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Comments on: Barriers Broken for Advertising in Books http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/ Tendentious comments and cranky critiques by Lynne W. Scanlon P.E.A. (Publisher/Editor/Author) Sat, 19 Jul 2008 06:45:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: staghounds http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-99654 Sat, 10 May 2008 01:05:32 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-99654 I remember that too! But it happened in Westport for me. It's definitely coming to books AGAIN. It was very ordinary to see advertisements on the last few leaves of books in the nineteenth century. Most often for the publisher's other wares, but there were paid adverts too. So plus c(with a thingie under it)a change. People think spam is new, but the first electronic unsolicited citations were a series of telegrams in London in 1886. I believe "product placement" is the movie term for putting identifiable goods into the action for pay. It probably happens quietly often enough. If the authors are clever, it's pre publication- "Hello, Dodge of Portland? I'm Stephen King, and I really like that new Viper. I'm just finishing a new manuscript..." Stephen King is the first recent author to sprinkle brand names heavily into fiction, and it was unusual enough to draw attention to it at the time and make it a marker of his work. He's clever enough to make that call. The successful "American Psycho" was one long list of commercial products. Or at least as far as I got through it before I threw it at the popcorn. (It makes me wonder if once upon a time advertisers tried this, and publishers refused because they weren't offered a big enough cut.) I don't see anything wrong with it. If Mr. King talks about a character using Tide, or Dashiell Hammett about one being shot with a Webley Fosbery, why do I care if the author got something more than artistic satisfaction? That payment lowers my cost after all, and it's not as though "Coke" takes any longer to read than "soft drink". The movie adverts are different, that's ten minutes of my life I won't get back again. I arrive late to avoid them. I remember that too! But it happened in Westport for me.

It’s definitely coming to books AGAIN.

It was very ordinary to see advertisements on the last few leaves of books in the nineteenth century. Most often for the publisher’s other wares, but there were paid adverts too.

So plus c(with a thingie under it)a change. People think spam is new, but the first electronic unsolicited citations were a series of telegrams in London in 1886.

I believe “product placement” is the movie term for putting identifiable goods into the action for pay. It probably happens quietly often enough. If the authors are clever, it’s pre publication- “Hello, Dodge of Portland? I’m Stephen King, and I really like that new Viper. I’m just finishing a new manuscript…”

Stephen King is the first recent author to sprinkle brand names heavily into fiction, and it was unusual enough to draw attention to it at the time and make it a marker of his work. He’s clever enough to make that call.

The successful “American Psycho” was one long list of commercial products. Or at least as far as I got through it before I threw it at the popcorn.

(It makes me wonder if once upon a time advertisers tried this, and publishers refused because they weren’t offered a big enough cut.)

I don’t see anything wrong with it. If Mr. King talks about a character using Tide, or Dashiell Hammett about one being shot with a Webley Fosbery, why do I care if the author got something more than artistic satisfaction? That payment lowers my cost after all, and it’s not as though “Coke” takes any longer to read than “soft drink”.

The movie adverts are different, that’s ten minutes of my life I won’t get back again. I arrive late to avoid them.

]]> by: Peter L. Winkler http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-82 Sun, 12 Mar 2006 04:15:31 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-82 Dear Folks: Back in the mid-70s, cigarette ads started appearing right in the middle of ACE books science fiction paperbacks, including the Perry Rhodan series, which were aimed squarely at teengers. The ad was a full-color, two sided item printed on stock heavier than the book's other pages and was glued in at the spine. There was a huge backlash and the ads ceased. Ads keep intruding into every corner of our lives and keep increasing the noise level we have to tune out to keep a clear head. As a reader, I certainly don't want a book to be polluted with extraneous matter. Dear Folks:

Back in the mid-70s, cigarette ads started appearing right in the middle of ACE books science fiction paperbacks, including the Perry Rhodan series, which were aimed squarely at teengers. The ad was a full-color, two sided item printed on stock heavier than the book’s other pages and was glued in at the spine.

There was a huge backlash and the ads ceased.

Ads keep intruding into every corner of our lives and keep increasing the noise level we have to tune out to keep a clear head. As a reader, I certainly don’t want a book to be polluted with extraneous matter.

]]> by: Bill Liversidge http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-61 Mon, 06 Mar 2006 18:13:33 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-61 Hi, Lynne: Why did I put a book up online and for free? I stumbled across blogging and figured it was better to put the book up and attract a few readers, rather than have it fester unread in the back of a drawer somewhere. I couldn't think of any angle I could monetise the e-book. Why? Firstly, I didn't think it worth the effort for the few pennies I might receive. Secondly, I rather liked the idea of doing it for free since it sort of absolved me from any responsibility to my readers. My next book -- which I have just started -- will be different! Best regards, Bill Liversidge <em>Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: I zipped over to Bill's </em><a title="Bill Liversidge" href="http://www.halflifeone.blogspot.com"><em>website</em></a><em> for a look-see at his book, and read the first chapter. I liked it. If you've lived through a downsizing, recession or worked in a company going the way of the dodo bird, Chapter One will be "deja vu all over again." What I like about this free, online read is that readers critique</em> A Half Life of One<em>. Isn't that what Stephen King suggested in his book</em> On Writing: s<em>how your friends before you show your publisher? Bill lives in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Check out the view from his window</em>. Hi, Lynne:

Why did I put a book up online and for free?

I stumbled across blogging and figured it was better to put the book up and attract a few readers, rather than have it fester unread in the back of a drawer somewhere.

I couldn’t think of any angle I could monetise the e-book. Why? Firstly, I didn’t think it worth the effort for the few pennies I might receive. Secondly, I rather liked the idea of doing it for free since it sort of absolved me from any responsibility to my readers.

My next book — which I have just started — will be different!

Best regards,

Bill Liversidge

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: I zipped over to Bill’s website for a look-see at his book, and read the first chapter. I liked it. If you’ve lived through a downsizing, recession or worked in a company going the way of the dodo bird, Chapter One will be “deja vu all over again.” What I like about this free, online read is that readers critique A Half Life of One. Isn’t that what Stephen King suggested in his book On Writing: show your friends before you show your publisher? Bill lives in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Check out the view from his window.

]]> by: Molly Maguire http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-57 Fri, 03 Mar 2006 17:22:10 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-57 Companies paying for mention in books has been here for years. And some books already come with publisher ads, mail-in cards right in the middle. Not much of a stretch to extend it to other advertisers. <em>Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: Molly is working on her first novel. </em> Companies paying for mention in books has been here for years.

And some books already come with publisher ads, mail-in cards right in the middle. Not much of a stretch to extend it to other advertisers.

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: Molly is working on her first novel. 

]]> by: Dave Newton http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-50 Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:01:02 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-50 More ammunition for you…raises questions, like on TV–what’s a commercial, what’s a program? What’s a publisher? What’s a book? What’s a commercial? From Publisher’s Lunch: BMW Test-Drives Audio Books, […] BMW has recruited four authors from Random House UK, including Karin Slaughter, James Flint and Simon Kernick, to write 45 minute audio books featuring their cars. The audio files are available for free from BMWAudioBooks.com, starting this week with Don Winslow’s The Beautiful Ride. More ammunition for you…raises questions, like on TV–what’s a commercial, what’s a program? What’s a publisher? What’s a book? What’s a commercial?
From Publisher’s Lunch:

BMW Test-Drives Audio Books, […] BMW has recruited four authors from Random House UK, including Karin Slaughter, James Flint and Simon Kernick, to write 45 minute audio books featuring their cars. The audio files are available for free from BMWAudioBooks.com, starting this week with Don Winslow’s The Beautiful Ride.

]]> by: Lynne http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-39 Wed, 01 Mar 2006 14:33:04 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-39 And here's another news flash. And another twist. Robert Gray, former bookseller, now consultant to publishers, authors, agents and handsellers; and frequent blogger at his <a title="Robert Gray" href="http://www.fresheyesnow.com">Fresheyesnow</a>, fessed up to reading the March/April issue of <em>AARP---The Magazine</em> (for the over 50 set) and seeing a coupon offer for a 15% discount on Goldie Hawn's memoir, redeemable at us.penguingroup.com at checkout. And what if, when the book arrived in the mail box, there was another coupon for a second book IF purchased at Penguin Group's website? Rerouting traffic from Barnes & Noble and Borders online? Don't you love it.? And here’s another news flash. And another twist. Robert Gray, former bookseller, now consultant to publishers, authors, agents and handsellers; and frequent blogger at his Fresheyesnow, fessed up to reading the March/April issue of AARP—The Magazine (for the over 50 set) and seeing a coupon offer for a 15% discount on Goldie Hawn’s memoir, redeemable at us.penguingroup.com at checkout.

And what if, when the book arrived in the mail box, there was another coupon for a second book IF purchased at Penguin Group’s website?

Rerouting traffic from Barnes & Noble and Borders online? Don’t you love it.?

]]> by: Katy Gurley http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-22 Tue, 21 Feb 2006 23:03:41 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-22 Eeek! Advertising in my books? Please! Can't books at least be the last sacred place on earth where advertising isn't? But what if Ms. Scanlon is right and these ads are coming no matter what we reader purists say. So what would publishers do? Catagorize ads according to genre? I'm overcome just thinking of opening a new garden book to see an ad for Miracle Gro. Or how about a slinky Victoria's Secret ad for seamed stockings in a page turner from Lee Childs. Or lucious lips by Maybelline in a gossip book by Liz Smith. Oh, where would it end? And hasn't subtle advertising begun already? In some paperbacks--Patricia Cornwell's novels come to mind--the author offers the first several pages of his or her next novel at the end of their novel you've just finished. Or, at the beginning of a paperback, pages of notable quotes on the author's other books appear frequently. So, it's really already begun, this ad business in books. Don't say the Publishing Contrarian hasn't warned you. Eeek! Advertising in my books? Please! Can’t books at least be the last sacred place on earth where advertising isn’t? But what if Ms. Scanlon is right and these ads are coming no matter what we reader purists say. So what would publishers do? Catagorize ads according to genre? I’m overcome just thinking of opening a new garden book to see an ad for Miracle Gro. Or how about a slinky Victoria’s Secret ad for seamed stockings in a page turner from Lee Childs. Or lucious lips by Maybelline in a gossip book by Liz Smith. Oh, where would it end? And hasn’t subtle advertising begun already? In some paperbacks–Patricia Cornwell’s novels come to mind–the author offers the first several pages of his or her next novel at the end of their novel you’ve just finished. Or, at the beginning of a paperback, pages of notable quotes on the author’s other books appear frequently. So, it’s really already begun, this ad business in books. Don’t say the Publishing Contrarian hasn’t warned you.

]]> by: The curmudgeon http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-20 Sun, 19 Feb 2006 12:51:04 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/02/18/barrier-broken-for-advertising-in-books/#comment-20  I do not want advertising in my books unless a provision is made to remove them, like the return post card in some magazines. Advertising is almost as dangerous as monotheism.  I do not want advertising in my books unless a provision is made to remove them, like the return post card in some magazines. Advertising is almost as dangerous as monotheism.

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