Yesterday, Lit agent Kristin Nelson wrote a blog post on Pub Rants–”Advertising That Works?“–that suggests a new way to publicize books. Ever hear of Groupon.com? It helps independent local businesses offer deals to local customers, sometimes at huge discounts. She sums it up like this:
It introduces subscribers to local companies that they might not have discovered otherwise and more importantly, if a subscriber buys the deal for the day, that person is committed to visiting that company or using that service in the very near future.
I’d love to know if this concept could work directly for authors. For instance, a few indie authors could team up and publicize book specials along a couple of different dimensions–say, “Get three books by local Portland authors for $25″; or, “Get three new YA paranormal romance books for $25.” It would be a great way for readers to connect with new authors in their geographical area, or new books in a genre they love.
If you know me, you’ll know that any kind of local publishing venture intrigues me. The “Big Six” publishers are not the bad guys–they’ve brought us every book we’ve ever loved–but I also love the idea of self-publishing, Wild West stigma and all. The number of books per year continues to climb, and yet the number of good manuscripts that get rejected continues to climb, too. If you’ll allow me a cautious flight of fancy, what potential there must be for (some) literature right now, if (some) authors and (some) readers alike move away (sometimes) from the big-box-store mentality of traditional publishing and instead write locally, buy locally, and read locally (a little more often).
Maybe, just maybe, books and reading would regain footing in American culture. As Leonard Cohen wrote, “There is a crack in everything; that’s how the light gets in.” For once, let it not be the light of a computer or television screen.
