters as: "how to thread a1/2 pipe". nt

[Last Stand]

29. Correction: Joe will be READING his first book, not writing it. nt

[Contrary1]

31. Maybe it will be displayed in Chucklenuts' liebury. n/t

[last1standing]

32. That's like giving a record contract to Harpo Marx.

n/t