Not worth the hassle
June 5th, 2009 by Vanessa
I love the book trade. I love being a bookseller; I love publishing the books we rescue from obscurity; I love having new ideas – an exhibition, a second bookshop – and I hate to see the trade being driven in what I feel passionately is the wrong direction.
This afternoon I discovered that I’m completely wrong in my opinions about the ‘bookaholism’ marketing concept; that I’m apparently out-numbered almost 10 to 1 by those who think it’s a wonderful idea; and that my concerns about the wisdom of using addiction to market books are unfounded. Apparently, once Waterstone’s or WH Smith or Tesco adopt this over-arching theme to book marketing even indies like us will feel the benefit.
And so, if I’m wrong maybe it’s time to stop worrying about it. Maybe I need to just stop expressing my opinions, stop suggesting any alternatives, stop giving a damn. Maybe I need to just concentrate on our business and forget the wider picture. Whatever; it’s not worth being brow-beaten and reduced to tears.
So I’m taking a break from the blog. I can’t resist expressing my opinions and in a way that’s what the blog was set up for; so that we – me in particular – could talk about what we do, the book trade in general, books we love. I thought people found it interesting to hear what an indie publisher and bookseller thought and that the couple of hundred or so people who stop by every day were broadly in agreement with our atitudes – certainly many of them were other publishers, booksellers and authors (it’s amazing what the stats show you about people’s ISPs). I’m not given to hysterical flouncing and sulking but it seems I’m out of step so I’m going to stop blogging for a bit. Becky and Malcolm and Gill will probably write posts but I’m not going to be around for a bit.
Thanks for reading and I’m sure I’ll be back in a few weeks but for now, so long and thanks for all the fish.
Vanessa,
For what it’s worth, I think you are right.
It’s an appalling idea.
Fight the good fight, voices like yours are needed!
Eoin
This makes me sad :(
and I’m on your side.
(and we’re always right)
Love you xx
I read your blog and look for updates every day, even though I don’t comment often. The world needs different voices and debate, and the book industry is no different. If you give up being a voice of reason for the smaller independent (and therefore should be closer to public opinion) then that is a sad day. Don’t let the detractors wear you down. Everyone has an opinion, and only time will tell which is right or wrong.
I believe in what you are saying in this case and agree that there must be a much more positive way to market books and the book industry. As a hopeful author (i.e. I hope to be published someday) I hope that you stick to your guns and promote the industry in a professional and uplifting way.
Come back to your blog soon please. I promise I’ll be more vocal with my support if I agree with what you are saying, but equally I’ll be truthful if I have a different opinion.
All the best. :-) Al
What a sad post. :(
What on earth happened this afternoon to make you suddenly feel that your opinion is so invalid and unwanted? It is YOUR blog, YOUR opinions we choose to read. You are an INDIVIDUAL, it matters not that your opinions differ from those of Tesco buyers or whoever it is that thinks they’re right and you’re wrong – NEVER apologise for having an opinion that differs from the alleged majority. It’s because your opinions are refreshing that I enjoy reading your blog even though I have not contributed before.
For what it’s worth I used to work in the field of addiction and it is my belief that the word can only ever have negative connotations. It seems extremely short-sighted to equate it with books at the same time as we are encouraging our youngsters to avoid all addictive substances.
“Just say no to books!” “Don’t try reading, you might find you’re addicted!” – what a message to give out. I’ll follow the debate with interest – and a great deal of scepticism.
Please don’t stay away too long – I’m sure there are a lot of “lurkers” like myself who enjoy your contribution and respect you for your opinions regardless of whether or not we agree with them.
Take care. (((())))
There was a time when the majority of people believed the world was flat. They were proven wrong. I have sent you an e-mail – please read it.
I know that I may be a little biased as I am your Mother however you should be able to express your own opinions on your own blog. The way forward in this so called democracy is for everyone to be able to absorb constructive criticism/comments take them on board and maybe/maybe not after due consideration take action on them it does makes one wonder what they are afraid of that they cannot take on board these comments and appear to have tunnel vision.
Having worked in the NHS for 40 years I have found that many excellent ideas have come as a result of constructive comments from staff and patients (although we now must call them clients!) and there is much to be gained from listening to the minority.
I am sure that you will find that many of your authors/readers will be in tune with your feelings and I hope that you will soon be on the blog again as we all like to hear your thoughts.
Vanessa – I’m with Clare (and your mum!) – this is your blog and I don’t want you to go away or stop giving your opinions – after all, you’re in a very very good position to have an important opinion and if it’s sometimes different from others, so what? (If we only ever read things we agreed with, we’d end up being narrow-minded and complacent.) We need you being trenchant and unafraid to express yourself. We need you being INDEPENDENT! I am really sorry I didn’t follow or get involved in the Bookaholism issue – I was/am focusing on the Deathwatch launch stuff and just didn’t have time to read it. Still haven’t actually, but whatever I think about it when I do, you are perfectly entitled to your well-considered and valid view.
Come back!!! Nx
I totally agree with you, using addicition to market books, it only has negative connotations and you as a bookseller are perfectly entitled to voice your opinions.
Don’t let them beat you down and I hope to see you back on your blog soon.
Vanessa, I’m sorry that something has happened to upset you.
Now I’ve read your original post I think you make a very valid and useful point.
I’ll look forward to reading more of your blog posts soon.
Take care.
Vanessa, I have to agree with Ali (above) – so many of us read your blog regularly with great interest but might not comment as often as we should. Your views are as valid as anyone else’s in the industry and differing perspectives add so much to these kinds of debates.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend the conference this year either. I’m interested in finding out more about the proposed campaign for the book industry but confess my first impressions of the slogans were not positive (perhaps it’s a grower!). I’ll be interested to see how it progresses.
I hope you will reconsider your break from blogging; it has been an important voice for indies – raising interesting and topical issues -we’d miss you!
Hope you’re having a very busy weekend in Edinburgh and plans for the new shop are going well.
Eileen
Vanessa, as a publishing colleague from across the pond, I want to say that we have to be brave and somewhat hard-hearted to stick to our beliefs, no matter what the prevailing winds may say. This is your blog, and you’re entitled to your opinions. You have a good head on your shoulders and shouldn’t allow your voice to be quieted. It’s a scary world that drowns out dissenting opinions, so I hope you return stronger and more determined to sing out when there are things you feel destroys the sanctity of the publishing/reading world.
Oh Ness, I don’t know what happened to upset you so much, but yours is the only book-related blog I read, and I’ll miss you when you aren’t posting.
Take care, and be back soon.
(FWIW, I came across a mention of your shop/blog on a knitting related site: you are well-liked with the public.)
PS That should be ((Ness)) in my post above.
I’m with what Clare said – and even on the odd occasions that I don’t agree with you I respect you for posting what you think, for being willing to enter the debate, and for talking about the issues in an intelligent and sane manner.
For someone like me, who really wants to understand more about the book trade (and has crazy aspirations to work within it), getting the perspective of an independent who works on the ground is often more helpful than the generalised articles elsewhere. And often more interestingly written as well.
Anybody who can’t respect you for posting anhonest, considered opinion IS NOT WORTH BOTHERING WITH. The good opinion of someone so narrow-minded is not worth selling out for. Reducing someone to tears is not healthy, rational debate, it’s bullying.
Please don’t let a handful of daft mooses silence you. It’s not a debate if all sides aren’t represented.
Hope you’re feeling better soon.
Right mind is right action. Concentrating on your business is changing the wider picture.
Without gainsaying anything in the above comments – and it’s heartening to see so many Lurkers being drawn out of Downbelow (and your Mother) – it does sound as if you have quite enough going on in the real world, so maybe it’s best not to allow anything in the virtual one to distract or distress you. Fun and useful though the blogosphere can be and is, at the end of the day it’s just talk. The creeping idiocy we see in bookselling as in so much else is best combatted by doing what you’re doing.
It will be sad not to see any more posts from you for a while, but the golden rule is always: if ye dinnae want to dae it, dinnae dae it. The flip side being, if you do, then do. That seems to have been the guiding principle of Fidra so far and long may it continue.
Faito.
So sorry to read this, Vanessa. I understand you’re feeling bruised, but please don’t allow your voice to be silenced. “Never give in to bullies” is what I told my children when I was a teacher, and it applies to adults as well. I now follow your blog because of your original post on this stupid bookaholism debate on the BA blog – you are a voice of reason so don’t go mute on us!
Buck up, old girl. We didn’t agree about age banding, did we, but we’re both still here and still friends. As someone said to someone else (both of whose names I’ve forgotten), don’t let the b*****s get you down.
Hi Vanessa
This industry will not survive unless people like you say what they think and say it loudly.
Your opinion counts just as much as anyone’s and the book industry needs to listen to it just as much as it listens to Tesco or Waterstones.
Blogs are dangerous for sure and we both know that there is a fine line between being critical and being constructive but now is not the time to stop your blog – if anything it is the time to be more vocal.
But maybe we can work together on this? I repeat my invitation to you – please join us and help make the Bookaholics concept work for everyone by steering it away from the obvious pitfalls that lie ahead. If in trying to do this we find out that we can’t make it work then you can be among the first people to help create a new and better alternative. How about it?
As someone who works for a charity that helps people with addictions (amongst other things) I wholeheartedly agreed with your original blog and I can’t believe that people have been so nasty about it to stop you blogging. To link anything worthwhile, enjoyable and educational to the misery of the lives of some of our residents is extreme folly in my opinion.
Hi Damian,
Thanks for stopping by the blog but I think you’re misinterpreting me. I’m not stopping writing; just taking a week or two off and other people will write on it in my absence. And I don’t think blogs are dangerous (certainly not mine) and I think I stayed the right side of that line between being critical and constructive.
I really don’t think you realise how upsetting it was to be harangued by you on Friday – our office is on a mezzanine and my staff downstairs could hear you. I’m not in the least bit wimpy but I was shaking when I got off the phone and was very upset for all of Friday evening.
My voice (and that of the many booksellers who’ve emailed me over the last few days to tell me that they agree) clearly doesn’t count just as much as Waterstone’s or Tesco no matter what you say. At least, not as far as the BA are concerned. I don’t think the concept can be made to work and frankly, when it goes wrong and gets the wrong sort of attention I don’t want to have had any part of it. I and others have made plenty of suggestions as to better ways of approaching this issue but it seems that you/the BA/the PA etc want to be edgy and controversial. Personally, I think it’s crass at best, not to mention grammatically incorrect, but you tell me that’s what people want.
I don’t see any point in contributing to any discussions you’re planning. I have a lot on at the moment – we’re opening a gallery next month and a new bookshop in September and we have to work on promoting those. I really don’t see the benefit of giving my time and energy to trying to persuade people to see reason if they really think that ‘bookaholism’ is a good idea. Personally, although it’s interesting to talk about alternatives on the blog, I’d rather just ignore this concept as you said that there’s no money to back this scheme with any action and without any budget to develop it into a actual campaign I think it’s destined to fade into obscurity.
It’s always worth having an opinion and letting people know what it is. To be silent is to give up hope of making things better. If people ignore you, or disagree with you, or lambast you – well all these things happen, and they’re deeply upsetting at times. It may seem too great an effort or too soul-destroying to be worthwhile for. But the point is if you care about things then the main person who really loses from your silence is yourself. It’s impossible to care and not have strong opinions on things. And for everyone who maybe disagrees with someone, there will be folk who completely agree too.
Yours is one of my favourite blogs – because it’s brave, it cares, it’s positive, it’s activity and progress based, it has knowledge and expertise, it has opinions – and it’s naturally on a fabulous subject too! Keeping silent gets taken for affirmation and then where does it all end, it ends with things no one or not enough people agree with as the accepted norm. So, nothing wrong with coughing loudly and going ‘ahem’ when you feel the need….
Hi Vanessa, we were in your lovely shop briefly last Wednesday afternoon, had only 15 minutes on a nearby parking meter so it was a flying visit.
I purchased a signed copy of Nicola Morgan’s latest paperback, thanks to the promotion of that by your helpful assistant. I already own and love The Highwayman’s Footsteps and The Highwayman’s Curse by N M.
Also succumbed to The Children’s Book by A S Byatt, mainly because of dovegreyreader’s blog, the power of blogs in book selling must be tremendous.
I’m glad you’re just taking a break from blogging and not giving it up altogether. Keep up the good work in book selling and publishing your reprints.
I want my kids to grow up knowing that addiction is an illness that takes everything that matters from people – money, friends, family, self-respect, health, well-being. Addiction strips all of those away. It’s not funny or cool in any way whatsoever. When my children are older and someone offers them drugs, which is unfortunately likely to happen, I want them to have to strength to say ‘no’. And ‘no’. And ‘no’. I know they’ll be up against evil people who try to foist alcohol or drugs onto them by pretending it’s ‘cool’. I wish they weren’t. It’s my job as a mother to prepare them for those tests. Anybody who tries to make addiction sound cool is not going to be popular with me, because they are potentially messing with my children’s lives. I love books, my children love books. But there is nothing cool about addiction. These people should know better.
Hi Vanessa
What a bloody carry on all the above is. I’m now in my 80th year, cripped with osteoarthritis and with a metal spine in consequence. I have to live on morphine and cannot use my hands also. Nowt can be done for me. Do as I would – give a solid 2 fingers to whosoever has upset you AND remember all your true friends. It’s taken a lot of real guts to open your shop/s and certain comments you may have received could be sour grapes. More 2 fingers! This is one old kid very much on your side. Blog again with your opinions when you are able. Look forward to them. Life is so short.We none of us know how we’re going to end up. I was a real sportswoman – now – ! On your side all the way.
Most kind regards
HAZEL
Well said Hazel that goes for many of us. When Nessa has finished with broadcasting on the radio and attending all the posh parties this week we will hopefully hear more.
I’ve never commented before, but I’ve been to the shop a couple of times, follow you on Twitter and read this entry a few days ago, and thought I’d post this link even though you’ve probably seen it before: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2009/jun/10/promoting-bookaholism Read the comments – you are clearly not alone!
Well, we can be ‘wrong’ together then, about all sorts of things. Have a nice rest, and come back and keep saying what you think is important.
(Do you need any curses or anything?)
Vanessa I wondered if you had spotted Charles Saatchi new book! Artoholic! How funny after all the publicity over the Bookoholic ideas presented for thought at the BA conference.