Seth Godin on author scarcity and souvenirs
The future of books lies in amateur authors, together with the few superstars with a big enough tribe to earn significant advances and royalties.
Can’t remember the last time I blogged. Been way to busy with my head down sorting out some troubled business interests. It has been an object lesson in not investing emotionally in a business entity so that the necessary decisions can be made quickly.
Seth Godin blogged today (at the Domino Project) about one future many authors will face. He says that “the future of books lies in amateur authors, together with the few superstars with a big enough tribe or a big enough reputation to earn significant advances and royalties”. Has it been any other way?
He also wrote about scarcity, and understanding the business you are really in. He cited Rolex as an example: they’re in the business of time right? He suggests jewellery. He’d be right.
With information seemingly so freely available, what exactly are readers buying? The paper carton containing the ideas? Partly. Readers are really buying into the author. Just as the fans of bands invest in more than music, authors need to understand that their readers are really more interested in them than their ideas.
It’s all about the show folks.