I’ve published about 75 books and my name is properly on the cover of about 73 of them.
In my first years as an author, I wrote quite a few work-for-hire books. Educational publishers would develop a series (on, say, animals or countries) and divvy up the titles among multiple writers. They’d email me a list of the available topics and I’d choose the ones that most appealed, but often, the overarching subject was not a particular passion. It was a chance to get paid to write, which was closer to my goal than getting paid to do something in an office.
Authors do not tend to read work-for-hire contracts as carefully as contracts in which we will be retaining ownership rights. Therefore, I did not know that I was agreeing to an undesirable credit situation until the book came out…twice.
The first instance was with a book published in 2005. I wrote a humorous yet practical guide called How to Do a Belly Flop, which was a companion to a book that I was not involved in, How to Give a Wedgie.
Did anyone not write this book?
One of the authors of Wedgie was David Borgenicht, who also co-authored the massively successful Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series. So the publishers of Belly Flop wanted to take marketing advantage of that name (and his brother’s, who apparently co-authored Wedgie).
I understand it. I just didn’t like being blindsided with not one but two names under mine on the cover of a book I wrote all by myself. But unlike Bill Finger, at least my name was there.
The second instance was with two short novels published in 2009:This case was a bit more galling because the name plastered on the cover was not even a real person. “Jake Maddox” was a pseudonym created to group together a large set of sports and adventure novels written by various authors.
My name is on the title page of these two books, but the wording rankled me.
It doesn’t say “story by” but rather “text by,” which sounds mechanical, not creative. I realize the editor was trying to distinguish from the implied “written by,” but it sounds like I was the guy who typed in someone else’s words. As with Belly Flop, at least I am credited, but I wonder how young readers make sense of seeing both the mysterious Maddox and my name on the title page.
And now as I recount this, I’m vaguely remembering that the contracts for these two books actually may not have stated the possibility of assigning credit elsewhere, meaning even if I read them, I’d have been surprised when the books came out…but since I no longer have my copies of the contracts, I can’t doublecheck.
The New York Times ran a fascinating and freaky article about Amazon’s evolving policy in policing book reviews.
Apparently, if a family member and/or friend of an author posts a review of said author’s book, Amazon will remove the review.
Unless I missed this, the article does not explain how Amazon knows who a person’s family and friends are. Creepy, yes, but not the first time we’ve heard that our online activity often reveals more to sites than we are comfortable with.
I don’t believe the article specifies if it removes all reviews by people an author knows. Seems like algorithms can’t do all the heavy lifting here, so it must be time-consuming. Also unaddressed: unlikely as it seems, what if a loved one writes a negative review? (Looking at you, frenemies.) Would Amazon delete that, too?
I found one comment perplexing and perhaps paradoxical: “A spokesman for Amazon: ‘We do not require people to have experienced the product in order to review.’”
So they will remove reviews by people who have read a book and know the author but not ones by people who have not read the book (whether or not they know the author). This does not have the best interest of the consumer in mind.
A review is, by unverified definition, commentary on an item with which the reviewer has engaged. The definition does not place any conditions on the reviewer—it could be anybody.
In other words, just because your mom or first grade teacher or secret crush reviews your book does not automatically mean I will disregard it. If it’s not just a gushing review but a well-observed gushing review, I don’t care who wrote it. I would take that over a poorly written review by someone the author has never met.
This brings me to the policy announced in the post title: I do not to ask my inner circle to review my books.
I do brazenly e-mail family and friends (and status update, and tweet) about my new releases, signings, and speaking engagements—but I feel that is less ethically questionable and it’s certainly more private. Whether or not a person responds to such an e-mail remains between that person and me.
However, asking a confidante to post a review ultimately involves others. It is a form of mass, if mild, deception.
I want all user reviews to come from actual users, not the used. When an author asks relatives and friends to post a review, some who liked the book oblige not because they feel they have something distinct to add to the conversation but simply because they want to help a person they care about. Some who did not like the book might oblige for the same reason. And some would do so out of guilt.
None of it leads to organic feedback. I wouldn’t want to put a loved one in any of these awkward positions. But if a friend voluntarily posts a review, I’ll welcome it because it has a sincere origin.
The last question: what about asking strangers—for example, readers of one’s blog—to review your book?
You see how easily this gets murky?
Last year, when my wife and I were both scrolling through Facebook status updates on our phones, she wondered why my feed had more. I did a quick study and determined that the answer does not have to do with likability (or else she’d bury me) but rather occupation.
Most of my updates came from people who work in the creative arts: writers, artists, filmmakers, web people (who are usually some combination of the previous), and so on. Few of my lawyer or doctor friends were regular posters. (Then I stated this observation as one of my status updates and several of my lawyer and doctor friends protested, saying “I do so post!” As I told them, I wasn’t being critical!)
Narrowing focus to writers now, many of us are self-employed and don’t have the marketing engine of big companies to help promote our work. Yes, we do have publishers, but they can devote only so many resources and for only so long. More and more of the word-of-mouthing falls to us. Yet thanks to technology, that is not as daunting as it once was.
It’s no news flash that creative types are prominently vocal in social networking. There’s the fun part and there’s the funds part—we need them, like everyone else. It sounds crass, but in the end, we’re all salespeople on some level. I write to tell stories but also to make a living.
When I have a new book out, I usually email an announcement to my network. I approach it in the same way I approach everything else I write—I try to be entertaining. I also keep it as succinct as possible.
Yet no matter how funny or short such a message is, it is still an unsolicited sales pitch. Luckily, my circle has been consistently supportive and understanding—or at least that’s how it appears.
Do you think it’s okay for writers to send email blasts about new books to personal networks? Is it (as writers like to believe) less unctuous than most other sales pitches because it’s (a) art and (b) sent by a struggling artist?
Does frequency factor in—i.e., most authors won’t be announcing more than one book a year? Put another way, does the double standard exist that is it okay to promote creative works but less okay to announce more "everyday" services (insurance, clothing, cars, etc.)?
In April 2004, I began to pitch publishers a book for adults and teens called What's the Difference? It was the result of years’ worth of collecting a specific type of factoid. The book would whimsically explain the differences between pairs (or groups) that we confuse or simply can’t articulate a distinction between, including alligator/crocodile, vanilla/French vanilla, and geek/nerd (plus dweeb and dork).
That same month, the humorous trivia junkie magazine mental_floss (which was on my radar but which I did not read regularly) put out Condensed Knowledge, a book stuffed with eclectic, cleverly organized facts. It included a recurring callout feature called…"What’s the Difference?" Of its 14 comparisons, only one was already on the short list for my proposed table of contents: rap vs. hip-hop.
In early 2005, I sold my book to Barnes & Noble’s publishing division. That September, it came out in their stores and on their site bn.com. (If only picture books could move that fast.)
Just before Thanksgiving of that year, I learned that the "What’s the Difference?" feature from mental_floss was based on a recurring magazine feature of the same name. I tracked down the first two issues that included it.
Four comparisons from these first two installments were in my book as well:
- kung fu/karate (I also included judo)
- hurricane/typhoon (I also included cyclone and tornado)
- murder/manslaughter (I also included homicide)
- mountain lion/cougar (I didn’t have this as a main comparison but rather part of the "Related Terms" of panther/leopard/jaguar)
Plus two more comparisons in the magazine were on my master list—potentials for a sequel.
I contacted mental_floss to introduce myself. They already knew about my book, and in fact had been surprised to see it. I understood; it must have looked like I’d stolen the idea from the magazine or Condensed Knowledge, though they didn’t accuse me of that. In our initial e-mails, it became clear that delineating differences was just a good idea that we each had independently.
I suggested we work together in some way (not necessarily with regard to the differences concept). They kindly responded that we should try…and also mentioned that they had a full book based on their "What’s the Difference?" feature coming out in July 2006.
Continued in part 2.
Hmmmmm...Good question!! Obviously, I don't know. If I did I probably wouldn't have stopped at your tweet when I saw it on Twitter!! LOL But I'm glad I did!
The vast majority of folks who're subscribed to me on social networks are doing so because I'm an author that they're interested in.
I very seldom send requests, just accept them or not.
And my few strictly personal contacts are always the most enthusiastic when I publish a book.
That said, I have a dedicated business page on facebook and do my best to keep my personal page more personal. But I still have readers posting to the latter and asking questions about upcoming releases.
Especially when you have teens writing you all the time, it's good to give them a safe, moderated place on a network to go to for information.
As for my own author pals, I really want to hear their good news and cheer them on. Hooray!
I think what gets sticky is when (with affection/understanding) mostly self-published/obscure-press/unseasoned writers are basically friending people just for the purpose of pitching to them or post only about their own work. It begins to feel like a deluge.
I also suspect it's completely ineffective.
I was just talking about this with my wife. I think it's fine to announce books, events and signings to your friends.
However, I think you should make sure that some posts are about you, and not your work. Post about the kids, vacations, whatever. I think it makes the work stuff go down a little easier. It makes publishing a part of your life, not your whole life.
I do have a Mike Rex page, but it has very few people on it compared the my 'real" page, and I don't expect close family and friends to join both pages.
Great question. I answer it in my NEW BOOK... just kidding! My admittedly biased feeling is that we all get a pass, provided we don't abuse it. I try to limit my news blasts to "opt in" social media like Facebook & twitter plus the extremely occasional email, since my in-box is as clogged as the next person. I also try to promote my friends and fellow authors and be a good citizen, tooting the horns of others. As you mention in your piece, and as most authors (and musicians, and artists, and filmmakers...) know, even if you have your publisher's support, most books' marketing budgets are nonexistent to slim so your book will sink or swim in large part based on your efforts. Which is why we have to do this, even if it drives some of our friends - and even some of us - crazy.
I have over 4000 people on my email data base. Then locals on groups that equal about 15,000 contacts. People on my personal lists gave me *permission* to email blast them. All email addresses are kept private and they can be removed if they like...and they do. I meet people at signings, events, school visits, etc. I am now going to stop emailing fellow authors and illustrators for two reasons. 1) there is no support, not even a congrats as a reply to my news. 2) We are becoming an echo chamber of back slaps and kudos and yet no sales.
I cannot afford anyone's book if I am struggling to get work myself. I am looking for a customer base data list which is what I am building. I have people on Facebook that see my postings on a daily basis. Never even get a thumbs up that takes a milli-second to do. My bank of good wishes needs deposits to get any withdrawals from me these days. I do not have unconditional love. It makes me feel burnt out and used imho. So I am strictly going for customer based email blasts.
Melanie Hope Greenberg
ps I disagree with the personal stuff from the authors. I do not care what anyone eats, their dogs, cats, etc. Stay on message, I have no idea what your identity is and how one gives "Face" on Facebook. Are you an art historian? a reviewer? The messages are so convoluted I just pass those by. I did not set up a Page on FB because Pages talks AT me rather that WITH me and offers no support of my work. And I only post professionally so why dilute the message with so many pages to go to. We are "Colleagues" not real friends, so I treat FB as such.
Until publishers have the resources to adequately promote ALL books... as long as you aren't one of the 10 people whose books they DO promote, blast away. Email, Facebook, hot air balloon, whatever.
And then there's the big box problem: Target, Walmart, etc, place huge orders for a very small number of titles. The only way to ensure that publishers maintain a deep catalog is to get books that aren't on those very short lists SOLD, even if it has to be done one book at a time.
Also, it's fun seeing what my favorite authors are up to lately!
:paula
For me, frequency absolutely figures in. I get a little annoyed when I hear from the same people about the same things month after month. But when it comes to big, occasional things like a book launch or a substantial award, I love to hear the news.
My take on including personal/family updates ... that news is appropriate for friends and relatives, but not necessary and often unwanted among industry acquaintances.
You, most definitely, have a free pass from me, Marc! As does any author who doesn't abuse blasting. Abuse would, say, be an email everyday, pushing a book... or multiple sendings of information about the same book.
If you're looking for a more general answer... I think one of the places where authors need to be careful is on listservs. It's very tricky when a librarian on a listserv like YALSA-BK posts a query looking for some category of books, and the same author is constantly recommending one of his/her books regardless of the subject. Or constantly pushing a book when the purpose of the listserv is to talk about the books, not to advertise them. Just that you sent out the question shows that you are aware of that!
I DID see the update on Facebook, but probably wouldn't have said anything. That you asked me in an email (an I'm posting my answer here)- that's what made me respond. Not that that matters!
Thanks, all, for chiming in. In case I wasn't clear, I am speaking solely about e-blasting our friends, not fans. And solely professional announcements.
Cynthia - Someone once friended me on FB and when I asked if we knew each other, he said he was just trying to rack up a lot of "friends" to announce his (self-published) book to. In other words, no, we didn't know each other.
Mike, I agree that (for those of us who don't have a separate fan page) it's good to balance plugs with non-work posts.
Erica - ha! And then well said.
Melanie - I feel you make good points. We must reach our target audience - but sometimes that may include fellow writers and personal contacts. I buy friends' books whenever possible and at times promote other people's books (whether or not I know them) on my blog and Facebook page.
Jacket Whys - Thank you! I found it interesting that what you made you respond was an email, not a shorter post. The way we're heading with texts and online activity, receiving an email may soon again be a novelty, like it was in 1995!
I'm pressed for time here, so forgive the brief reply. I think the framing of the question is why we have a problem.
Marketing/promotion doesn't have to be "BUY MY STUFF!!!!!!!!" particularly not when it comes to friends. Letting people know about good news, however... well, don't we love to hear that? In other words, I think a lot of this is about approach.
If you met a friend on the street and the first thing they said was "you haven't seen me in a while, go buy my book!!!" you'd react oddly. If they said "Oh, great to see you. I'm so excited today cuz my new book is out!!! Isn't that so cool?!?!?" you'd probably be happy for them, wouldn't you? An email blast can work the same way.
I mean, really, do you have to tell your friends to go buy the book? It's not gonna be right for most of them, anyway. But if you tell people how excited you are, how much you hope it sells, how you'd love them to tell everyone cuz it's the coolest thing you've ever done, etc... well, it comes across differently.
Best of all, by the way, is to find a way to personalize EACH email you send, rather than bulk emailing. It does take longer, of course, but more people will read the note that way. Also, when you bulk email, you would be surprised who is in your "personal" address book - your chiropractor might not care and [email protected] surely won't. :-)
The more effort you make, the more likely it is to be rewarded. The more inviting the tone of your email, the more likely to not annoy. Or so say I, typing as fast as I can!
And in reply to Jody's thought and related ones...
It takes two for friendship. You don't like what someone posts, disconnect from them. For me, my social media accounts are about ME, so it'll be personal and professional all mixed together. I expect that in others, too. That's where my line is. Others have different ones. Great! Then act on them rather than telling people they should or shouldn't do something different. It's choice. (And the lines are blurry and we all like different things... and we're all right!)
Greg - Thanks for commenting. I agree that you don't need to hard sell friends (which is why I prioritize humor in those emails) and that not all friends will, frankly, care. But no matter what approach you take, friends will read into it. (Again, why I try for humor. The commercials we remember the most are the funny ones.)
And while I think I did customize emails the first time I announced a book, that is too unwieldy now. On the flip side, I don't do an email blast, either. I send one message but hand-pick the recipients. (Only slightly less unwieldy!)
My syndrome is that there is not even a fine line -- there is NO line -- between my so-called personal and professional lives. And yes, I considered using "syndrome" here and chose it over problem or issue because for me it's neither. I'm a writer and doodler, and nobody has to friend me or accept my invitation. For all I know some have ignored me, and that's fine with me. As such I feel free to share my sorrows and triumphs, whether they be about cooking, kids, yoga poses, some obscure blog giving my book the nod, a starred review, or whatever's coming next, say the Printz. And I love to hear what everybody else is doing. Not once have I wished some birdbrain would go away with his endless self-promotion. That's not how I see it.
Au contraire -- facebook helps me keep up with what many more of my friends and acquaintances (and even a few total strangers with lots of mutual buddies) are up to -- SO MUCH BETTER than bumping into people at ALA or KW or wherever and trying like hell to remember what they do. Now I can crow and praise and cry with them, and in this lonely field that is worth a lot. So is the opportunity to help create buzz around a book -- mine or somebody else's. I'm all for it.
Karen