Why People Won't Buy Your Book

[Stafford Battle]

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?

There are a number of possible answers. 1) In a show that offers table after table after table of authors, customers find it difficult to choose. And, most buyers simply can't afford to buy every book or author they see or want to support. If you walk into Borders you don't buy every book on the shelf. You select carefully then purchase. Actually, it is much easier for authors to sell books at small venues with only a few authors. 2) Readers often purchase because of the author's presentation and not just the book. When an author stands infront of an audience and presents his or her story; more books are sold. Ask any motivational speaker -- their solitary back of the room table is crowded at the end of a talk. 3) Maybe your book is just NOT that good. Sure, you may have spent weeks or more likely months or years preparing your "baby". But if the cover is not up to par or, the inside of the book is not well designed, or the story is weak and uninspired, readers won't buy. They will smile and say "how nice" and walk away to the next table.

It is issue #3, that we as authors frequently must study.

Look in the mirror and say, "Is my book any good? How does it compare with similar books? Have my friends and family told me the complete truth about the quality of my writing and presentation?"

Honest criticism is the writer's best tool. That's why the most profitable writers relish hardnosed, horn-rimmed, by-the-stylebook-only editors whose red ink flows like rivers of blood over precious manuscripts. Its more than spell check and grammar. Someone other than your lover or parents must tell you when your words suck; and, most important, give suggestions on how to make them better.

Then you decide how to proceed. Maybe, that's why readers won't buy your book. You may need to write a better book.

[Afrika Midnight Asha Abney]

Greetings Tamara,

I believe also part of the problem with Ms.Grant's book, Hope & Desire was the publishing company that she used which I am not sure she wants to state. Honestly, her book is a remarkable book, but part of the issue is not people are not buying the book, but the very low percentages that authors such as Ms.Grant receives from book sells. She is based in Rockville, MD and is not marketing her book for the above reasons. She is working on her new novel and plans on marketing it in book clubs, festivals, book fairs, etc.....

I think that everyone states valuable points, but like Tamara states it depends on how you are marketing the book and what percentage you receive as the author from the book sells. If you are receiving very low percentage from book sells, I might suggest that you avoid using vanity publishers. Also, think about the book cover and title of your book.

I also would like about expanding your target audience and think outside the box. Most of us prefer to stick to our own, but that may not help get you where you need to be.

Thank you for your time.

Cordially,
Afrika Midnight Asha Abney

[Yasmin Coleman]

Good points sis...if at all possible avoid vanity press and truly self publish your book. Do research before you choose a vanity press as everything that glitters is not gold.
xoxo

[Enoch Mubarak]

At the risk of sounding like a nay-sayer and doom-sayer may I remind us all that all the book clubs, book shows, book suggestions and book seminars are to no avail if African Americans are well known and well documented for our inability and desire to read books or throughly research reading material.

One of the most ardent and challenging aspects to the African American business culture is getting African Americans to read a book let alone buy a book. The majority of best selling black authors must first have their books sanctioned and promoted by white media and white readers before they become of any interest to African Americans.

I write to you from realtime experience because as a published author, and CEO of Mubarak Inter-prizes I am on the front line of the African American intellectual reality.

The African American intellectual reality is that African Americans must be compelled beyond logic and reasoning to read because reading in and of itself merely for the sake of intellectual enhancement and personal edification is wholly insufficient to motivate African Americans to pick up a book and read it.

The expectation and requirement that African Americans should read is a deterrent to pursuing any business or professional endeavor where reading is a part of the process.

The factual nature and culture of African Americans is that African Americans need to see it before they believe it. They need to see it before they buy it.

The visual promotion of the product must compel the African American to buy before they will purchase the actual product. African Americans are 95% visual. For African Americans a picture is worth a thousand words.

Mubarak Inter-prizes fully understand the dichotomy of African Americans and Mubarak Inter-prizes successfully and aggressively addresses the factual nature and culture of African Americans.

If you were to visit our company website at: www.mubarakinter-prizes.com you will immediately notice that we promote and market to African American via expanded ad panels, pictures, photographs and illustrations because the majority of African Americans can see better than they can read.

The dichotomy of African Americans
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.

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 only consider reading the book. (End of part1)

[Enoch Mubarak]

(Part2)
A Harsh reality
For the few African Americans that are reading their way through business and life are learning a harsh lesson in economic race relations that go far deeper than the thin veiled surface of diversity and positive thinking.

African American business owners are discovering that there is no escape from dealing with African Americans if you have any hopes about being a success without requiring European intervention.

African American business owners are discovering the hard and harsh reality that:

.The European markets won't do business with African Americans unless we adhere to controlled supervision.

.Unless African Americans speak fluent Spanish, or clearly understand Spanish culture, no African American business can survive in the Spanish markets.

.African Americans won't do business with other African Americans to any sufficient degree that your talents, products, skills or business will sustain any real or lasting success.

.All other cultural markets are also closed to African Americans.

The Producers
The only option left open to African Americans is networking, but networking is useless without an producing infrastructure to connect our skills, talents or products to. Absent a producing infrastructure African American business owners are just drifting through space hoping to connect.

With no producing infrastructure African American networking is void of any real substance or depth. Mubarak Inter-Prizes is keenly aware of the African American dilemma.

MUBARAK INTER-PRIZES
African Americans need an infrastructure and Mubarak Inter-Prizes provides African Americans with an solid steel, high speed, high definition and rust resistant high producing infrastructure.

At Mubarak Inter-Prizes we look at what we have going for us and not what we have coming against us.

Our expanded ad panels form picture perfect advertisements that compel African Americans to not only purchase items but also to display discipline, continuity and consistency of purpose.

As an African American business owner and member of the African American team, Mubarak Inter-Prizes, through powerful, colorful and compelling ad advertisements is soliciting the courage and the commitment of African Americans to move as one unit to form a thrust powerful enough to penetrate the hardened resistance to our global inclusion in the 21st century business and marketing equation.

We are currently updating our company website as always with you in mind because no company loves the African American like Mubarak Inter-prizes.

We love you just the way you are.

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

[Yasmin Coleman]

One of the most ardent and challenging aspects to the African American business culture is getting African Americans to read a book let alone buy a book. The majority of best selling black authors must first have their books sanctioned and promoted by white media and white readers before they become of any interest to African Americans.

Hmmm I disagree...folks who come to mind who are best selling authors who hustled and got there deals because of their hustle rather than the white media/reader include:
Eric Jerome Dickey (he had a strong black following...which made white publishers take note)
E. Lynn Harris
Tracy Price Thompson
Victoria Christopher Murray
and say what you wanna say...also Zane...it was BLACK FOLKS BUYING HER BOOKS IN DROVES so much so that she was able to write her own ticket with S&S!
Sorry but we don't always have to wait for Mr. Charley to give us our due...and AfAms are no different than anyone else...reading is DOWN ACROSS THE BOARD...for white folks 2...but wait we are different because there's a research study that was done last year which shows that Black Folks read more for pleasure/leisure reading than other folks...and in case you're wondering who did the research...a white company...:)

[BELLETRISTIC PRESS]

Great article, Stafford! Books are indeed judged by their covers, and the power of author promotion should never be underestimated. At BP we find when the author is proactive in marketing their work, it builds name recognition and that invariably translates to sales. Not only that, but the reading public enjoys meeting the person behind the book. And for readers, there's nothing like having a signed copy of a book. Signed copy contests are among the most popular and effective marketing tools in publishing. Sure, you take a loss by giving away a few freebies, but that's just the little picture. The big picture is those giveaways represent all the people who now know about your book, but didn't before. Now they'll each tell a friend, their friends will tell friends, their friends' friends will tell friends and so forth. That leads to name recognition for the author, public awareness of the book, and branding for the publishing company. BP always prints "complimentary" copies that we give away to reviewers, the authors themselves, and for contests as part of our marketing plan. TIP for self-published authors: allocate a certain amount of books from your printrun as giveaways. Say for every 100 books you print, set aside 10 to market, promote and sell the other 90. That's a tried and true marketing strategy that self-publishers overlook because they see the book/money as being wasted when it could have been a sale. Not true, look at the big picture.

[Yasmin Coleman]

At BP we find when the author is proactive in marketing their work, it builds name recognition and that invariably translates to sales

Yes...and also agree that authors need to look at the big picture when it comes to review books...each author should try and set aside 100 books for giveaways...I'm not saying that you have to give away that many...but you need to have books in reserve to use for contests, press kits, reviews and SUPERREADERS OR FAN CLUBS...some of your best sales will come from folks who read your book and promote (not loan) your book to others!

[KODIACK]

I find it usefull to have a platform. If potential buyers have never heard of you, or you're not connected with something that has fame , or is "In the now" You wont sell books!
I am fortunate so far and Im selling hundreds of copies since nov,07....

[George Wilder Jr.]

That is true. There is also another reason some may purchase your book. And that is the economy. Gas prices, food prices, joblessnes, and the every growing high cost of housing play a big part of people's budgets. People have no problem heading off to the nearest library for reading material.

[George Wilder Jr.]

There is always another reason some may not purchase a book. And that is the economy. High gas prices, food prices, joblessnes, and rising cost of housing. This too will play a big part in who will buy your book. The library is an big option. We all want mega sells, however, we have to deal with reality.

[ITAR]

Very well put...Sheesh..You really got me running scared now....LOL

[Sonia Pichardo]

USE TECHNOLOGY GUYS

What Mr. Battle has written is quite true

"Readers often purchase because of the author's presentation and not just the book. When an author stands in front of an audience and presents his or her story; more books are sold. Ask any motivational speaker -- their solitary back of the room table is crowded at the end of a talk."

Has anyone thought about changing the way they market their book? If you are a self-published author, you need to bring your "book" (or baby) in front of as many audiences as you can. Why don't you use technology to bring your story in front of as many people as you can?

For example use the Scott Sigler method.

EarthCore by Scott Sigler was originally published in 2001 by iPublish, an AOL/Time Warner imprint. With the novel doing well as a promotional ebook, Time Warner was planning on publishing the novel. With the economic slump following September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Time Warner did away with the imprint in 2004, Scott decided to start podcasting his novel in March, 2005 as the worlds first podcast only novel to build hype and garner an audience for his work. Sigler considered it a "no brainer" to offer the book as a free audio download. Having searched for podcast novel's" and finding none, Sigler decided to be the first . Sigler was able to get EarthCore offered as a paid download on iTunes in 2006 . EarthCore had over 10,000 subscribers. Sigler is leveraging new media to keep in-touch with his fans, regularly talking with them using social networking sites, via email, and IM. (Taken from Wikipedia)

Full disclosure: I am the owner of HarlemFriends. We are an audionovel company that brings new authors to new audiences through the power of podcasting. If you would like to know more about our business please visit my page.

However, for self-published authors to gain a following they must strategically and willingly allow audiences to hear (free audionovels), read (free e-book downloads) and experience the novel and the author (multi-city book signings and events). Since many authors are not signed to lucrative book deals and may have constrained budgets, the author has to ask him/herself: How can I best reach my target audience? Is there a way that I can develop a relationship with the reader that makes them look as my work as valuable and necessary? Once you can answer those questions and follow through with action, I believe people will ask to buy your book. Using new media technology is one cost-effective way to do this.