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frustration in the book business mounts as the years go by, but
is probably no more clamorous than yesterday for the reason that
publishing houses and authors have simply given up. How do you get
word out about a book?
The publishing houses are of course professionally concerned in
the matter. The basic problem has to do with the cost of print advertising.
Many newspapers run book-review sections at a loss — reviews
are not widely read, and costs being as they are, advertising rates
are almost always higher than a publisher can prudently come up
with. You hear advertising on radio for books, usually for fast-selling,
fast-page-turning thrillers, which generate their own demand. Other
devices are sought, most prominently the solicitation of blurbs
from people whose endorsement might help engender a spark in the
book-buyer, who, passing by the shelf, will pause, ponder the blurb
that says, "The best book about Hollywood ever written"
and maybe reach for his/her wallet.
How to address a potential blurber is an aspect of the evolving
culture. "Dear Mr. Hemingway: John Tadpole has written a wonderful
book about fishing, and since you are the acknowledged master of
the art, we especially hope you will want to read this book and
give us a line or two we can put on the jacket. . . ."
More often, the letter from the publisher is pretty utilitarian,
and of course the recipient has to measure several things in deciding
on the request. One of them is that to undertake to read the entire
book is a serious commitment. A typical book (300 pages) requires
5-10 hours of reading time, and people who are other than professional
book-readers are therefore being asked to spend all of their reading
time for 5-10 days on the problematic book. That is a considerable
investment, which the writer is likelier to make if the author is
a friend, if the subject of the book especially interests him, or
if he feels a public obligation to do what he can to forward the
book's fortunes.
Most of us in the book-writing business get more requests than could
be handled if one were to give up eating and sleeping in order to
read all the proffered book galleys. Now the publishers know this.
Most of them don't want to invite explicit cheating, and try to
find genteel ways of saying: Look, you don't have to read every
word of this manuscript, just read enough of it to be confident
that the blurb you give us will satisfy you as being honest. If
you are disposed to endorse a history of fishing, don't feel you
have to read all 57 chapters. But the attempt to lighten the load
reaches occasional highs.
I have today a request by a publishing company (call it Alexis &
Sons) to endorse a forthcoming book on the Alexis schedule. The
publisher doesn't intrude by sending along the galleys. "Would
you do us the honor of serving as an endorser? We seek a few brief
sentences or phrases. I've included an overview of the book along
with some biographical information. It would be a privilege if you
would like to see the manuscript, which I can send you immediately."
Now this publisher will relieve you of the pain of reading the book
you are endorsing, but hark! Alexis & Sons will also spare you
the pain of devising an endorsement of it. The letter from Alexis
has a
postscript:
Samples to
choose from, rework, or use in any combination: 1) "I was
stunned by the power of [The Trials of Elmer]. This book
will change your life." Or, 2) "The Trials of Elmer
expresses an emotional depth that moves beyond anything I have
experienced in a book."
The letter
in question very nearly prompts me to write to the publisher to
say, Yes! By all mean send me a copy! I want my life to change
and will absolutely read any book that promises to move me towards
emotional depth beyond any other book I have ever read!
But I will cool off on Elmer by the time I complete this sentence.
What I will definitely look out for in the bookstores is the book
on Elmer. I want to read the endorsements of it on the jacket.
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