[Sammie]

So Rocket Sheep dragged Marianne de Pierres into our new author-forum set up..........and Jacquin thought 'Nylon Angel' sounded like a great book, and so he bought it. And it was, so he bought 'Code Noir' too. And he''l definitely buy book 3, I have no doubt.

So far so good. He benefited, she benefited.

But what happened next, I realised today, could be looked at two ways....

Jacquin told me the book was great. Then he gave his copy to me to read. That's ok, right, cos we live together and no-one expects us to buy 2 copies of the same book? But then I lent my copy to my Mum. Oh, and then my sister. That's three households, 4 readers, and only one copy sold. Made me feel kinda mean to be honest!

Really, I was just wondering how authors (Marianne in particular!) feel about this book lending culture. Obviously the publicity is great.......but does it gain you as much revenue as you lose?! I'm guessing the publishers hate it....what about the authors?! :)

[MDP]

Hi Sammie,

that's a really interesting question. I'm obviously an avid reader myself so I *totally* understand book lending and do it all the time.

However, as an author, you do rather hope that people will buy the book. :D Second best, you hope they'll contact the publishers and say, 'please can we have more!' (gawd was that a hint? - naaah!) Third best you hope they'll badger their library.

These days I find that I buy, when I can, to support my favourite authors. I also love books so much i just get a great gloaty feeling looking at them in my bookcase. Books I've enjoyed reading are friends, and like Parrish, I try and look after my friends!

MDP

[Hobbit]

And just to add my tupennerth in, passing them round often generates a 'word of mouth' reaction that hopefully is continued through sales when the next book comes around.

We've certainly had that happen here at sffworld, I think. Off the top of my head, Steven Erikson, Paul Kearney, Scott Bakker, Matthew Stover (and Mary Gentle! :D ) not to mention authors like Gary Wassner (I'm sure there's loads more!) and hopefully MDP! have all benefitted from being mentioned round here, because people have bought the books. Usually the global differences mean that people have gone out there and bought new copies,(or loaned them from the library!) though we have had a few passed around.

The solution might be: show them your copy, tell them how good it is, then make them buy their own! :)

Still waiting for his 10% :)

Hobbit

[Jacquin]

[blatant hint]Obviously I'd be less likely to lend my copies out if they were signed by the author... :D [/blatant hint]

J

[MDP]

[blatant hint]Obviously I'd be less likely to lend my copies out if they were signed by the author... :D [/blatant hint]

J

hah! delighted to Jac.

[MDP]

The solution might be: show them your copy, tell them how good it is, then make them buy their own! :)

Still waiting for his 10% :)

Hobbit

Hey, Hobbit, sounds like a plan!
MDP

[Rocket Sheep]

I feel a little guilty too... but then I figure, the people who are poking around in my bookshelves are too stingy to buy their own books anyway... and some of them are not sf readers and would never hear about Parrish if she wasn't hanging out in my bookshelf.

BUT I did read something interesting on Jen McVeity's site today, which might work here:

"...all you have to do to join is to walk into any book store and see that any books by friends or fellow SCBWI members are placed front face out. It also helps to throw a casual word or two to the people behind the counter or in the store browsing. Something like 'That's a great book, I bet it's selling well...' Both here and in the USA informal networks of friends often support each other in this way. It's fun and it often means one more book sold, one more sold..."

Substitute SCWBI for SFFWorld, of course... and next time you're in the bookstore... do a bit of shelf adjusting and a bit of loud talking.

I'm sure Marrianne has seen what Richard Harland's fleet of followers have been up to... hiding Black Crusade help messages in other sff titles in bookstores all over the country. I was telling someone about this the other day and went into a book shop and promised to find one... it was in the second book I picked up. Strange and unusual marketing but effective.

[Jacquin]

I feel a little guilty too... but then I figure, the people who are poking around in my bookshelves are too stingy to buy their own books anyway... and some of them are not sf readers and would never hear about Parrish if she wasn't hanging out in my bookshelf.

BUT I did read something interesting on Jen McVeity's site today, which might work here:

"...all you have to do to join is to walk into any book store and see that any books by friends or fellow SCBWI members are placed front face out. It also helps to throw a casual word or two to the people behind the counter or in the store browsing. Something like 'That's a great book, I bet it's selling well...' Both here and in the USA informal networks of friends often support each other in this way. It's fun and it often means one more book sold, one more sold..."

Substitute SCWBI for SFFWorld, of course... and next time you're in the bookstore... do a bit of shelf adjusting and a bit of loud talking.

That's a great idea, maybe we should have a competition. You've got a digicam right? :D

J

[Radthorne]

Only problem with the "facing the books out" deal is that quite often the book store staff are very aware of who's supposed to be face out and who isn't, so that strategy can backfire if it keeps happening consistently and their shelves are getting messed up... I've had a store buyer tell me that it's one of his biggest peeves, when authors or their friends come in and face the books out. But talking up the books to the staff, now; there's a good idea!

As for lending - I personally don't have a problem with it, since at the present stage of my writing career word of mouth is far more important to me than sales. I'd rather people be excited enough about one of my books that they want to lend it to a friend (after all, you don't often lend books you hate to friends and family...). Once things reach a "critical mass" for me (if they ever do), then I might feel differently. But for now I'll go for the "more the merrier" approach. "Buzz" is the thing that will keep the nascent career moving forward...

[alison]

"Buzz" is the thing that will keep the nascent career moving forward...

Career? Gloomy examinations of my bank balance make me think of the word "career" as applied to me in terms of wild horses heading downhill, out of control...

Aha - so my well-meaning friends have been driving book people crazy... (they regularly report they turn the books out, although I don't ask them to do it). Word of mouth is the thing (unless your publisher invests in some huge publicity campaign), and that means people lending each other books. I'm all for it, personally.