Sunday morning I glanced at the columns in Washington Post’s Book World and promptly felt the need to add another shot to my Bloody Mary. It read like a Who’s Who for newly released titles covering divisive politics and doomsday economics. Over ten columns of lovely Sunday morning reading stared back at me with euphoria inducing titles such as For Richer for Poorer, You Are What You Buy, Bankrupt Nation, Millennial Voters, How We R.I.P., Dangerous Minds, and Debt Be Not Proud and Other Tenets of the World of Economics. (Yes, those last twelve words are the tile of un libro.) Bankrupt Nation had my favorite uplifting subtitle—“WHILE AMERICA AGED How Pension Debts Ruined General Motors, Stopped the NYC Subways, Bankrupted San Diego, and Loom as the Next Financial Crisis.” You can pick up this Roger Lowenstein’s gem of good tidings from Penguin Press for a mere $25.95. Prozac sold separately.
It seems the geniuses behind marketing books took the Book Industry Study Group’s plummeting projections seriously, and have taken a leaf out of the politics and consumerism marketing guide book—fear sells. And perhaps it does, but I believe books can be marketed and sold on something other than apocalyptic headlines. Don’t get me wrong. In this age of wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes, most people are not reaching for books emblazoned with happy puppies frolicking in fields of daisies. But does marketing have to promote and the media need to focus solely on those titles showing the puppies having their wallets stolen or getting mowed down?
Tellingly, Sunday was Father’s Day, and Book World only gave up one column to honoring dads, the Poet’s Choice, which entailed the author reminiscing about “shadow[ing] [her dad] through pool halls, but—with time and alcohol—he eventually dwindled into a form that fit nowhere except on a barstool at the Veterans’ Club.” Good times.
So much for having to only fear, fear itself.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Tim Ramsey // Jun 16, 2008 at 8:57 am
I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog.
Tim Ramsey
2 Jarod // Jun 16, 2008 at 9:46 am
Flashy book titles are like that quirky cello-plucking during comedy scenes. Americans want that cello-plucking. They…..NEED…..that cello plucking.
3 Sarah Moffett // Jun 16, 2008 at 10:26 am
Tim~cheers to new readers.
Jarod~all hail the 2 second attention span. Sigh. You may be right, but I don’t have to like it.
4 Linda // Jun 16, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Sigh… re books, it’s ALL in the marketing. The glitz. The wow. The title. The cover.
I’m finding, though, especially in the non-fic books that the stuff between the covers is pretty bland. Repackaging boosts sales, I guess… Peace, Linda
5 Doris Booth // Jun 17, 2008 at 9:01 am
Excellent points, Sarah! Keep writing.
6 Kelley // Jun 17, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Hmmm. Are Linda and I actually going to disagree?
Brace yourselves.
It’s not ALL in the marketing in fiction. I agree in NF. But in fiction, between the pages still matters. Marketing can only get you so far.
I think you’re right on, Sarah. There is another way. The mistake is thinking there’s only one way and there’s just not. Great post. Depressing, a smidge. But great.
7 Sarah Moffett // Jun 18, 2008 at 9:45 am
Linda v. Kelley~excellent points ladies. My publisher once told me 85% of book sales are devoted to getting the potential reader to just pick up the book to look at it. Thus the zinging title and terrifying cover. Still, we all know staying power for a writer is whether the meat of the literary sandwich sticks to the reader’s literary ribs. Only then do they come back. It’s getting them to sample it the first time that appears to be the focus.
8 Linda // Jun 18, 2008 at 10:07 am
Yep, Sarah - it’s that first time. I am finding it is no longer sufficient to publish - it is necessary to publish WELL. Sales and/or critical review…
they matter more than ever.
My dearest Kelley, I qualified - I said ‘especially the non-fic’… But you yourself threw a FICTION book against the wall yesterday. Uh-huh… you did. There are witnesses…
9 Kelley // Jun 18, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Not anymore. MWAHAHAHAHAHA. I took care of them.
oops.
Back to discussion. yes. You qualified. I meant the re; books. It’s ALL in the marketing part. esp NF. I agree in NF it is. That will get the book to sell, even if your content does not rock. Fiction, the content must rock AND you must have marketing. Which, okay, depresses me, the pressure of it all , sometimes.
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