L.J. Sellers is an award-winning
journalist and the author of the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/suspense
series: The Sex Club, Secrets to Die For, Thrilled to Death, Passions of the Dead, Dying for Justice, Liars, Cheaters &
Thieves, and Rules of Crime. Her novels have been highly praised by Mystery Scene, Crimespree, and RT Reviews,
and the series is a Kindle bestseller. L.J. also has three standalone
thrillers: The Baby Thief, The Gauntlet Assassin, and The Suicide Effect. When not plotting
murders, she enjoys performing standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and
attending mystery conferences. She’s also been known to jump out of airplanes. Welcome to Book Blather, L.J.
This summer I gave away my
last stack of bookmarks at an art fair. When I got home, I wrote on my to-do
list: Order more bookmarks? The
question indicates just how much this industry has changed. Last year, having
bookmarks seemed essential. I would have never let myself even run low, let
alone run out completely. Yet now, I’m not sure I should spend money to buy
more.
Besides the two local book events
I attend each year—Art & the Vineyard (July) and Holiday Market
(Dec.)—where else can I give them away?
I used to send them out with books
I mailed—review copies, contest winners, gifts—but I don’t do much of that
anymore. I sell mostly ebooks, and my readers typically want digital files as
review copies and gifts. Not all readers, I know, but many. And the people still reading print books probably have
more bookmarks than they’ll ever use.
I also send out fewer print
books with every new release. When I published Liars, Cheaters & Thieves, I only sent seven review copies in
print. Two years ago, I would have sent thirty. But I no longer waste money
mailing books to organizations that have never reviewed my work. I used to think
it was worth the cost of the book and postage. Now I don’t. Most of my regular
reviewers want digital copies instead.
And I used to drop off
bookmarks at our Borders store every two weeks, but we all know what happened
to that.
I gave up most book signings
long ago, so I don’t need bookmarks for them. I still take a few bookmarks to
conferences and leave them on the crowded tables with everyone elses, but would
it make any difference if I didn’t? Probably not. My name is in the brochure,
and I’m usually on a panel or two, so readers hear about me. Those bookmarks
probably get tossed in the recycling at the end of the convention…along with
dozens of others (and postcards, flyers, etc.). Readers and writers seem happy
to take my business card though.
So, will I print more? Maybe
a hundred, in case I do World Book Night in April and give away a bunch of
copies of The Sex Club…with a bookmark.
Wouldn’t that be fun? After that, who knows? Maybe I’ll be done with them.
Another publishing staple on
its way to becoming obsolete.
Does it make you a little
sad? Or have you embraced the all-digital future?
Contact L.J. at:
http://ljsellers.com
http://ljsellers.com/blog
https://www.facebook.com/ljsellers
https://twitter.com/LJSellers
http://ljsellers.com/blog
https://www.facebook.com/ljsellers
https://twitter.com/LJSellers
Thanks for hosting me. I was cleaning this weekend and found a few bookmarks in my book boxes, so I guess I don't have to order any. Happy Labor Day!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, L.J. I have a few bookmarks hanging around from my first book as well. It's a whole new (digital) world!
ReplyDeleteTimely post for me. I'm about to order more bookmarks, but will probably order half of what I used to. My bookmarks multi-task, acting as both business cards and a listing of all my books/series in order. I find people still want them. At book fairs they are a nice take away that hopefully readers who did not buy a book will look at later - when they are buying books online. We are definitely changing the way we market.
ReplyDelete