The plans for New Zealand Book Month
Written by
New Zealand Book Month: a report of a discussion with Phil Twyford, organiser.
40% of books sold in this country are by New Zealand writers, and the book industry makes more overseas income than wine. Organisations like Storylines, the Book Council, etc., do an amazing job of celebrating our writers, and the Montana and New Zealand Post Children's Awards are also successful promoters of books and writers.New Zealand Book Month: a report of a discussion with Phil Twyford, organiser.
40% of books sold in this country are by New Zealand writers, and the book industry makes more overseas income than wine. Organisations like Storylines, the Book Council, etc., do an amazing job of celebrating our writers, and the Montana and New Zealand Post Children's Awards are also successful promoters of books and writers.Still, in global terms, it's a tiny market, and often on the margin of economic viability. 2/3 of publishers are owned by three overseas companies, who cross-subsidise local publications with imports. In this way they do support our local writers, although they don't need to, and do seem to have a wider view of the business than profit and loss. What binds the industry is a love of writing and literature.
In commercial terms the aim of New Zealand Book Month is to grow the market and get more people reading New Zealand books. Over 5-10 years can we increase the number of New Zealandbooks published by 5-10% and therefore increase the income to writers? New Zealand Book Month aims to showcase the best of New Zealand writing, and encourage for new writers.
We need to motivate the untapped potential that's out there - lure in lapsed and occasional readers to libraries and bookshops. Make an impression on the group of readers not currently readingNew Zealand books, and on non-readers, the customers who enter a store thinking they'll buy a book, but come out with a magazine. Whitcoulls, for instance, has high foot traffic but low conversion to book buying. Phil believes there are New Zealand books for every taste and occasion, and that we need to lure in a whole generation of readership.
New Zealand Music month is an annual event that has contributed to an extraordinary increases in sales of New Zealand music. Last year over-the-counter sales in New Zealand of local music were 100% up. It has touched a chord and tapped into some changing attitudes. Phil hopes that Book Month will become a regular event too and become just as successful.
Reasons for Book Month include:
Plans for New Zealand Book Month:
The intention is to build from this inaugural year, so it's not a one-off event but an annual campaign, refining the concept and growing over time. The aim for librarians, booksellers and writers to do what they do well, and do it together. To have some impact and touch New Zealanders, make them think about books and writing. Make it useful and relevant. Tap into the hunger New Zealanders feel now and into their pride in New Zealand.
Gift book. 50,000 copies of an anthology of hitherto unpublished work will be available either free (to schools and libraries) or at vastly reduced price. It's also hoped to get copies to every book group in the country. Very good prizes were offered for submissions, and they are now being sorted and judged. One prize of $5000 will be given to the Readers' Choice judged by the public. Those judging are volunteer assessors from publishers, academia and booksellers. Students at Whitireia handled production. Extracts from the shortlist will run on the Book Month website at www.New Zealandbookmonth.org.nz and there will be a media campaign to launch the Book Month and a gala event in mid-September. Along with the Book Council it is planned to run at least 2-3 other showcase author events, and wrap it up with the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Merit.
There'll be a presence and events in over 400 bookshops and 200 libraries to reach beyond the avid hardcore audience, and a PR person to promote this with stories in the media - magazines, TV, newspapers, and talk about books in 60-second radio spots.
The website online strategy is to develop sponsorship with an Internet company. At present there's a reasonably swept-up presence with public voting, and more content to come in in July, and the competition to drive traffic to the website. Aim is 50,000 registered participants.
There will be books and holiday tie-ins, profiling work on writers included in the gift book and in titles coming out from June-December, with an event finder for local areas, authors' blogs, previews, plus market research into awareness of and attitude to New Zealand books, especially those that challenge the stereotypes. Individual initiatives by booksellers and the Book Publishers Association of New Zealand (BPANZ).
A charitable trust will be responsible for running Book Month that includes Michael Moynihan, Liz Allen, Mary Robbins and others, as an across-sector event involving all interests. Maori literary promotion will be a big part of the New Zealand Book Month, and books of all genres and all kinds will be included, not just 'literary' works. Key stakeholders (interested parties) will include writers and writers' groups.
The Book Council is servicing and supporting any group that would like to use the media profile of New Zealand Book Month as an opportunity to do what you do locally. Collaboration and pro bono support is being given by PR and advertising agencies, not charging for services. Retailers are selling the gift book at no margin. The Ferret Internet group is a major sponsor.
Reprinted with thanks from Northland New Zealand Society of Authors News & Views, June 2006