The Cost of Authenticity - Rippling Muscles and Empty Pages
by Jack Coldicott
AUTHORS NOTE: This essay was born out of frustration but also a deep love for my craft which I have spent many hours trying to improve. It simply reflects my belief that talent, grit and authenticity should matter more that algorithms and appearances. To every writer still pushing onwards…this is for you.
The pursuit of fame through hard work and determination is increasingly viewed as naïve, even laughable. In its place, society elevates those with photogenic appeal, inherited privilege, and social media clout, placing them at the forefront of opportunities. We've become a culture that at its core, dismisses the value of knowledge, effort, and true grit. Those that claw their ways forward, dirty hands but hearts full and heavy - they are often overlooked, even as they strive to build meaningful careers, perhaps in writing or beyond.
The tragic irony is that the individuals most celebrated often lack depth, real drive that comes from experience or merit to justify their position. The ones we truly want at the top—the thinkers, creators and workers—are rarely given the chance to rise.
My motivation for writing this essay stems from a recent interaction I had on TikTok. I came across a video promoting a new writer’s book deal and recognised him immediately because I had blocked him weeks earlier, not out of malice, just disinterest. Yes, he is attractive, but I'm not keen on fantasy books nor the way he was swooning over all the women in his chat. So, I blocked and went on my merry way.
What struck me was a very candid admission moment during this interview "I haven't written a work, but yet I have a 3-book deal." Call it cynicism if you like, but I couldn’t help to write a comment "It's sad to see real writers, those who dedicate years to honing their craft, getting passed over again in favour of someone who doesn’t even have an idea for a book" The backlash from his swooning fans was swift and sharp. A wave of defensive replies, mostly insisting he deserved the opportunity.
In response to one such comment, I wrote: "People can work for decades to finally earn a book deal. This man spoke about his favourite books online, took his shirt off and landed on." I added to another: "When I get a book deal, it will be through determination, talent, and relentless restless energy - not because of how I look."
We all know how difficult the publishing word is. Securing a major deal often takes years of relentless effort honing out craft, readying everything and reading deeply, submitting work, facing rejections, and, for poets especially, enduring even more rejection. Yet, the landscape is shifting. True, raw talent is increasingly being sidelined in promise of those deemed marketable: attractive influencers, nepotism beneficiaries, and personalities with surface-level charm. If this trade continues, the literary world risks replacing its most dedicated creative minds with airbrushed placeholders, chosen not for their voice and vision, but for their virality.
END NOTE:
But still - we write. We create. We compose. We paint. Not for algorithm or applause but because we must. To every artist grinding in the quiet, your work, your voice and your mind matters. Keep going. The world might not reward integrity, but it also cannot silence it…
LET THEM CHASE THE SPOTLIGHT WHILE WE BUILD THE FIRE.
BIO: Jack Coldicott is a poet from the UK whose work weaves deep seated, confessional lyricism with sometimes beat-inspired rhythm while also drawing on repetition, and layered imagery to explore cycles of longing and transformation. Jack draws inspiration mainly from the rolling open landscapes that have surrounded him since birth, from the meadows of Upton to the towering Malvern Hills. Jack’s writing is shaped by existential philosophy, Japanese aesthetics, and a fascination with the interplay of humour and melancholy.