Comments on: How about NOT linking book-buying to addiction?

By: The Fidra Blog » Blog Archive » Bookaholism - not dead, but probably terminal

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:06:51 +0000

[...] the comments section on The Bookseller’s online edition – and when I wrote about it here and here the idea was given fairly short shrift by our commenters. Since then I haven’t met a [...]

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:38:02 +0000

Hi Vanessa,

Completely agree….we biblioholics may call OURSELVES that, but it’s hardly a good selling point to bring in the masses who don’t read, or read only occasionally!

Celebrity posters are always good….check out the link below to see some the American Library Association uses….from Hugh Laurie, Orlando Bloom, Star Wars and Twilight (acting) to Yo-Yo-Ma (music) by way of Stephen Hawkings and Bill Gates (science, technology) and Yao Ming and Danica Patrick (sport) with a side trip to Cesar Milan (dog trainer, with his favorite dog).

They all pose gratis, as it’s a good cause….granted booksellers aren’t a non-profit organization like the library, but they’re clearly a good cause….what writer is going to be able to make a living on books sold solely to libraries? A dwindling pool of writers is never, ever good for society! Maybe if bookstores, especially independants, approached them, they’d agree…it never hurts to ask!

http://www.alastore.ala.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=160

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:24:35 +0000

I find it ridiculous that the bookseller are complaining about the feedback to their post; if they’re not going to properly explain then of course there will be backlash. Not to mention the idea itself. There are actually some fantastic suggestions posted in reply to the main article; it’s a shame the marketing people are too busy defending themselves to listen.

On a side note, I am totally going to print out your poster, Vanessa, and go and put it on every tree I can find.

Miss you all xx

By: the silver eel

the silver eel — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:58:27 +0000

Bookaholic = nerd in the popular mind. The liberating effect of reading would, I think, be a stronger message to punt. Erwin James and Lee Stringer both found release (from prison and addiction respectively) because of books; Bill Bailey said of Lenny Henry that he’d become much more confident since completing his OU degree in English Lit. That’s Lenny Henry, nationally-recognised comedian since the mid-1970s, lacking in confidence.

None of the slogans proposed are particularly rhythmic or catchy, with the exception of ‘get hooked on a book’. And you’re right, Vanessa – there is something about it which smacks of a bogus attempt to get down with the kids. People generally appreciate and respond to quality, expertise, intelligence and sincerity, so long as they’re not being talked down to or talked over. It wouldn’t hurt to address the public as discerning adults rather than marketing categories or attention-deficit adolescents.

Of course we want to see more people buying and reading books, but the deeper question is one of nurturing a literate culture, the possession of which we used to take for granted. There’s a certain chicken-and-egg aspect to that debate, but if literacy is not taken as a fundamental part of citizenship, public discourse, personal maturity and national character, then all one is doing with this campaign (or any other) is expanding a niche interest – or worse, a niche market.

Though I accept that one has to start somewhere. School, f’rinstance.

By: Catriona

Catriona — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:54:23 +0000

No Vanessa, linking anything with addiction is not the way to go. Books should be seen as positive, not negative. In winter there should be notions of curling up in a warm place with a good book. In summer there should be similar notions of stretching out and savouring a good book. (I know, it sounds cat like!)
I do not want my reading tainted by association with drugs, tobacco or an over-indulgence in alcohol. It is not the right message to be sending to children.
May I suggest that you develop a cat called Fidra and team the cat up with a certain dog? (I am sure you know who I mean.)

By: Hereward

Hereward — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:23:33 +0000

Bookaholism?

I want no part of it.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Sheila, I read the Book Brunch report too which was rather more informative, but even so, Damian has been saying things like “poetry, for example, could be sold with “fancy a line of Coleridge” and Book Brunch is reporting that possible straplines were suggested such as “Consume no less than one a month”, “Class A reading material” and “This book is seriously addictive”. I suppose it depends what the new market you’re trying to attract is – if it’s drug addicts and alcoholics then this could work.

I’m not saying we don’t need to try something new, I’m just questioning whether linking it to addiction problems is the way to go.

By: Sheila

Sheila — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:48:49 +0000

Vanessa, yes agreed Damian is good and we’ve only got The Bookseller’s report on the presentation so we should not jump to conclusion (good or bad) At no stage have I seen anywhere mentioned that the campagin is being linked to drug addictions – except on the blog rants of the usual suspects on The Bookseller website – totally unhelpful. The industry needs action to raise the profile of books to the public beyond current book buyers – other industries are doing it and we need to get our act together and not with the ideas already tried – bags, bookmarks etc. We need to attract outside our current market in order to grow and that’s going to need ideas and thoughts which no one might necessarily think of from within the industry.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:45:45 +0000

Hi Kit – I’m glad you agree and thanks for being so positive: I was convinced that the first person to comment would say that our idea was 10 times worse that bookaholism so it’s nice to see that not everyone does. I’ve met Damian as well when I was a speaker at the BA’s forum for Scottish indies a couple of months ago and he didn’t seem deranged although I think something must have happened since! And yes, it was kind of deliberate using Edward but more that we couldn’t resist the book’s title.

Hi Sheila – I agree we need something that conveys books as being cool, but I’m not sure that trying to flog books by linking them to drug addiction is a good idea, especially as the general consensus in society is that drugs are A Bad Thing. And it does smack a bit of your dad trying to be cool when he talks to your friends when you’re a teenager… really embarrassing and just trying too hard.

By: Sheila

Sheila — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:32:58 +0000

I am and have been addicted to books for more years than I care to share! along with many other addictions I have – such as shoes and watches! So I have no issues with a campagin which would promote that people MUST have books and that it is essential to have certain titles/authors etc etc.
I would so totally love our book buying customers to become even more addicted to buying books and if we can make them feel that “it’s trendy” to be addicted to book buying, hey ho.
We have had footballers promote books, we have had campagins with bags,. bookmarks and bus stop adverts, we have had “Love Reading” none of which appear to have resulted in any upturn in sales.
We need to think bigger and like you I was unable to attend the conference and would have loved to hear the full presentation rather then the report in The Bookseller. Contact Damian direct and chat with him – he is excellent.
A larger % of the population do not buy or read books, than do and that’s the group we need to target, the world today is driven by what’s cool and the must have feeling and whilst we might not feel comfortable with that style of life, it is a fact for younger generations and if even another 1% of the population felt they were addicted to books, the money would benefit us all.