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Author proposes WBN alternative

28.02.11 | Graeme Neill

A Carnegie-nominated author has proposed an alternative to World Book Night, suggesting readers buy one book from a bookshop this week and give it away.

Writing on her blog, Nicola Morgan said she believed there were better ways to give away one million books than the method proposed for Saturday, when 20,000 givers will distribute 48 books each.

Morgan said: "My concerns are that the parlous nature of the book industry, falling revenues for booksellers, publishers and authors, and the constant erosion of the value of what we do, are not best improved by giving away one million especially printed books, which would have retailed at around £9million if sold in the normal way."

However, she added there will be benefits and proposed an alternative to ignoring World Book Night. She said: "One day between now and next Saturday [March 5th], let's each of us buy a book, preferably from an actual bookshop, or direct from a publisher. Any book. Write inside it: 'Given in the spirit of World Book Night, March 5th 2011 and bought from [insert name of shop] - please enjoy and tell people about it.'

"And give it to someone. Anyone. A friend or stranger, a library or school or doctor's surgery or anything."

Walker's Carnegie-nominated book Wasted is published by Walker Books.

 

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By Mike Richards

I'd say that Nicola Morgan is pretty smart.

Mon, 28/02/2011 - 18:07
By SUSAN HILL

This is a very good idea, and what is done so successfully in Spain. Indeed, I have a Spanish reader in Pamplona who sends me a new book every year which is delightful.
I will be doing this. Benefits everyone, harms no one.

Mon, 28/02/2011 - 18:20
By CliveKeeble

This is a well reasoned "compromise" which if backed, and publicised, by the trade would ensure that WBN had a viable long-term future.

Tue, 01/03/2011 - 10:23
By Joanna De Guia

As a bookseller I welcome Nicola's suggestion completely. My shop is in an area which could definitely benefit from more books being out there in the local community and so for that reason we are welcoming and fully participating in World Book Night. But as Nicola points out the book industry desperately needs to be profitable and those of us towards the end of the food chain - independent booksellers and authors - would love to join in wholeheartedly with something which satisfies both criteria. Admittedly World Book Night enables those who perhaps could not afford to be givers if it involved spending their own limited funds and there is something very empowering about that of which I approve. But there are many out there who can afford it and perhaps for every person who buys a book from their own money a book could be donated from the industry.

Tue, 01/03/2011 - 12:21
By Claire Dunne

Excellent idea. As an independent bookseller it is not in my interests to have books given away. I was surprised that a' giver ' who collected her books from my shop was planning to give them out at random to strangers in the train station. How many will just end up in the nearest bin? If publishers could afford to do a special printing of one million books why not give some books to struggling bookshops who would make sure that they went to people who would genuinely appreciate them?
Another aspect that has annoyed me is that the givers who don't frequent my shop and buy books are using my premises as a depot.

Tue, 01/03/2011 - 12:59
By Heinz '57

A well thought out idea.
I fail to see the benefit to me as a small indie of the current set up.
12 givers have nominated me as their free storage and distribution point taking up space in a very small shop. Of these 4 have collected their books leaving me with 10 boxes still to be collected.
I would dearly like to contact these 8 givers to ask them to collect their goods but it seems that telephone numbers are protected data. I must have missed that piece of legislation!
Of the 4 that have collected,one was an existing customer,2 normally purchased from Amazon and intended to continue and one was in a hurry and could not stop!
If they intend to repeat this next year it will be without me.

Tue, 01/03/2011 - 13:43

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