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January 21, 2005
Marketing demographics and other myths
Alesia, loving life...
The traditional marketing wisdom for chick lit is that it’s only read by single women in the 20-35 year old category. Well, guess what? I just got a reader letter from a 63 year old woman!!!! It made my whole day . . . actually, my whole week!! She said: “I am 63 and pretty much set in the type of fiction i enjoy” but she’d been feeling ill and her daughter brought her AMERICAN IDLE to try. She wasn’t crazy about the cover, but tried it anyway . . . and she LOVED it!!!!
Plus, she has a FABULOUS sense of humor herself: “I can't wait til your next book with Jules as the main character comes out. Will it be any time soon? I don't know how much time I have left and I really would like to read it (haha).” I LOVE this reader. I want to take her to New York and introduce her to my editors and hold a parade in her honor – one of the wonderful readers in the world who are willing to try new authors, even ones who may be outside of their comfort zone.
My MOTHER, on the other hand . . .
Won’t read IDLE. She’s sure it won’t be ‘her kind of book.’ Sigh. Even in the books of mine (or anybody else, for that matter) that she does read, she has her bottle of White-Out handy to cover up any ‘bad words.’
I’m SO not kidding!!!
So this blog is for my wonderful reader JB from Texas, and to all of you who try a new author or a new genre (or both). THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!! We here at Literary Chicks salute you, and we’re totally working on that parade in your honor.
Seriously.
Hugs and happy weekending,
Alesia
Posted by Alesia at 11:58 AM | Comments (8)
Comments
Alesia - I feel your Mom-pain. I have been reading over my galleys the past few days and keep cringing at how many swear words my heroine seems to use. I'm like - wait - did the copy editor add these? I swear I took them out! And my mom's all like, "all the ladies at church are going to get copies of your book!" Um, please, no. I really don't need the sales that bad.
Maybe that could be some sort of promotion: buy Connecticut Fashionista, get a bottle of white out free!
I am so f&^#ed.
Mar
Posted by: Marianne at January 21, 2005 5:19 PM
I like the way you think - good marketing concept! LOL.
alesia
Posted by: Alesia at January 21, 2005 7:27 PM
I've encountered the white-out phenomenon before, and I have to admit that I don't quite understand it. Taking time to cover up a word takes so much more time than simply skipping over it. But that's just me. :)
Alyssa
Posted by: Alyssa at January 23, 2005 2:12 PM
Alyssa, I totally know what you mean. I mean, HELLO??? But Mom likes to re-read books so at least she won't be traumatized by the word sh&t more than once.
Alesia
Posted by: Alesia at January 23, 2005 4:05 PM
My Mom wants to read my books, but I won't let her. She knows I write erotica, but not my pennname. *g* Maybe once I make the move from erotica to romance I'll let her in on the secret. MAYBE. LOL
Posted by: Sasha at January 23, 2005 5:15 PM
Sasha, My mother would fall into a cardiac-induced coma if I were ever to write an erotica, so I feel your pain! LOL!
alesia
Posted by: Alesia at January 23, 2005 10:24 PM
Barring getting published quickly, I started my own blog. Trying to get my parents (and any ole reader/commenter) aboard, I shared my blogsite. Then I went into massively sweaty no-sleep pangs realizing I'd published posts with swear words, admissions of alcohol, assumed crushes by married men, and a whole host of other "sins." Omigod! Oikk! Where's the e-white-out???
Posted by: M. B. S. at January 24, 2005 12:37 AM
LOL Sasha there's an ick factor there. It's like discussing your parent's sex life. Mine didn't flinch when I told them I sold to BL but I don't want any feedback from them if they read my story!
Posted by: cece at January 25, 2005 7:25 PM
