The Book Trade Can Exploit the Screenwriters Strike

As TV goes into reruns, there is an opportunity to capture more readers
by David A. Rozansky, Publisher, Flying Pen Press
Readers, Writers & Royalties columnist
November 4, 2007
Copyright 2007 David A. Rozansky
 

If you have not heard, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike. This is the union of screenwriters for television and film, and the strike is shaping up to be a long, tough haul.

The point of contention is that the writers want a share of the money generated by downloads of movies and TV shows. I can’t blame them, shows don’t happen without writers, and I am all for the demands of the writers. The magazine and book industries have long figured out that downloading is the same as publishing and writers should get a fair share of this revenue stream (although some of the media giants are still trying to get out of paying authors).

However, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) has absolutely refused to allow any discussion of the matter and it is vowing not to let it become a contractual issue. Stupid of them, in my opinion, as the writers have the ability to start producing and distributing their own shows for almost nothing, through a few thousand different websites. Let iTunes eat cake.

Don’t believe me? Then check out Mahalo Daily, which just started its own daily show today in a great download format. Vernoica Belmont left CNET to write and produce this daily video show. This is only one of hundreds of downloadable show productions available directly from writers.

At Flying Pen Press, we maintain a primary goal of giving the greatest respect to authors possible. In that light, I can’t begin to imagine why producers would want to distribute any content, especially entertainment-related content, without paying the creative talent responsible.

However, as someone who is working in the book industry, I can see a bevy of opportunities to sell more books.

The last time we had a screenwriters strike, it was a miserable 22 weeks. Reruns and nothing but reruns. The American mind turned to mush as boredom set in. I suspect it was the screenwriters strike in 1988 that launched the Internet as a publicly acceptable channel of mass education and entertainment.

Expect another exodus of TV viewers to online activities. I foresee a rush to the online community, to download fresh video.

I also foresee a rush to the bookstore. However, it is important that we in the book industry take proactive measures to bring more readers to our products.

First, we need to get the word out. Tell everyone that as an alternative to TV, which is on hiatus, books make for great sources of cheap entertainment and education. New books are coming out daily, without interruption, and the quality of the material is far better than anything you find on the TV screen. If nothing else, books cost less than cable, with a much better selection and quality.

And so I am starting the “Get the Word Out” campaign. Consider it a literacy program for the recovering TV addict.

This is meant to be a grass roots campaign. I am not putting any money into it, and there is no infrastructure or public relations machine to drive it. Instead, I am hoping that the book industry cares enough about its market to get on the book cart and promote reading.

Here are some ideas to promote the campaign and get more TV viewers reading again:

• In all emails, blog entries, even letters, we should add the phrase “Get the Word Out! Turn Off the TV and Read a Book.”
• Give a book to a TV addict.
• Tell recovering TV addicts that new books come out every day with far more frequency than cable television. In fact, more than 300,000 new books will be published in 2007, and there are still more than 5,000,000 books currently available for reading. Remind them that books cost less than cable TV.
• Invite a TV addict to a book club, which they can find at any bookstore and on many online communities.
• Do the marketing blitz now, in time for Christmas. Authors should be sending out mailers and postcards to as many people as they can find. Booksellers should put together “TV Withdrawal Newsletters.” Editors should approach screenwriters and ask them for novels. Publishers should advertise their new product on stale TV shows.
• With the loss of talk shows that rely on screenwriters, we can create downloadable video with our own interviews and comedy skits. Heck, bookstores can even put together live talk shows at their own locations, a new kind of book signing. These can be broadcast on community access cable television and local public television that is not bound to the WGA. I hear Stephen Colbert has a struck TV show and he needs to promote his book, I am America (and So Can You!) Why not host the Colbert Report at one’s own bookstore?
• Use Bookcrossing.com to encourage people to read more and to pass along books. Use books as the treasure in geocaching. Hide books where people can find them in a moment of boredom. Leave books on your neighbor’s doorstep.
• Write book reviews like crazy, being sure to include the words “screenwriter” and “television” early in the report, so that it shows up on searches made by TV addicts looking for an end to the strike.
• Bring your friends to bookstores and libraries.
• If you entertain guests, be sure that a pile of really good books is in the room where you keep your TV. Putting the books in front of the television screen will really make a statement that cannot be denied. Make sure these are books that can be loaned out.
• Organize book swaps.
• Schedule book signings and readings during prime time. This would be a good time to host children’s story-time events during the week.
• Drive traffic to Booksense.com, Shelfari, Amazon, your favorite author’s website, and of course, Books.Gather.com.
• Give books as gifts of the holidays. Better yet, give bookstore gift cards. Booksense.com has one of the best programs for gift cards to participating independent bookstores, and of course every chain and online bookstore has a gift card program.
• Talk about books!
• Read books in front of other people!
• Read books, period!!! Old books, new books, cookbooks, children’s books, science fiction, science texts, used books, library books, school books, books you have read before, books that you would never think of reading, dictionaries, whatever. Just read!
• And pass along the slogan: “Get the Word Out! Turn Off the TV and Read a Book.”

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This is just one article in David A. Rozansky’s column, Readers, Writers & Royalties, a blog column about the book trade, from writing and publishing, to selling and reading. The next article will be about John Kremer, author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books

Readers may find archived articles or subscribe to Readers, Writers & Royalties at www.ReadWriteRoyalty.Gather.com. Subscribe to all of Mr. Rozansky’s articles at www.FlyingPenPress.Gather.com.

David A. Rozansky is the publisher of Flying Pen Press. He has been in publishing since 1987, and has more than one million published words under his byline. Flying Pen Press is at http://www.FlyingPenPress.com. He is available for speaking on the subject of writing and selling magazine articles.

Flying Pen Press publishes fiction and nonfiction books.