Dearth of African-American Book Titles
By APOOO • Oct 7th, 2008 • Category: Thinking Out Loud •
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Is it just me…or does it seem as of late that even fewer African-American book titles are coming out? This time of year always seems to be slow for new releases…especially from September through December. But, this year it seems even worse than usual.
I am trying to wrap my head around why.
Is it because…
The economy is so bad and self-published authors do not have discretionary funds to invest in printing books and promoting them?
The economy is so bad and readers have cut back on their discretionary purchases to include book buying…so publishers have pulled back on releasing as many new releases?
APOOO reviewers are no longer accepting all books for review…so maybe this is why we are not receiving as many books for review?
Word has gotten out that APOOO does not rate every book a 4 or a 5 and authors are afraid to have us read/review their book for fear that they won’t get a glowing review?
The market has become so proliferated with too much of the same that publishers are seeing pushback from readers, who are saying…’enuf already’?
Book sales are slow for African-American titles, sales are down, and contracts are not being renewed because sales didn’t pay out for advances on books one, two or three?
Some African-American authors are saying…”I refuse or no longer wish to dumb down my writing for the masses. Or, there’s more to book sales than sex, drugs, sex, violence, sex, pimping, sex, prostitution’?
It could be any number of reasons…but right now it just does not seem like there are as many African-American book titles available to select from.
In case, you are wondering what’s available or coming down the pipeline, click on the links below. One thing I noticed immediately is that several favorites who normally have books coming out this time of year–do not. I wonder what that is about…things that make you go hmmm.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What are some of your reasons for the dearth of African-American book titles?
Given that the economy sucks, and everyone needs to cutback, which of these pleasures would you give up first?
Books
Movies
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Shoes
Music
Cable
Internet Access
Dining Out
Which one would you give up last?
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not quite sure on the books but I am too consumed with the state of the world to notice really.
I would have to give up books first because I need the internet to do my school work.
I don’t eat out but once in a blue moon. My cable and internet is from the same carrier. I rarely ever have a drink. I don’t smoke, haven’t bought any new shoes since two years ago. Movies are once or twice a year. Very few musicians/singers appeal to me.
So yup I would have to give up buying books. I would have to keep my internet at all cost. I use it to stay in contact with friends and for school as I mentioned before.
I agree, there is not much being offered for the remaining months of the year. There are only three more I have on my list to order, well four with the Hemmings book. The others are Margaret Hodge Johnson’s book, Red Light something, A Mercy and Midnight.
I see I didn’t answer the questions asked. Duh!
Books, I will never give up, so that is clear. I would cut back on dining out, I have enough shoes, I won’t end up going barefoot by any stretch of the imagination. I could get movies from the library, as a matter of fact I heard last night on the news that more people are using the library for books and for renting movies, it’s free.
I don’t smoke, I could give up alcohol because I drink very little. I keep wine at home but don’t drink that much except when out. Let’s see, I hardly watch cable but it would be a sacrifice but it could go. I will not give up Internett access, so books and internet access I will keep and cut back or ou the others if necessary.
LOL…and Dera you answered a question…you didn’t have to answer all of them.
Books may be one of the things people cut back on but I believe it will only by temporary because people will also cut back on social outings and will find themselves looking for things to do at home…thus, book sales will pick-up. I think retailers will see a sharp decline but on-line merchants like Amazon.com will reap the benefits. Downside, Black owned stores may not survive.
As for me, I have reluctantly pulled my daughter out of tennis. I am trying to figure some things out, like buying a ball machine, purchasing the equipment to do her personal training myself, and reaching out to some local colleges to set-up matches.
Music will be the first to go. I haven’t bought CD’s in years LOL. Books would be the last. I can’t my books go. Need the cable only for the internet access so I have to keep that. I’m not a big shopper so that won’t be a stretch for me.
I don’t think it’s just about AA titles. I think it has a lot to do with the time of the year and all that it means and what it involves for a lot of people. You’ve got major holidays coming up and I think people change their focus on that. If you have kids, you’ve got the kids going back to school at the end of Aug/beginning of September. Before you know it, it’s getting them ready for Halloween. And follow that up immediately with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. With other more pressing things going on in life at that time of the year, I think publishers take notice and release books when people are more apt to buy
Given that the economy sucks, and everyone needs to cutback, which of these pleasures would you give up first? Dining out.
Which one would you give up last? Internet.
Khadejah…I’m so feeling you on this one.
Hmmm what would I give up first….movies (I have an outstanding DVD collection with hundreds I haven’t read so I’m not pressed for movies. What would I give up last? Cigarettes. Though I should, I don’t want to. Plus people will be seriously trying to come up with the duckets to get me out of prison cause I’d be done hurt somebody. My squares make me calm and I’m sure , with the state of the economy, I’d be waiting for years for someone to get me out…lol
Darnetta´s last blog post..The Write Way #2 Editors
I have to say as much of a book-ie as I am…Internet access goes last! Though really even when I say I’m going to lighten up on the book-buying and hit the library, stuff just happens and I find myself in a store or hitting that one-click button on Amazon!
Having never had a release in the fall, I’m not real familiar w/it, but I know that this is supposed to be when the “serious” books get released (& movies to for that matter). Your Toni Morrisons and Philip Roths hit in the fall.
Carleen´s last blog post..While we’re on poetry….
Generally less books are released this time of year. From October – December all mainstream publishers (except romance publishers) release less. The most robust period of time for book releases is April through August. March seems to be getting heavier in recent years as well. As for self-published books, I don’t know. I don’t really read selfpublished works and don’t keep up with it, so I can’t speak to trends here.
As for what would I give up, I’ve already given up all that I can. I rarely go to the movies, I need shoes and clothes and I don’t drink or smoke. At this point, I’m cutting on the eating out. Less Starbucks and cheaper lunches when I eat out. I’m teleworking more, so I’m saving gas (that’s a blessing from my new boss). I’m trying to cut back on my utility use in my home (meaning looking for waste, like lights on in empty rooms and such). I’m honestly buying more books than I’ve ever bought in my life. At least 5 a month and really I need to cut back on that, but I’ve made friends with so many authors and I really try to support people’s work. I’m praying it will be reciprical.
Internet access would be the last to go.
I do not do movies and cigarettes .
I guess shoes would be the first to go
I don’t smoke or drink so I would give up dining out first. Books would be the last thing I would give up—but even then there’s the library so I wouldn’t have to give it up, I just wouldn’t be able to get the books I want in the time that I want it.
Shelia´s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday #2
Times such as these usually bring on measures that make them bigger than life and dear to us both directly and indirectly. As such, there’s much more than what you may see on the surface. Personally, I truly don’t think AA titles are dead, or even fewer in reference to how many we are used to seeing. Like any thing else that proliferates certain markets there has to be transitions where quality is aligned with quantity to balance status quo for publishes to publish responsively. Keep in mind that there will always be a need to justify the return on investments. This is why self-publishing should be first and foremost on any aspiring authors’ palette for control. As an independent book reviewer, I got tired of seeing bad books come across my desk in lieu of books that should have been given a longer shelf life. When you overload the market there HAS to be a systematic approach to weeding out good vs. bad for the sake of allowing astute decision-making to warrant good quality control practices.
Then again, we cannot discount the terrible situation our economy is in right now. Everything seen as a commodity, and the literary industry falls in that category (when you measure what is being bought, sold and traded) will be scrutinized for the bottom line to be met. And this will have effect on authors that may or may not be retained on rosters down to what books are released for greater profit margins. This is a no-brainer to me because as a businessman myself, I readily understand that when we don’t control our resources and products we fall victim to circumstantial issues that seem to effect us most. In reference to this, and the topic of this discussion is to understand that companies and publishers are now cognizant of what they put out to get the maximum out of the product.
In my opinion too, there have been absolutely too many books on the market from authors who haven’t done their homework, who don’t research their topical themes, who don’t learn the craft of writing, and who don’t understand that this is a business like any other where hard decisions are made for the benefit of the establishment. Every so often a weeding out process is needed to bring stability back, or to even balance the scales so that quality is never compromised for quantity. Albeit, the quantity that you may be used to! So when you think deep enough on this subject, know that there are reasons and rhymes that contribute to the method for the madness. The publishing industry is cyclical and quirky in a sense on how they conduct business…and until we as a united people willing to form coalitions and network better, we will always be in this predicament worrying and wondering why the establishment conducts business that seem to effect us more.
In closing, it’s not so much as fewer titles inasmuch as it concerns me that authors are not writing enough quality books in a generic sense.
Hey Alvin and good seeing you ova here…thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
with the economic the way it is , dining out has stop don’t watch much television but do have cable (hubby needs this)books would be that last to go on my list,internet access is a must for me also, so i wil be staying home more and reading all the books that i have on my tbr list