Has anyone read the new James Patterson memoir "Stories of My Life" ?

[anobserver2]

35. Deception #7 in Memoir: How He Got Hired in Advertising

Last edited Tue Jun 14, 2022, 04:46 PM - Edit history (1)

One would think that if you take the time to read a book called "Stories of my Life" written by a person who spent
about 25 or 30 years working in one ad agency - from either 1970 or 1971, to 1996 or 1999 - that the author would
present a story explaining how he got his first job in that ad agency.

To me that seems logical.

But Patterson's memoir does not attempt to offer any "story" about how he got his first job in advertising. As I recall,
the only thing Patterson says in this memoir is the following: the first and last name of a man. Patterson claims this man
hired Patterson.

That's it. That's not a "story" to me.

I recall reading in one of the trades, I think it was Advertising Age, an article profiling Patterson in or about February 1985.
At this point, Patterson is almost 38 years, and he holds the title of Executive Creative Director at the ad agency JWT.

This published profile states the following, if I remember correctly:

1) Patterson had a friend who called him, and told Patterson about a writing job in advertising.

2) Patterson came to the ad agency, but did not have any portfolio of advertising copy to show as work.

3) Patterson then took a "copy test" at the ad agency. ("Copy" means the text / written words of an advertisement.)

4) Patterson was then hired, by a woman creative director at the ad agency.

5) The woman's first name was not mentioned, and her last name was not mentioned.

6) Patterson told Ad Age he remembered she had a "Vietnamese flag" in her office.


And, that's how he got hired in advertising, according to Patterson in this profile published in Advertising Age, titled:

"Patterson's Write-On Approach."

But you don't get any of these details in his new memoir. You only get: the first and last name of a man - and Patterson says this man hired Patterson.

That's it.

Hardly a story. And, so - this 2022 memoir bears no relation to what Patterson told Ad Age in 1985 re: how he got hired.