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September 7: National Buy a Book Day
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Yes...plan to. Depressing that books are in trouble. What a world.
Excellent! I shall take part here in England; it should be International Book Day!Slight addendum: if you are able to buy hardback books, both authors and publishers make significantly more from them. But I know they are costly and take up a lot of shelf space.
I am all for this and will definitely participate!Phillip: is there an article or web page that originated this idea, or explains it as you have? If you post the link, I will tweet it and put it up on a few significant sites.
Not that I need any more excuses to buy more books, but I'll do my part!
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Thanks everybody for your support.I'm really making this up as I go along, so there is no web site to link to, but I'm hoping it'll just stay viral and work its way into the consciousness. Feel free to copy and paste my post anywhere and everywhere you think it might get some play!
I Google searched and found a mention down about four or five entries... Hope the word spreads a bit. I mentioned it on Chronicles.
I wish I had known about this before, I just bought a big batch of books and can't afford any more right now. I guess I just did my part in advance :)
....come on, there's always just enough for one more book????? (Picture me looking innocent and about 12 years old with wide beseeching eyes as I think of the struggling book sellers and writers) LOL...Alright, don't deprive the kids of food or anything...sorry if I'm tempting you to buy more books. Believe me I know what it's like to buy books with money that should have gone for something else. :)
I might be able to squeeze one in, but if my husband gets mad at me for it I'm sending him your way, lol :)
That makes me think of when I was about 15 and I got home from a sale at the record shop, a carrier bag bursting, and my dad said "Haven't you got enough records?""Enough...records?" The individual words made sense but the concept eluded me. Same goes for books. And garlic.
note on previous post for young people: records are what music used to come on before CDs.further note: CDs are what music used to come on before iTunes...
:D
Okay Dawn....but if he threatens me I might have to hit him with my cane.... After all, I'd never throw books.
I always figure that money spent on books doesn't count, lol. Will try to remember to buy one this day but since I buy one so frequently, I'll probably do it accidentally. HOW SAD that books are struggling so when they contain such marvelous worlds to explore!
Personally, I think this "trouble" is the publishers fault. They over publish and allow established authors to run rampant with very little or no oversight.I think they need to step back and review their practices.
I think they would do well to be more selective, publish less and lower the price point on both dead wood and electronic editions
Hard to say though. if they decide they are publishing too much the established writers will see even more ink and the "new writers" will struggle even more. I don't know if there is a single cause. The world changes, people aren't as well read as they once were when it comes to actual "books". Sad overall, so much is missed. I like that quote from Twain, "those who don't read good books have no advantage over those who can't."
To add to it, its not just book stores that are having issues. All brick and mortar stores are being hurt by online sales. People are more likely to buy online. Its less hassle, often less expensive, and generally more convenient.Give myself for example, why should I be drawn to a book store which over half of the time doesn't have the book or books I want? They have 15 billion kinds of vampire romances, but they only had one copy of Janny's Curse of the Mistwraith (and it was the only one of the series there). In my experience, I was lucky to find it without having to order it online.
It's true that book stores have trouble stocking (especially older) novels in the variety we'd like. I still try them first often, just because I'd hate it if they weren't there. When I went looking for Curse of the Mistwraith I found it at one of my favorite used books stores (sorry Janny, I know, no royalties) but it is a slightly older novel and shelf space is limited. I check for newer novels at my local stores...then go to Amazon. Sometimes I find the book locally.
That's not entirely accurate. (This has been a peeve of mine for some time now.)I wandered in not long ago just to do some browsing.
They have the entire Dragonlance series.
Five copies of The Mists of Avalon (but none of the later books).
The entire run of Shannara series.
Triplanetary had a couple of copies in the New releases section.
I have yet to see them carry a copy of The Name of the Wind.
Harry Potter has been dedicated two entire shelves.
They seem to always have Tad William's MST series but I've never seen any of his other later series in there.
Over half of the books on the shelves of the SF/F section where there when I was browsing the shelves 25 years ago.
I can't guarantee other sections, but I've had similar issues finding newish books in the Psychology and Photography sections as well.
And its not just this one particular store. All of the stores in my area (not counting the used book stores), are like this. The exact hits and misses they might have vary, but they are all heavy on old books and really sparse on stuff published within the last decade (unless its a Vampire romance or Harry Potter).
Oh, I should add add Urban Fantasy to the list of stuff they carry. If there's a young woman dressed in leather or scanty outfit, often with a tattoo, then they'll usually carry it.
Does it not count if you buy books online? I buy 90% of my books at B&N or Amazon online. I'm now buying more at B&N as I have a Nook, but you get better deals, too. Online prices are lower, and you get free shipping if you have their card. I used to live in a smallish town and worked and didn't have much time to browse, and started buying books at amazon.com almost as soon as they opened. There was one really wonderful bookstore in town that carried tons of unusual and hard to find books. I've often wondered if they're still open since I moved away.
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Phillip: is there an article or web page that originated this idea, or explains it as you have? If you post the link, I will tweet it and put it ..."
Just spotted this:
http://www.graspingforthewind.com/201...
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Its my first day back to school as well, and I think a brand new book would be an excellent treat!
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I teach 7th and 8th grade science - it always pains me when I have to ask a kid to put their book away so that we can talk about science. I feel like I'm discouraging literature! Thankfully they know how crazy I am about reading, so I'm forgiven :)
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We have half an hour of silent reading each day, and I try to set a good example for them by reading when they're reading (though sometimes there's just too much else to do that I can't get away with it).
Stefan - thanks for posting that link!I have put it up, now, in several prominent places, and fwd it to several others - so, Phillip, the word is spreading.
A half hour of silent reading every day!!! I'm super jealous!
I also blogged about it and posted it on the StarShipSofa Forum. Hope it goes viral!
I also posted to my blog, and the StarShipSofa Forum, Philip. I hope it goes well!
Okay, today's the day: National Buy a Book Day!I bought Gateways, edited by Elizabeth Anne Hull
For more info, try my blog: http://fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com/
Mod
I just bought Burndive by Karin Lowachee in ebook format. Hope that counts!
THANK YOU to everybody who bought a book on National Buy a Book day. I've committed myself to making this an annual event, so look here for periodic updates, and mark your calendars for September 7, 2011!
I couldn't stop with one. I ended up buying eight. I need to stay out of book stores and definitely stay away from my favorite section . . . wait this looks good too, I'll add it to my pile. I'm glad to support authors and bookstores.
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Sounds like someone I know... me!
Well I didn't buy anything. Kids first day of school and ended spending the day waiting for a UPS guy to deliver some cloths my Wife ordered.With that said, I totally forgot about this.
I did buy a book today, and I am always buying books anyway
Didn't come by after the day. I ordered 3 new books just before...but didn't get out on the 7th. I did go to Books-A-Million the 8th and buy a book.... hope it still counted. :)
Any book bought at any store on any day counts . . . National Buy a Book Day does not judge, it only lives!
I am bit late coming to the game, but I hope to participate. For my birthday, I was given $35 worth in gift cards to Barnes and Noble. Now, I know that I will not be the one paying for the books that I purchase, but it will still help. I may just add a little of my money and make it into a mini book shopping spree.
Beyond Reality
Books mentioned in this topic
The Lies of Locke Lamora (other topics)Red Seas Under Red Skies (other topics)
Blameless (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Scott Lynch (other topics)Gail Carriger (other topics)
Here’s all you have to do:
1. Spread the word in any way you can (GoodReads, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
2. On September 7, 2010 go to any bookstore anywhere and buy one new, full price book.
Just that easy.
Why a new book?
So the author receives full royalty, and both the publisher and the bookstore receive their full profit.
Will any book do?
YES! Any book, by any author, in any genre, in any format. You do not need to spend more than you can afford. A $7.99 mass market paperback counts. A $4.99 children’s book counts.
Will any store do?
YES! As long as the book is new and full price, buy it from an indie, from a chain, in the suburbs or the city, whatever.
How can I make an even bigger impact?
Make sure that the book you’re buying is by a living author, so we can encourage people who are writing now to keep writing,
Buy more than one book. One book is all I’m asking, but if you can afford two, buy two, or three, or . . .
Buy your book at a store you particularly like, in an area that has few bookstores, that otherwise supports your community, or you know is struggling.
WHY?
The publishing business, including authors and retailers big and small are continuing to struggle. They say Borders is going to lay off more people. It’s looking like the end of the world. Books are worth saving. Authors are worth supporting. Any town is always better having any bookstore in it. People who work in bookstores are literate, intelligent book lovers, and the world is a better place if they have a place to ply their trade. I love books, and I love book people—all books, and all book people.
It’s time to walk the walk.
SPREAD THE WORD!