Friday, August 12, 2005

Is that type getting bigger, or are you just happy to see me?

So, I see the NYT has an article today that says the reason people are not buying paperbacks is because most of the readers are getting older and the type is too small for them to read. So, some publishers have decided that the answer to lower sales is bigger print.

The answer to lower sales is bigger print.
The answer...to lower sales...is bigger print.

Nope, doesn't sound any better when you read it real slow. The price of these new bigger books is rising to go along with the bigger print, BTW.

So, the fact that they keep bringing old books out by the same authors over and over again, trying to fool us into thinking they're new, has nothing to do with it. The fact that the authors who have a gazillion books and are commanding the huge salaries that are causing the industry to tighten their wallets on the rest of us are RUNNING OUT OF THINGS TO SAY probably doesn't have anything to do with it either. I have a few favorite authors I like to read, but frankly, the last few books I got by these authors were disappointing. These folks need to take a creativity break and recharge, you know? At the very least, they need to stop rewriting the same old books.

Hey, here's an idea, Mr. Or Ms. Publisher...bring in some new, exciting untried authors, widen the market of things you are willing to publish, advertise and promote the new ones, and maybe, just maybe we'll start buying books again! It's so crazy, it just might work!

(Wait for it....)

Nahhh.

Oooh, look! Harry Potter's got a new cover! I think I'll buy it again...

TJB