Discussion for Book Bloggers (Authors too if you wish)
Do you think that book bloggers can really, truly make a difference in a book’s sales? Don’t get me wrong. I think we can help spread the word and get people buying but what about behyond that? Can we get them a lot more sales? Could we, crazily enough, get them on the New York Times Bestsellers’ List?!
I would love to think we could if we really put our minds to it. I know that a lot of us try and come up with ways to spread the word about books we love or authors we want to do well, but it’s kind of hard if there are so many of these from various bloggers. And in the end, not all of them will generate a lot of sales.
My main idea with this post is to get your thoughts, but to also let you know about an idea I had. What if we all chose ONE book in 2010 to really pimp out?
Now, I know we would still interview other authors and review other books and I want all of those to do well of course but I want to see if bloggers really can make a difference if we all narrow a list down and honestly just PIMP THAT ONE BOOK OUT. It can be a new author, it can be an older author that deserves more help in promotion. It doesn’t matter. But what do you all think? If you all seem to like the idea, I’d love to get ideas in the comments of books you’d like to help in the newe year. I’ll try and narrow it down to who gets the most “votes” if you will and then we’ll go from there.
I think we can make a difference, so why don’t we try?
I left a comment but instead of leaving ANOTHER one, I thought I’d add it to the main post so people see this. I do like Mandy’s idea of promoting a book that will give back to charity so that we can experiment with this idea but it also doesn’t matter if you like the book in the end, it doesn’t matter if you don’t normally read that type of book, because the experiment can work around a charity. Her thoughts were that some books give proceeds of their sales to a charity and if we found a book that did that in 2010, we can promote the book based on it summary and THIS component so buying the book helps not only the author and gives us an experiment, but it also helps out a charity b/c the more sales the book gets, the more money goes to that charity. Do we know of any books like this? Authors, are you going to donate proceeds somewhere?
I have one idea right now. Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler will be out in Fall 2010 and some of her proceeds will benefit the National Eating Disorders Association. I think we can all agree this is a great cause for an important issue, regardless of what people think of the book in the end. After all, spreading the word tells you ABOUT a book, not that you will personally like it, but you might…so try it out!
I definitely say yes!
I think book bloggers most definitely make a difference, because we're one of the first steps toward networking. Here's how it often goes
Blog about a book –> Someone reads it, likes it –> Reccommends it to someone else, they read it, like it –> recommend it to someone else, they read it, like it.
So in that way, I think we really are the catalyst.
But I think you'll have a hard time finding a book that everyone is willing to "pimp out."
We definitely do make a difference, like Enna said.
I love your idea of trying to make a book a bestseller – but I don't know if you'll find a book that everyone is willing to promote. I'd love to see Lisa Schroeder or Brightly Woven by Alex Bracken used in the project.
Email me if you want any help in figuring this out!
I love the idea of pimping a book, and I've love to see what kind of results it gets… but again, I agree with those before me, it'll be hard to get people to all agree on one book. I know some bloggers will only read and promote paranormal romance/urban fantasy, some only read/promote sci fi/fantasy, some only read/promote historicals.. etc. But I'm one of those bloggers that jumps around.. so I'd be up for almost anything…
So I'm down for the pimpage! (Well, that sounds weird…)
Morning Glow
I think we make a difference. I definitely buy books due to blogging. Half of them I would have skipped over or missed entirely.
Pimping a book, great idea. I am curious to hear more details.
Certainly if bloggers put their minds to it and work together, they can make a difference. The problem is, in order to really invest yourself into a such a huge project, you need to really really really love that book. So my next question is: can you find a book that you absolutely love and that a good amount of other bloggers adore as well? That's where is gets tricky, deciding on just one book.
I think we definitely make a difference.
I'm not sure if I would want to take part in your idea, though. Don't get me wrong, as an experiment, I think it's an awesome idea. But I don't think of myself necessarily as a book blogger who tries to help authors make sales, but more of a book blogger who likes to inform the readers. Your idea would be more about the author than the reader, it seems to me.
As I said, I don't think it's a bad idea, and I don't think there is anything wrong with helping authors out.. it's just not what I'm about personally. So I don't think I would take part. But as an experiment, I'd be interested to see how you all did 🙂
You know what would be amazing? To get an author, or even better, a couple of authors to agree to donate a % of sales to a charity if we pimp out their books. That way we could pimp for a good cause, an im sure more bloggers would be more willing to pimp out if its helpful too. Maybe we can have a thing at the back of the book(s) saying to go to a site where buyers say where they heard about the book from so that we could get some good data also. Excellent idea, very interesting.
If our collective voice can get the cover of Liar changed, then anything's possible. Word of mouth is the number one promotion tool for books. That's how they get the success they do. Logically speaking, it could work.
Thanks for the comments everyone and don't get me wrong, I do agree we can make a difference in various ways. I've found most of the books I want to read lately from book blogs and it's my main outlet these days, so it's great they exist and spread the word.
As for the one book, I knew this would be hard as it's true some people won't like the idea of a book or they won't want to spread the word about a book they haven't read. However, it's how most get a start. It really is "one person reads, and they spread the word…" so people spread the word about things all the time based on the IDEA or author alone.
I know someone mentioned liking to promote the book and not the author, but it is their job to do this and I always like helping them continue with that if I buy someone's book and that's a big part too.
Charity idea: I love that, and I'd be willing to see if any authors would want to do that and we can work around that idea or if they were already going to donate to a charity, maybe they could still help out. Do we know anyone who is going to do that or might be able too?
-Lauren
This is a great idea. I would suggest possibly putting up a poll with some 2010 books (possibly some that some of us already have ARCs of) and have bloggers vote on which one to promote. I would LOVE to participate in this experiment, and I would definitely be up for promoting it on my blog!
Natalie @ Mindful Musings
Hey, thanks so much for the mention! I'm thrilled that HUNGER will be coming out next year. It's about an anorexic teenage girl who becomes the new Famine of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. And yes, I will be donating a portion of proceeds to the National Eating Disorders Association. (For more about the book, you can visit my YA website: http://www.jackiemorsekessler.com.)
Bloggers absolutely have help make a difference. I know so many authors (myself included) who take pains to do blog tours and giveaways and other online promotions. Word of mouth is, perhaps, the biggest reason a book does well. And the more that people blog about a book, the more that book will buzz in people's minds, and hopefully will encourage them to buy it or take it out of the library.
I think your idea is terrific. Good luck with it!
Yes! they can do and i think they are doing their best for ebooks.
I think that is an awesome idea. My choice is The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum, it's the second in a Trilogy, the first being The Hourglass Door. I thought it was amazing but have not heard much about it anywhere.
I'm not published yet, but I really like the charity idea. It would also be really hard to decide which author would be considered "most worthy." I'm sure everyone would have their own opinion on that.
I say yes too! This definitely sounds like a great idea. I think the hardest part would be to pick a book. There are so many worthy ones.
Hey,
I'm totally in. What an awesome idea. I already think we make a difference in sales but this is a great way to really see how much of an impact we can make as a whole community. And the idea of a book that gives back to a charity is great.
I'll be keeping my eyes out for more details but if you need any help organizing it or anything else just email me at readingisbliss@gmail.com
I'd love to help out in any way I can.
Thanks so much.
Jill
http://www.readingisbliss.blogspot.com
I definitely do think that bloggers make a difference and I'd love to participate in your '10 Pimp Out. Hunger seems like a great choice to do. 🙂
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