Settling the Blogger/Book Deal Confusion

Pursuant to Tucker Max’s self-aggrandizing claim to be the first blogger to score a second book deal, Sarah has already corrected the record by mentioning Ana Marie Cox, and John Scalzi shared his own experiences. We’ve also gotten confirmation that Wendy McClure signed separate contracts for her two books, I’m Not the New Me and The Amazing Mackerel Pudding Plan. McClure reminds us of this fact via email from the writer’s colony at Ragdale where, she beams, “nobody here has any idea I’m not a real writer, just a blogger with a book deal!” While she’s at it, McClure reminds us that Jen Lancaster of Bitter Is the New Black fame signed a second contract in April of this year for Bright Lights, Big Ass, which Publishers Marketplace calls “a humorous collection of essays in which the author explores the often less-than-fabulous realities of Chicago-style urban existence.” She also cites the example of Pamela Ribon for good measure.

So if there’s any blogger overhyped in the publishing arena, it might possibly be Max. As it turns out, he might not even hold the record for the highest advance for a blog-turned-book, since Julie Powell made six figures on Julie & Julia…and, of course, Sarah’s already mentioned Dana Vachon.

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