From time to time, a discussion takes place in the Netherlands on whether there should be a serious book program on television.
Attempts have been made in the past, but with one rare exception, the problem with serious book programs on television is that the audience turns out not to be big enough. And even worse, the programs fail to increase the sales of the authors who go on the air with their books. Which is, of course, the main rationale behind serious book programs.
It’s widely known that novels are primarily bought by women over a certain age. This is true not only in Europe, but probably also in the US. When I do readings in, let’s say, Germany or the Netherlands, the average age of the audience is close to 60, and women outnumber men nine to one, if not more.
One might be tempted to think that I write especially for older women, and that most of my novels take place in hospitals and reflect on the tender subject of how to take care of your grandchildren for more than two days, but I can testify that this is not the case.
On Sept. 28, Tim O’Reilly wrote in The New York Times, “According to Nielsen Bookscan, which tracks sales from major booksellers, only two percent of the two million unique titles sold in 2004 had sales of more than 5,000 copies.” (Full Disclosure: my books might belong to the unfortunate 98 percent in the U.S.)
I happen to think that more book programs on television, or only positive reviews—as the people of McSweeny’s seem to believe—are not the solution. Writers should just keep writing.
And I do know that it is no comfort and even worse, a cliché, but Stendhal sold only a few hundred copies during his lifetime.
For those authors not willing to live on water and cucumbers, but lucky enough to have a green card, they can always apply for a job at the post office.