Dwarves don't sell novels

[heirodule]

Another amusing bit from the 'inside wotc' article in Dragon was the interaction between designers talking about a new Keith Baker's James Wyatt Eberron novel, alleged to feature a changeling

Slavicek insists that 'eberron isn't ebberron without warforged', and wants to know how Keith will address that.

Sehestedt, the marketer questions using changelings because they are an "alien race" and they need to be identifiable with. he says 'you can get away with elves because they're sexy, but not matter how cool the book is, if you put a dwarf or a halfling on the cover, sales drop'

(I kinda think if WOTC wrote books as cool as Lord of the Rings, that claim would be quite questionable)

 

[Megatron]

actually it was James Wyatt who was writing the new novel if you read the article.., Keith's name isnt mentioned once.

 

[Glyfair]

Sehestedt, the marketer questions using changelings because they are an "alien race" and they need to be identifiable with. he says 'you can get away with elves because they're sexy, but not matter how cool the book is, if you put a dwarf or a halfling on the cover, sales drop'

(I kinda think if WOTC wrote books as cool as Lord of the Rings, that claim would be quite questionable)

However, this reference is about the main character. Last I recall, the main character of a Lord of the Rings wasn't a dwarf. Halflings are close to humans, and changelings can easily be (at least as far as the cover goes), so I don't think it's that much of an issue. Still, making the main character someone the reader can identify with is a good point.

I did think the comment about it not being an Eberron book without warforged was pretty superficial. I guess that's what you expect from someone who is in marketing, though.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Wow, this explains a lot about the elf-fetishism TSR/WotC have shown over the years.

Me, I'll read about 100 dwarves before I pick up another elf novel.

 

[ender_wiggin]

It's not just TSR/WotC with the elf fetish. I mean Tolkien started it -- he created, on purpose or inadvertantly, a creature who is the ideal of human popular culture.

They live extremely long, look extremely attractive, and are sorcerous (by this they supercede nature).

What do you expect?

What eventually happened to elves is a cultural backlash, which occurs to any popular social event. Even a cult hit, given enough underground popularity, will spawn a backlash.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Oh, JRRT is a major offender, but I was specifically thinking of the TSR/WotC publication schedules, for which he is only indirectly responsible.

 

[pogre]

Nobody tell Felix and Gotrek

 

[GSHamster]

To be fair, WotC/TSR probably has evidence to back up that point. There have been several dwarf-focused Dragonlance novels, and it would be trivial to compare their sales to the elf novels.

Though the latest 'big' Dragonlance novel is Dragons of the Dwarven Depths, so I'm not sure how that will play out. It does feature the original companions as the heroes, though.

 

[Captain NeMo]

Nobody tell Felix and Gotrek

Heh, we've got to remember how lame WHFB elves are though...

 

[mhensley]

Nobody tell Felix and Gotrek

Yeah, there's what, 5 or 6 Trollslayer novels? Dwarves seem to sell pretty good for Games Workshop. And Gotrek would kick Drizzt's ass anyday of the week.