How much should a writer court controversy to get noticed? I don't mean in what we write in specific novels; you'll either have a gripping story, or you won't. Maybe you want to be controversial, but controversy sometimes comes with stories whether you want them to or not.
What I'm talking about is doing things outside of your writing to generate buzz and controversy. Many authors are content to just write a good story and stay out of modern bullshit because they don't want to piss off half the audience. Others, however, look to create controversy as a way to get more eyeballs. They're catering to a certain ideological or intellectual demographic, so the more people talk about them, good or bad, the better.
I'm not talking about the folks like Stephen King or JK Rowling. Stephen King often weighs in on touchy subjects in modern culture and can afford to do so since he's set. No one is taking away King's market, so he's free to say whatever he wants. JK Rowling recently entered the fray of controversy, and while many folks get mad at her, she's a billionaire who wrote probably the most beloved children's series of all time, so it's not like she'll be off shelves anytime soon(and even if she were, a billion dollars has a way of comforting the mind).
What I'm talking about are folks like Larry Correia and David Brin. Both authors are very talented, very well sold, and very controversial in what/how they choose to engage on. They are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, and neither is shy about giving their thoughts. Neither is hurting for sales at this point, but they're not household names, either. Their critics despise them based solely on their engagement of views many dislike. However, while it has alienated some potential readers, it has also expanded their bases to new folks who may not have otherwise noticed them. Good or bad?
Talking politics or religion isn't the only way to generate controversy. These days, merely weighing in on a topic is enough to create rage. Talking about a subject one side or the other has deemed evil is enough to get you branded, regardless of if you agree with the position. So is it worth it? I ask because there's a topic I've been wanting to talk about, even though it is a little out of date. Still, feelings run hot on this one, so is it a risk that can boost my career, or will even engaging tank it?
I think I'm going to bring it up for my next blog post since I can't "tank" much further. After all, can a person with no skin really feel the fire?
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