Return On Investment

Dinner at Mon Ami Gabi. Lovely. Out of my price range, of course, but if I were a novelist just bursting on the scene, I might have been dining there like Steven Hall.

Haven't heard of him yet? His novel's not released, but his publisher is getting the lad's name out there, meeting and greeting, pressing some flesh, making happy talk. There's a new strategy in the marketing game, as the publishers seek to get the maximum return on their literary investments.

Steven Hall was plucked out of Manchester (wonder if he knows the McGuinn clan by any chance) and deposited in Chicago and then dragged around the Midwest, all to promote his upcoming novel The Raw Shark Texts. No book signings on this type of tour, as there is no book to sign. Mr. Hall was promoting his tome to the sellers, to the people who can place the novel at the front of the store or leave it to languish on a back shelf, however they're feeling at the time. As the author, his job was to hit the bricks and make personal contact with the higher ups of Borders, the owners of City Lights in SF, on down to the manager of a book shop in Minnesota.

His whole story is out of the ordinary, anyway. This is his first novel, picked up by Canongate U.S. and optioned to Film Four. Foreign rights are already sold. Labelled as a postmodern psychological thriller plus love story (sort of DaVinci Code-esque with an alternative setting), the publisher is sinking $150,000 into promotion, and they fully expect to get it all back, and more, in sales. Hence, they are hedging their bets by sending the author out there to sell, sell, sell.

Now, if the book is well written, with believable characters, it will indeed sell. Word of mouth will help, good reviews of course are a benefit, but if the owner of the independent book shop has met Mr. Hall and taken a liking to him, the odds are better that the same owner will recommend the novel to clients. For the booksellers, this whole pre-publication wine and dine is all new and the impact, initially, will be strong. Do this with every hot new author coming down the pike and even the independents will grow jaded.

Quite odd, to picture a reclusive writer-type person being thrust into that kind of setting, having to be personable and sociable when they're quiet and introspective by nature. Adds to the pressure of being a writer these days. Not only do you have to be a good writer, you have to be a star salesman. The MFA just isn't enough any more; you'll need an MBA as well to make it in the author business.