Sally Jenkins

How to be a Best Selling Author…

Katie Price (Jordan) at booksigning
Image via Wikipedia

… organise a record-breaking book-signing.

An email from Random House popped into my inbox yesterday inviting me to Katie Price‘s  latest book-signing. It is being held on July 27th at the O2 Academy in Leeds. Katie is aiming to sign more than 1,951 copies of her book The Comeback Girl. The book will be on sale at the event for half price and all those attending will have their name included in the acknowledgements of her next novel, out in October. In addition one lucky person will be picked at random to be a character in the new novel. Everyone will also receive a woven wristband as a souvenir of the day. Full details here.

This is a very canny (if expensive) marketing ploy. Katie is guaranteed massive sales at the signing event plus a repeat of those sales in October as everyone buys the next book (for themselves & their friends) because their name appears in the acknowledgements.

It’s widely acknowledged that Katie is a very skilful business woman who knows how to market herself and make money. In recognition of this, I take my hat off to her and wish her every success but a small part of me groaned when I read the email. It seems like another case of publishing success feeding off a celebrity name – but may be I’m not entitled to comment given that I’ve never read any of her books.

What do you think?

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15 responses to “How to be a Best Selling Author…”

  1. Sarah Pearson avatar
    Sarah Pearson

    I read one once, (her first autobiography i think it was). Someone lent it to me because I was ranting about her. I thought that in fairness I should read it.

    You’re not wrong.

    Reply
    1. Sally Jenkins avatar
      Sally Jenkins

      Hi Sarah – thanks for the comment. I don’t blame Katie for trading on her name – it’s the publishing industry that is so frustrating, accepting one standard from celebrities but expecting the rest of us to jump through hoops.

      Reply
  2. Jenny Francis avatar
    Jenny Francis

    I tend to agree with your last comment Sally. Can Katie actually write or is it yet another ghost written book. She is not really my cup of tea either in book form or on the television.

    Reply
    1. Sally Jenkins avatar
      Sally Jenkins

      Jenny – I assume it’s ghost written but I don’t know. I suppose if I was asked to ghost write a book for a celebrity I wouldn’t turn it down!

      Reply
  3. Terry Whitworth avatar
    Terry Whitworth

    Hello Sally, I too have never read any of Katie Price’s books, so really can’t comment on the quality or otherwise of her writing. But, it seems to me that if you are a ‘name’ then no matter what you write someone is going to buy it and pay good money for the priviledge.

    Reply
    1. Sally Jenkins avatar
      Sally Jenkins

      Hi Terry – looks like we’ll just have to do something to make a name for ourselves!

      Reply
  4. Shirley avatar
    Shirley

    Not something I’d go to, now if it was Peter Andre well that might make a difference 🙂

    Reply
    1. Sally Jenkins avatar
      Sally Jenkins

      Good point, Shirley!

      Reply
  5. Mel H avatar
    Mel H

    I have never read anything either but I can’t say I plan to. It is clever though. It saddens me that this is where the money is being spent.

    Reply
    1. Sally Jenkins avatar
      Sally Jenkins

      Me, too. It’s a bit like short stories disappearing from the women’s magazines in order to make way for more celebrity gossip.

      Reply
  6. Parveen Chhibber avatar
    Parveen Chhibber

    Hi Sally, I read your article in FMN on blogging and posted my first blog today at http://www.parveenchhibber.wordpress.com re my second book. My first book ‘The Companion: A Tale of 1857’ was published in 2007. Do visit my site and comment.

    Reply
    1. Sally Jenkins avatar
      Sally Jenkins

      Parveen – it’s great to know that you found the article useful. I will pop over and visit your blog right now!

      Reply
  7. Jarmara avatar
    Jarmara

    All Kate’s books are ghost written, she roughs out a plot and characters then her writer does the rest. I know this because I hear an interview with her on the radio. She said she didn’t have time to sit around writing. I guess she didn’t want to break a nail either or get a fat bum, but that’s just me being bitchy. I like Pete better as he loves talking about his kids more than himself.

    Thank you for leave a comment on my blog.

    Reply
    1. Sally Jenkins avatar
      Sally Jenkins

      Jarmara – Thanks for popping by. There must be a good living to be made ghost writing for celebs but it must be frustrating not seeing your name on the cover after doing all the hard work.

      Reply
  8. Patsy Collins avatar
    Patsy Collins

    Great marketing, I agree. I’ve not read any of her books – not sure she has either!

    Reply

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