How much is too much?
CBC Arts writer Andre Mayer looks at the phenomenon of the ultra-prolific writer, with Alexander McCall Scott — he of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, among many other books — as the poster child. Mayer notes that while most publishing houses benefit from having book-a-year brand-name authors (usually in the mystery or thriller categories), there are also dangers in being too regular. Says McClelland & Stewart president and publisher Doug Pepper: “You don’t build up expectations and what-have-you if the author keeps coming out with book after book after book. Also, if you don’t leave enough time between books, it’s very hard to go back to the well for more press. The media will say, ‘We just did him.’”
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