Okay, so, I get really excited whenever I see a television commercial for books. It feels like books and the publishing industry are reaching out to more people that way and it makes me really happy. And this is exactly how I felt when I saw the television commercial for James Patterson’s new book: I, Alex Cross. Has anyone seen it?
Well, my excitement and happiness dipped and then disappeared entirely as I watched the commercial. James Patterson comes onto the screen and talks a little bit about his new book and how wonderful it is. And then, as the commercial is heading toward its end, he says something to the effect of “if you don’t buy this book, I’m killing off my character.”
At this point, I’m livid. What kind of author can say something like that?
In my opinion, if an author doesn’t love their character and want to write their character, then why would a reader love the character or want to read about the character? And to be honest, it felt as though Patterson was threatening his readership. Why would someone as big as Patterson even need to suggest such a thing? People buy his books just because his name is on it. Even people who have never read any of his work (and yes, I am counted among that number) know who he is.
As soon as he said he was going to kill his character off for no good reason, my hackles went up. I thought about it for a moment and I couldn’t even begin to find any legitimate reason that an author would say something like that. To me, it felt as though there was a condescending and demeaning quality to what he said. It is a reader’s prerogative to decide what they want to read and for an author to threaten to kill off a character if readers don’t buy the book is offensive to me. I don’t know how Patterson’s readers reacted to this. But I was upset. A television commercial, which should be a positive thing for a new book and for the publishing industry becomes something negative because a big name author is threatening his readership.
Maybe I am looking too deeply at this. It’s possible. But as a reader I would be completely turned off by an author if they threatened to kill a main character if not enough people buy the book.
I guess the only thing I can end this with is: I give kudos to the whole television commercials for books. But I think that, seeing as readers tend to be thinkers, this particular commercial could have been more well thought out. I doubt that the commercial hurt sales on Patterson’s book. After all, he is James Patterson. But readers are a small community and a community that does not necessarily want to be told what to do. So. Commercials are positive. Threatening your readership, not so much.
I guess it’s all good publicity though! Over here in the UK, there were a series of book adverts running between episodes of something recently (can’t remember what program it was, but it might have been Flash Forward). Do they really make people go and buy the books though? What is the best way to attract readers? Adverts? Reviews? Word of mouth? Someone like Patterson doesn’t have this problem, as he has a considerable following, so in his case, an advert is just telling his readers that there’s a new book out. The rest of us (authors) trying to attract a following are still looking for the magic elixir that actually makes people go out and purchase a copy.
Your are right. Mr. Patterson doesn’t need the commercial for anything other than an announcement of his new book. And while I don’t necessarily like the idea, you’re also probably right that any publicity is good publicity. At least that is whatever everyone says! Although, I know that as a reader I am a bit wary of going to read Patterson now, when I was recently considering going to buy one of his books. I’m not sure lack of one reader will really make a difference to him though. I don’t know if the advertisements make people go and buy the books, and I wonder right alongside you if there is a “magic elixir” that makes people go and buy a book. I suppose its all trial and error and all we can do is try anything and everything we can think of.