Athlete Authors
You may have already noticed this, but it dawned on me today — again — that the best way to become a famous author is to become famous at something else first.
For instance, sports.
Venus Williams, the tennis star, has a book on The New York Times bestseller list.
What she has to offer in tennis, I’m well aware. What she has to offer as an author, I’m not so sure.
The book, called “Come to Win,” includes tips from all kinds of other high achievers on how to, well, achieve. As if that’s never been done.
Doesn’t seem to matter.
Note to aspiring authors: Nowadays, it’s not enough to write a good book. You usually have to be famous BEFORE you write the book. Hence, we have Henry Winkler, Madonna and Maria Shriver writing children’s books. And we have Pete Carroll penning books like “Win Forever,” No. 7 on the bestseller list. And we have Glenn Beck and Jimmy Buffett writing thrillers.
Dave Ramsey and Jillian Michaels are also on the bestseller list, but at least they’re sticking to their areas of expertise.
Other famous-for-other-things authors: Ally Sheedy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Billy Crystal, Jimmy Buffett, Jay Leno, John Travolta, Katie Couric, Paulina Porizkova and Steve Martin.
I won’t even start on all the athletes who dabble in acting.
All this tells me is if I really want to make The New York Times bestseller list, I might want to first go to acting school.
If I can just become a movie or pop star, a bestseller is sure to follow.