Bringing fantasy to the masses
Some of you may remember the difficulty I had in getting people to accept copies of Northern Lights by Philip Pullman as part of 2011's World Book Night (one of the saddest moments was when someone wanted me to sign the book because they thought that I had wrote it, or the mother who refused to let her kids have books).
I've signed up to do it again in April 2012, this time (hopefully) handing out copies of Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I really want to make an impact and introduce people to the fantasy genre, and I figure there's not better introduction than a book written by its two greatest British authors.
My only concern is that my efforts will be a repeat of last year. Every location and local press centres I spoke to about it ignored me completely, and people were generally apprehensive about accepting a free book.
The aim is to get non-readers to take the book, read it and find the same joy of reading that we have. This is a difficult task when these are the same people who (stereotypically for the Welsh Valleys) would sooner mug you than accept a free book.
Have you had any success in getting someone to pick up a book and read, even if it isn't fantasy? What can I do to improve on last year?
I cant even get my own father to read a book and he is by no means a dumdum. Also good omens is good but maybe a bit too terry pratchetty for new readers?
ReplyDeleteI think what you are doing is just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteMost people are very apprehensive about accepting something free from a stranger, usually because there is a catch, last time someone offered me a free book they said "the book is absolutely free, we're just asking for a donation for printing costs" and they wanted me to think about becoming a monk.
Have you tried getting people to come to you. How well advertised is the world book night?
'My only concern is that my efforts will be a repeat of last year. Every location and local press centres I spoke to about it ignored me completely, and people were generally apprehensive about accepting a free book.'
ReplyDeleteThis made me go, 'hmmmm,' but I'm with Kane on this one. I agree that what you are doing is way cool and that people do become apprehensive at the idea of free, but ...
I've no suggestions but this: Keep trying what comes to mind because the line between success and failure is razor-thin. All it takes is one idea that works.
yeah, i'm betting kane is right on this one.
ReplyDeletethe only times i've ever been offered free books (and to be honest offered other people free books) is in connection with religion and evangelism.
i've had some luck with lending people i know books that i think they in particular would enjoy. but giving away free books? i don't really know.
maybe you could scout your location of choice and post a couple posters explaining world book night a few weeks ahead of time. then the people who frequent that spot might have an idea of what is happening and won't be so skeptical.
also, i ADORE gaiman *sigh*.
but i also wonder if giving away books would be easier if the title was something people in the area were pretty familiar with... not that they'd already read it, but that they'd heard of it.
good omens may be closer than your choice last year.
Outstanding choice of book :) I just got my husband to read his first book since Harry Potter 7, which was what...3 years back? How did I do it? I didn't..I bought it for him, he ignored it for weeks, he saw 2 blokes reading it on the bus...and BAM, he read it in 2 days!! Maybe they just need to see other people reading and enjoying?? No idea how you would organise that!
ReplyDeletePeople not accepting free books? What's wrong with them? I'd always accept free books. :)
ReplyDeleteQuite a few people I know like fantasy, so it's hard to say what will lure a non-fantasy reader to read fantasy. Perhaps comparing it to a bigger movie they might've seen could ease their apprehension.
I have no idea. I actually have a relative that I have a very difficult time getting to read. She will occasionally love a book I suggest to her, but usually just doesn't like reading in general.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what's wrong with her.
oh man, i LOVE Good Omens.
ReplyDeleterecently a friend of mine told me that she doesn't read, which was kind of shocking because she seems like a reader. She told me that the one book she loved was A Good Dog by John Katz. So the next time i saw her, i gave her a paper bag full of dog books to borrow and read at her own pace. I aim to bring her into the fold
I think we've just been taught not to trust people. If someone wants to give us something for free, there's bound to be a catch. Either there will be some hidden fee later or they will try to kidnap us.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I've had Good Omens sitting in my desk for six months. I keep meaning to read it, but my to-read pile is HUGE.
Good Omens is a good choice of book to hand out. It's an excellent read. Fun and not too demanding.
ReplyDeleteI'm really lucky, everyone here reads and they'd jump at a free book.
ReplyDeleteYour link didn't work for me.Got a 404, google has been having these issues so I can't check out what you did last year.
Do you have a table or are you the shady guy in a trench on the corner. do you have signs explaining your cause?
I loved this book! Hmm... I have not read all the comments here, but I did see someone mentioned putting up posters in advance, explaining what you are doing. I'd add to that by finding a paper willing to publish an explanation and where to find you. Make a poster saying, "Free books! No catch! I want the world to just read!!!" or something wild and tacky like that. ;) Get some friends to help you out. Man, if I was there, I'd be all over that. :D
ReplyDeleteYou're asking the wrong person about sales techniques! Glad you're trying again though.
ReplyDeleteWe're a family of readers so I can't imagine anyone turning away a free book.
ReplyDeleteYou need to get your sales patter perfected. I work in a Boutique and I swear selling free stuff is harder than selling for money because it breaks with a long held tradition of the cash/card hand over being part of the agreement... you're breaking with a lifelong ritual and therefor are not to be trusted.
ReplyDeleteGood luck
Lx
Oh, I must remember to sign up to do this. I can't believe a mother who wouldn't let her kids have BOOKS?! What? Crazy!
ReplyDeleteThere was a mother who refused to let her kids have books???
ReplyDeleteBack when I was teaching, I had a student who didn't like to read. By the end of his time with me, he was getting in trouble in his other classes because he was reading during them.
At BEA a few years ago I handed out free copies of Sleeping Roses (it's romantic suspense). As they walked by I'd say, "Hi, would you like a book?" (not a free book - just book). All but maybe 5 people took the book happily. Placed about 300 books that way. =D I also got an international agent that way, too. LOL
ReplyDeleteThe only things I can think of are the local radio - can you get them interested? Or, do you have the guys who sell the local evening paper in the towns? Chat one of them up so you can stand next to them and offer a free book with every copy of the paper sold :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great choice! GOOD OMENS is one of the funniest books of all time. I love that the legions of Hell choose to communicate via the music of Freddie Mercury. It's absolute perfection.
ReplyDelete