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Don't Talk to Strangers
Apr. 23rd, 2020 08:49 amMy book has a strong title and a gorgeous cover, and it's about things like Sailor Moon and Steven Universe. There's no getting around the fact that it's an academic monograph written by a professor, but I tried to make it as accessible as possible. The chapter titles and subtitles are catchy, and it has a lot of gorgeous illustrations.
So people on social media are interested, which is great! I have decided, however, to no longer respond to anyone asking where they can get my book. The actual answer is simple:
(1) You can order it directly from the publisher. The link is right there in the tweet.
(2) You can order it from any major online retailer, from Amazon to IndieBound to Waterstones to Kinokuniya to Walmart. A quick Google search for the book title will fetch the relevant links.
(3) You can ask your local library to order a copy. Most libraries have simple request forms on their webpages, or you can send an email to the general reference desk.
(4) You can send a DM to me, the author, to (politely!!) ask if I can get you access to a discounted copy or a free promotional or review copy.
I mean, how do you get any book, right? This book in particular is tricky, because the hardcover costs $80. I know how that sounds, but that's just how academic publishing works. Most people don't understand how academic publishing works, because why would they, but that's just how it is. This is not a popular-audience book from a popular press; but, even if it were, hardcover books still cost money, and there's not much the author can do about that.
( Read more... )
By the end of the day, what I realized is that anyone who asks me a question like "Where do I get a copy of your book" probably:
(1) Doesn't know how links work
(2) Doesn't know how Google works
(3) Doesn't know how libraries work
(4) Doesn't know how to talk to an adult
And not to be elitist or anything, but a person like this probably isn't the target audience. What they want isn't the book itself, but the attention and emotional labor of me, the author.
So I guess the lesson I learned on Twitter yesterday is that, just like Tumblr, you just have to ignore the random children with anime avatars. It feels heartless not to respond to young people who are excited about my work, but there are only so many hours in the day - not to mention that I am depressed as shit right now and would rather be playing video games.
So people on social media are interested, which is great! I have decided, however, to no longer respond to anyone asking where they can get my book. The actual answer is simple:
(1) You can order it directly from the publisher. The link is right there in the tweet.
(2) You can order it from any major online retailer, from Amazon to IndieBound to Waterstones to Kinokuniya to Walmart. A quick Google search for the book title will fetch the relevant links.
(3) You can ask your local library to order a copy. Most libraries have simple request forms on their webpages, or you can send an email to the general reference desk.
(4) You can send a DM to me, the author, to (politely!!) ask if I can get you access to a discounted copy or a free promotional or review copy.
I mean, how do you get any book, right? This book in particular is tricky, because the hardcover costs $80. I know how that sounds, but that's just how academic publishing works. Most people don't understand how academic publishing works, because why would they, but that's just how it is. This is not a popular-audience book from a popular press; but, even if it were, hardcover books still cost money, and there's not much the author can do about that.
( Read more... )
By the end of the day, what I realized is that anyone who asks me a question like "Where do I get a copy of your book" probably:
(1) Doesn't know how links work
(2) Doesn't know how Google works
(3) Doesn't know how libraries work
(4) Doesn't know how to talk to an adult
And not to be elitist or anything, but a person like this probably isn't the target audience. What they want isn't the book itself, but the attention and emotional labor of me, the author.
So I guess the lesson I learned on Twitter yesterday is that, just like Tumblr, you just have to ignore the random children with anime avatars. It feels heartless not to respond to young people who are excited about my work, but there are only so many hours in the day - not to mention that I am depressed as shit right now and would rather be playing video games.
