Breaking News and the Author

Authors are as human as everyone else. We are passionate about our stories, our livelihoods, and about the world around us. Yet, as a public figure, we have to be very careful how we respond to current events.
This has never been so evident as it has after latest school shooting. Sides have been chosen and if you aren’t firmly with the side claiming to be out for the safety of the children, you are the enemy. Unfortunately, those claiming to be for the safety of the children are using tactics certain to inflame those who chose to remain silent, or at least are avoiding involvement with the most recent spate of “bash the administration for their lack of action.”
Authors are looking at this time as a defining moment, where they can cash in on the popularity of these teens making demands that be done now! It is very tempting to create a story of these teenagers demanding action for a situation that is becoming all too familiar. There is also a drawback to working this piece of breaking news into a story.
Stories like this are often here today and gone tomorrow. Once there is another situation, not necessarily the same as the one garnering so much attention right now, the focus of the world will switch to the new problem. Reporters will no longer flock to the students from a southern state to get their opinions on what needs to be done to resolve their problem. With twenty-four a day news coverage and stations having the ability to break into programing, stories like this no longer have the long life they once did.
What this means for the author planning to write a story about the students marching and shouting for attention is that by the time they write their book, have it edited and proofread, vetted and possibly by a publisher—I say possibly because most publisher tend to shy away from hot topics—and that book goes through the whole pre-publication process, the breaking news won’t even be getting mentioned any longer. Most people won’t remember the names of the student’s leaders. They may nod and say, “Yeah, I think I remember something about that but it’s old news.”
So, bear in mind if you are writing books ripped from the headlines that you will need to find a way to make your story timeless. Otherwise, it will be “old news” faster than the original event.



About K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond. game when plotting a new story.

Find out more about my books at these social media sites:  


Facebook
Twitter
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Pinterest
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authorgraph
Email