Why People Won't Buy Your Book- What's up? Why aren't people buying? - Stafford Battle

[Enoch Mubarak]

"During the last few months, my wife and I have had the opportunity to attend many book shows and festivals -- in DC, Maryland, and New York City. It is gratifying to see so many new black faces promoting their literary works. However, in observing money transactions between authors and readers, sadly, many books just don't sell. At writer's meetings, authors complain of travelling hundreds of miles and spending hundreds of dollars only to sell one or two copies of their inventory."

What's up? Why aren't people buying?
Stafford Battle


Dear brother Stafford Battle and all others
When you have black people without disposable income coupled with dependents deciding the best way to spend the few dollars they do have, buying a book is not an option unless you are determined to buy something just for you on your trip to the mall. Even at that you must still prepare yourself to reap the whirlwind of criticism from your dependents calling you selfish and unthoughtful of their needs.

If black a woman has 3 children an unemployed man and $200 to spend make sure you are alone if you decide to spend $25.00 on a book because otherwise your dependents and man will be in your ear reminding about how hard times are especially with high gas prices, food prices, joblessness, and the rising cost of housing. They will insist that your book purchase could have waited until the situation got better.

White people on the other hand don't need to rob Peter in order to pay Paul therefore constantly using them as the shiny example of how to sell your book or how to market black authored books is totally unrealistic.

To sell a black authored book to black people is a unique challenge that requires thought, preparation and diabolical planning not creative planning.

Many black authors in order to sell or promote their works rely heavily on salacious titles and provocative high gloss book covers. Many attempt to pattern their writing style and subject matter around either Donald Goines, sex and betrayal or poetry. As a result the black book market is flooded with black authors all telling the same story.

The major media outlets don't cater to black authors therefore exposure is limited to Barnes and Noble, Target, or some other commonly recognize book outlet. Having your book listed on Ingram's database is of no true benefit to black authors because black people don't understand nor recognize the significant of it.

The African Americans dichotomy
Young and middle aged African Americans become extremely irritable and frustrated with others that have expectations of them reading anything beyond the manatory requirements of work or school. Older African Americans believe reading causes unneccessary strain upon their already aging or medically impaired eyesight.

African Americans are motivated and compelled to purchase based on powerfully pursasive visual advertisement and not paragraph after paragraph of reading. The expectation, discovery or ambush of reading immediately causes African Americans to lose interest in your product or website.

The major mistake black authors make is trying to do what white authors do. Black people are impulsive buyers. They are not concentrated buyers. Black people buy on the spot and if they buy a book directly from the black author you can believe they are going to let you know that they are buying the book to support you and for none other reason than that.

Selling books to the black mindset without the help or benefit of white media conglomerate interest is a challenge unlike anything you will ever experience.

Enoch Mubarak
President/CEO Mubarak Inter-prizes
www.mubarakinter-prizes.com

[Felisha Bradshaw]

hmmmm...I BEG TO DIFFER.
I AM A PUBLISHED BLACK FEMALE AUTHOR AND I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND ON 125TH STREET, HOOTIN AND HOLLERING ABOUT MY BOOK BEING THAT BOOK YOU HAVE TO HAVE. A FEW SMILES AND FRIENDLY GESTURES, WALKING AND TALKING WITH MY NATIVE PEEPS SERVED AS A PLUS. IT MAY BE HOW YOU PRESENT YOURSELF. I MAY LOWER THE PRICE OF MY BOOK DOWN TO A MERE FEW PENNIES...WHERE I DO NOT PROFIT FROM IT BUT TAKE NO LOSE; IF A PERSON SHOWS INTEREST BUT IS LOW IN CASH. WE AS WRITERS NEED TO COME TO TERMS WITH WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT....GETTING YOUR NAME OUT THERE OR FILLING UP OUR POCKETS....IN WHITE AMERICA OR WHERE EVER. WHITE FOLX OR BLACK FOLX BUYING YOUR BOOKS YOUNG OR OLD....EVERYONE HAS BEEN HIT BY THE DRASTIC CHANGE IN THE ECONOMY...I KNOW SOME POOR WHITE FOLK JUST AS I KNOW SOME POOR BLACK FOLK...IT IS ALL ABOUT HOW U PLAY THE GAME AND A CRRATIVE MIND WORKS BETTER THAN STRATEGIZING A HIT ON PEOPLE'S POCKETS.

[Enoch Mubarak]

"IT IS ALL ABOUT HOW U PLAY THE GAME AND A CRRATIVE MIND WORKS BETTER THAN STRATEGIZING A HIT ON PEOPLE'S POCKETS".
Felisha Bradshaw

Dear sister Felisha Bradshaw and all others
What is the distinct or specific difference between "HOW U PLAY THE GAME", "A CRRATIVE MIND" and "STRATEGIZING A HIT ON PEOPLE'S POCKETS" especially when all three are a means to an end that requires the strategy of "HOW U PLAY THE GAME", "A CRRATIVE MIND" and "STRATEGIZING of a method to HIT ON PEOPLE'S POCKETS" in order to make, motivate or encourage the sale?

It is suggested by me that there is no distinct or specific difference between the three.

Sincerely, Enoch Mubarak

[Jill]

Just my simplistic 2 cent In my Humble opinion. I Believe folks buy YOU and then your book(s) .Create /maintain an audience the rest follows .

PEACE LOVE & CONTINUAL BLESSINGS Jill

[Enoch Mubarak]

"I Believe folks buy YOU and then your book(s) .Create /maintain an audience the rest follows ."
Jill

Dear sister Jill"
Create /maintain an audience the rest follows ." Your "simplistic 2 cent in my Humble opinion" was a wise investment towards this discussion because I didn't see that coming.

"Create /maintain an audience the rest follows ." that's true, beautiful and profound.

Sincerely, Enoch Mubarak

[Jill]

Waving to *Enoch* & *THANK YOU*

PEACE LOVE & CONTINUAL BLESSINGS Jill

[Kyha TheWriter]

I hate to say it but I'm glad my book doesn't cater to just black folks. I sale my books overseas as well as in the U.S. and it's doing better overseas than over here and it really has nothing to do with non-disposable income it has something to do with just plain ole reading being fundamental. Folks over here black or white don't read anymore because they would just rather wait for the movie to come out of you even intend to go that far with your story. I've learned real quick that in order to make money with books you must quickly turn it into a movie, film, flick, mini series etc. in order to survive! I'm glad I turned my novel into a screenplay because now it's getting the attention it deserves. People just don't want to make time to read anymore that's why this country is going downhill real quick! People over here want to stay ignorant and forget about reading books or learning something...and they wonder why jobs are going overseas. Maybe it's time that folks get back to the basic way of living and turn off the television and pick up a book. Reading is fundamental people!

[Enoch Mubarak]

"African Americans will rather wait to see the movie before they will read the book that inspired the movie and maybe after seeing the movie they will then consider reading the book."
Posted by Enoch Mubarak on September 25, 2008 out of Chicago, Il.

"People over here want to stay ignorant and forget about reading books or learning something..Folks over here black or white don't read anymore because they would just rather wait for the movie to come out"
Posted by Kyha TheWriter May 6, 2009 out of North Carolina

From Chicago Illinois - To North Carolina , from the North to the South, from the U.S.A. to the book drive in Kenya Africa reading is the only way to hear freedom ring.

Read for Liberty, Read for Justice, Read for truth, Read for freedom, Read for life.

Don't wait for the movie.

Sincerely, Enoch Mubarak
President/CEO Mubarak Inter-prizes
www.mubarakinter-prizes.com

[andrea hayes]

Hi my name is Andrea and i was wondering if you could tell me a little more about the Ingram program if you dont mind i would appreciate it thanks

[Enoch Mubarak]

Dear Andrea and all others
The Ingram database makes your book information available to bookstores and booksellers the world over. Ingrams database enjoys the reputation that gives bookstores and book sellers confidence and peace of mind knowing that if your book is registered in the Ingrams database that your book is duly notable, certifiably legit and best of all returnable.

Your book publisher normally has the connections to list your book in the database as a paid service. My book was published and place in the Ingrams data base by Author House.

Click or copy/paste the link below to learn more about Ingrams database and then contact your book publisher to have your book listed.

http://www.ingrambook.com/programs/content/default.asp

In the real-time scenario below since my book is listed in the Ingrams data base it is being noticed, sold and shipped to places as far away as Germany and India.

http://www.flipkart.com/undercover-smart-enoch-mubarak-steps/142087...

All India - Free Shipping. See Details
Ships to India only.
Buy online through:
- Credit Card (VISA & MasterCard)
- Debit Card or Internet Banking Account (all major Indian Banks accepted)
- Cheque, Demand Draft or Money Order. See Details
Publisher: Authorhouse

Sincerely, Enoch Mubarak