Fame Game— Authorship or Hype?

In today’s literary world, visibility often moves faster than writing. A strong online presence, a viral moment, or the right kind of buzz can turn an author into a “name” almost overnight. There’s nothing wrong with visibility,  writers deserve readers, but I sometimes wonder what happens to the work itself in the middle of all this noise.

Authorship is slow. It asks for patience, doubt, rewriting, and a willingness to sit with uncertainty for long periods of time. Hype, on the other hand, is immediate. It rewards certainty, confidence, and constant output. The two don’t always grow at the same pace.

I’ve noticed that conversations around books increasingly focus on the author’s persona rather than the writing, who they are, how they present themselves, and how well they perform in public spaces. Meanwhile, quieter books, or writers who choose not to participate loudly, can disappear without much discussion.

This makes me wonder: are we beginning to confuse recognition with resonance?

A book doesn’t always announce itself. Some stories take time to find their readers. Some voices are meant to be discovered slowly, not amplified instantly. Yet the current ecosystem often pushes writers to chase attention before they’ve had the space to fully grow into their craft.

I don’t think this is about rejecting visibility or success. It’s about asking what we value more, the momentary excitement around a name, or the lasting impact of a piece of writing.

I’d love to know how others navigate this as readers or writers. Where do you draw the line between authorship and hype?