Should newspapers report on a book proposal the same way they would report on a finished book? Over at Mediaite, a new essay looks at the NY Times‘ recent reporting on a book proposal about the sordid story of John Edwards and his former mistress, Rielle Hunter.
The article explains how the newspaper report rested on a leaked book proposal by Andrew Young, the former Edwards staffer who was embroiled in the whole scandal during the 2008 election season. The Mediate essay worries that proposals are not held to the same editorial scrutiny as a finished book, and didn’t merit the Times treatment.
Check it out: “It’s in both the author’s and the agent’s best interest to make sure what they are officially submitting to publishers as the truth is in fact as close to it as can be reasonably expected. But it is not guaranteed, and there is no formal process to ensure it beyond an established good faith between agents and editors. Moreover, these are tough times in publishing and celebrity sells. Not to mention, Andrew Young, the author of this proposal has already lied to the public-at-large in the form of the affidavit he signed claiming paternity of Hunter’s child.”