Comments on: I which I hype some hype that wasn’t actually about hype (even though it thought it was)

By: Jonathan M

Jonathan M — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:18:46 +0000

Hi Simon

You have to admit that sending out tasters was a more subtle approach than relying upon ARCs and the standard review process. It’s not something that happens with every book and I don’t think it’s unfair to say that the online buzz for TSR has been “managed” more carefully than it has been for many books.

There’s nothing wrong with that but it may well have contributed to the belief that the book is being overly “hyped”, which was my point

I don’t think it matters one way or another and if it shifts a few more copies of the book, good luck to all concerned.

By: James

James — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:13:05 +0000

Simon, don’t you have minions to do the jiffy bag stuffing?

By: Niall

Niall — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:05:24 +0000

Niall Harrison got a copy yonks ago

Entirely true. I’ve written a review, too, I’m just sitting on it until a bit closer to publication. (Spoiler! I liked it.) And Strange Horizons has had a copy, which has gone to Graham.

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:14:28 +0000

Oh and before I forget SFRevu got a copy pretty soon after genrefiles did also. Sending out electronic copies before the proofs is a dangerous game when if the files get in the wrong hands they can be uploaded on the internet (or whatever it is that happens) before you can say ‘boo’ so I was very cautious about who got what. The proofs came in (if I remember correctly) around about February.

My bag stuffing was in addition to, not in place of, our publicity managers normal efforts to get the book reviewed in the normal channels.

With the exception of the tasters being sent out what we’ve done for TSR with both bloggers and more established review forums is not so different from any other book we’ve had bound proofs for in the last year or so.

Simon

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:04:05 +0000

Jonathan,
Eh? STEEL REMAINS proofs were sent to pretty much everyone. Genrefiles got a copy before anyone else did. Niall Harrison got a copy yonks ago as did Jonathan Strahan. SFX, Deathray, Interzone all got copies some long time ago. Key retailers got their copies as soon as proofs were in.If there’s anyone out there who has yet to get one (you perhaps? )please let me know. I’m flattered that you feel this has been a carefully managed campaign. In fact its been me stuffing books in jiffy bags and scribbling notes on accompanying postcards whenever I’ve had a minute. Now I DID send out tasters from TSR a LONG time ago, and well before proofs went to the usual reviewers, to bloggers and various interested parties. This was done with with the express purpose of building up a buzz (or to begin my sinister hype campaign depending on your POV). I didn’t send those snippets to the more usual reviewers because I felt they would be irritated to get a partial of a book they couldn’t yet read in its entireity whiel they were dealing with reviews that had to meet a much more pressing deadline.

In the meantime thanks to you both for a level headed take on the whole thing.

All the best

Simon