Advertising in E-Books

[Richard Sanders]

The wave of the future, according to the Wall Street Journal. Agree? Or, more to the point, does anyone in FAVOR of this?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704554104575435243350...

[I. J. Parker]

Most authors are on record as opposing ads in their books. Previous experiment with print books (the Bulgari mystery) have been mocked and sneered at.

However, since publishers own the material and since they like to make money, this could happen anyway. How much to charge advertisers will depend on sales figures. It will probably affect only the big names, like King or Patterson.
Conceivably, an advertiser could offer to carry the entire book promotion.

[Dana King]

I'm weakening in my opinion on e-readers. This could stiffen my resolve.

[John McFetridge]

I'm sure I'll be able to ignore the ads in books as easily as I ignore them everywhere else.

Someone will probaby come up with an ad blocker for e-readers like the ones I use on my web browser.

[I. J. Parker]

Hah! Me too. Very good! That's why I prerecord all TV shows.

[Mike Dennis]

I'd be in favor of it. It's outside money coming into the world of e-publishing.

Remember when they introduced commercials into movie theaters? Remember how everybody threw a big hissy fit, saying it was contaminating the cinematic experience and all that? Remember how they all said they were boycotting theaters that showed commercials?

Well, the commercials didn't go away. The outside money came in and helped to save the movie theater. It helped to build the stadium seating which is now common throughout the industry.

This same concept will help the e-publishing business. And that can only help, not hurt, the author.

And, like John says, we can really ignore the advertising if we want to, just like we do on TV.

[I. J. Parker]

stadium seating? I actually have stopped going to movie theaters. The whole experience is nasty.

[Camille LaGuire]

As with everything, it depends on how it's implemented.

I suspect that if it's more intrusive than ads have historically been in printed books, it won't fly. And yes, advertising in printed books used to be very common - sometimes just at the end, or sometimes in non-fiction books they were laid out like ads in magazines.

[Richard Sanders]

I didn't know that, Camille. Can you tell me more about ads in books? When was the practice common? Or can you tell me where I can look to find out more? Fascinating. Thanks.

[Jon Loomis]

I would not buy an ebook if I knew it contained advertising. The only exception would be a preview chapter or trailer for another book by the same author.

[Garry L. McLaughlin]

I might consider it if I got at least 50% of the renenues along with my regular per centage or have them jack up the per centage.

Garry-

[Dana King]

Good point, Garry. I'm all for people making money off of my work. So long as I get a taste.

[I. J. Parker]

Yes, Garry! Exactly. The publisher is making money off your novel, so you should at least share.

And I think we're talking about different forms of advertising here: a) coming books by the same author (that's already being done) and books by other authors of the same publisher, or b) other advertising, like toothpaste, cars, cornflakes, and prescription medications. How disruptive this is depends on how many ads and what type the publisher inserts (and where).