Home > Rants > WTF?! Be A Sucker And Publicize A Book...For Free.
WTF?! Be A Sucker And Publicize A Book...For Free.
Posted on Friday, June 24, 2011 by destination tips travel
The pre-ordained order of my posts was upended!
It's been a while I haven't ranted, and I was a little worried I had lost my acerbity. But the gods of mean answered my prayers, and the provocation for ranting appeared in the form of an email...perhaps not as good as a live real event, but close enough.
And since nothing turns me on as much as an opportunity for a juicy rant, here's the story in some detail...
A few days ago, I got an email from a book publisher (its website claims it's the world’s leading publisher of books on visual arts) asking me to feature a just published book of images by a photographer, enclosing a bunch of pictures of the book, and some background material.
Now, I occasionally receive such requests from book publishers who inquire whether I'd like to receive a book, review it and then post comments. This time...nothing of the sort....no book to review, no freebie of any type...just do it because it would make the corporate publisher and photographer happy. Truth be told, I've seen the work of the photographer ad nauseam, and if I had been sent the book, it would end up being a door stop...or prop a rickety desk...if not worse.
That being said, I figured that it was perhaps an opportunity to make money....and with whatever paid, I'd sponsor a deserving photographer to attend the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop. So I drafted a sweet short email that went like this...
"thank you for the email. i'd be glad to consider it against payment for ad space. you can choose either a post about the book, or a side bar advert. Let me know if you want me to send you my rates."The response came in rather promptly, and it said that the world’s leading publisher of books on the visual arts didn't have any budget for advertising at the moment.
Funny, huh? No, not funny at all. They ought to be ashamed of themselves....because they do and must have the budget. If not, they wouldn't be the world’s leading publisher of books on the visual arts.
For those who love analogies as I do, here's one that seems perfectly suited for the situation. I own a small modest building, and a large for profit conglomerate asks me to stick an enormous billboard for one of its products on the side of my building, and wants me to tell my tenants what a great product it is...and wants me to do it for free....and perhaps because they think I'm a sucker, or because they believe they're entitled to exploit others, they won't pay for the privilege of using this space and for my time. An apt analogy, I think.
I should have suggested an alternative to the world’s leading publisher of books on the visual arts. In consideration of my hyping its book on my blog, it could market my own books, and peddle them on its own website and online stores. You see, it's because The Travel Photographer has no budget for advertising...just like you.
For all other buyers who are interested, my two books Bali: Island of Gods and Darshan can be found here. By the way, sales of these two books have exceeded my expectations (and were achieved without the support of the world’s leading publisher of books on the visual arts).
Category Article Books, Photographers, Rants
Powered by Blogger.
Archive
-
▼
2011
(3387)
-
▼
June
(103)
- Syuanguang Temple (玄光寺) at Sun Moon Lake - Taiwan
- POV: Photo Assignment RAW FILE
- POV: Photo Assignment RAW FILE
- Theyyam: The Living Gods
- Theyyam: The Living Gods
- Mugur Vărzariu: Egypt Adrift
- Mugur Vărzariu: Egypt Adrift
- Palermo, Sicily, Italy
- Shuishe Pier at Sun Moon Lake - Taiwan (水社碼頭, 日月潭)
- The Leica File: The Show Stopper(s)
- The Leica File: The Show Stopper(s)
- Sunset on The Mediterranean Sea
- Viviane Dalles: Kingdom of Mustang
- Viviane Dalles: Kingdom of Mustang
- Chico Sanchez: The Way Of St. James
- Chico Sanchez: The Way Of St. James
- Relaxing in Corsica
- POV: Remembered For A Single Image?
- POV: Remembered For A Single Image?
- Sun Moon Lake Of Taiwan (日月潭)
- WTF?! Be A Sucker And Publicize A Book...For Free.
- WTF?! Be A Sucker And Publicize A Book...For Free.
- We Love Colors
- Sagrada Familia
- The night at Shuishe Town (水社), Sun Moon Lake (日月潭...
- Arindam Mukherjee: Kolkata
- Arindam Mukherjee: Kolkata
- POV: Upgrade To The New Leica M9-P For Just $0.25
- POV: Upgrade To The New Leica M9-P For Just $0.25
- Spartacus: Here the Gladiator Fought for Life
- Craig Ferguson: Koa-A-Hi (Taiwan Drama)
- Craig Ferguson: Koa-A-Hi (Taiwan Drama)
- Leica M9-P (& Alex Majoli Tries It In Venice)
- Leica M9-P (& Alex Majoli Tries It In Venice)
- Just Because...Les Autres Blogs
- Just Because...Les Autres Blogs
- Pink-Yellow-White
- Sara Galbiati: Lucha Libre In Mexico
- Sara Galbiati: Lucha Libre In Mexico
- Park Guell, Barcelona
- Alissa Everett: Pop Photo's Interview
- Alissa Everett: Pop Photo's Interview
- Aaaargh! The Panasonic GF3 Is Pimped!
- Aaaargh! The Panasonic GF3 Is Pimped!
- Ah Yong Restaurant at Shuishe, Sun Moon Lake - Taiwan
- Tanguy Gilson: Christian Faith In India
- Tanguy Gilson: Christian Faith In India
- Nacho Hernandez: Talking To God
- Nacho Hernandez: Talking To God
- Miracolo View Hotel (米洛克飯店) at Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)...
- Delhi Photo Festival: Submissions Details
- Delhi Photo Festival: Submissions Details
- Aaron Joel Santos: Ha Giang (Vietnam)
- Aaron Joel Santos: Ha Giang (Vietnam)
- The Travel Photographer Is On Tumblr!
- The Travel Photographer Is On Tumblr!
- William Palank: Ethiopia
- William Palank: Ethiopia
- Carl Valiquet: Blood & Incense
- Carl Valiquet: Blood & Incense
- POV: More On Shooting From The Hip
- POV: More On Shooting From The Hip
- Checheng Train Station (車埕火車站), Taichung - Taiwan
- Fotopedia & NatGeo Traveler: Dreams of Burma
- Fotopedia & NatGeo Traveler: Dreams of Burma
- Pierre Claquin's Photo Workshop In Bangladesh
- Pierre Claquin's Photo Workshop In Bangladesh
- Vacation on the Beach
- Khalil Shah: The Sufi Singer
- Khalil Shah: The Sufi Singer
- Delhi Photo Festival: Nazar Foundation
- Delhi Photo Festival: Nazar Foundation
- The Dancer & Name Branding
- The Dancer & Name Branding
- Flexiroam - Your Mobile Roaming Saver!
- POV: Is Shooting From The Hip...Photography?
- POV: Is Shooting From The Hip...Photography?
- Colorful Sunglasses
- Adriana Zehbrauskas: Beyond Assignment
- Adriana Zehbrauskas: Beyond Assignment
- Chico Sanchez: The Gastorenian Pipe
- Chico Sanchez: The Gastorenian Pipe
- Matthew Goddard-Jones: Way of Sorrow
- Matthew Goddard-Jones: Way of Sorrow
- The Leica File: The Xiàngqí Players
- The Leica File: The Xiàngqí Players
- Danny Ghitis: Kushti Wrestling
- Danny Ghitis: Kushti Wrestling
- Chung Tai Chan Monastery (中台禪寺) at Puli Township -...
- Flare: Photographic Effects App
- Flare: Photographic Effects App
- Fujifilm FinePix X100: Video Ad
- Fujifilm FinePix X100: Video Ad
- John Stanmeyer: Volcano Gods
- John Stanmeyer: Volcano Gods
- Paolo Evangelista: Stone Town (Book)
- Paolo Evangelista: Stone Town (Book)
- Carthusian Monasteries of Campania, Italy
- Tom Bourdon: Dayakan Dance
- Tom Bourdon: Dayakan Dance
-
▼
June
(103)