Tea at Trianon: Do Authors Really Need to Promote Their Own Books?

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Do Authors Really Need to Promote Their Own Books?

Yes, they do. (Via Kate Wicker) Share

3 comments:

Julygirl said...: Based on her(the letter writer),logic, then well established, Oscar winning film stars do not have to go out and promote their movie. Meryl Streep, the premier female actor in Hollywood was out promoting "Jullie and Julia'. One might think this can be overdone, but there are lots of people out there who need to be reached. I once complained to my mother that I had heard her tell people about the same incident over and over again, but she reminded me that each time it was a different person.; February 16, 2010 at 5:22:00 PM EST
Bearded Lady said...: wow. I can't believe someone would tell an author not to promote their book. I consider promotion at least 50% (if more) of an author's job...and most publishers do too.

I would like to tie that letter writer up and make them sit at an author signing where no one shows up and shoppers start asking, "do you work here?" Or even worse, they pick up your book and say, "is this free?" errrrrrrr!; February 17, 2010 at 10:33:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: That's a good example, Julygirl. If someone like Meryl has to promote her work, then certainly lowly authors do.

Bearded Lady, you have me laughing! I am just so grateful that we now have the internet and social media. When my first book was published I remember how my husband and I would send out hundreds of post cards and brochures. It was a great deal of work. It is so much easier now.; February 17, 2010 at 10:42:00 AM EST