I had never heard the name of author Steven Jay Griffel before. Maybe you never heard of him either.
But the other day, I had an opportunity to listen to him interestingly describe how he went from a struggling non-published book writer with a three decade publishing industry career to a published digital e-book author.
There has certainly been no shortage of stories about the struggling publishing and book store industry. From the loss of independent shops to the difficulties faced by brand names like Barnes & Noble, marketing of the printed book and the challenges faced by authors other than the top names, are today, difficult at best.
But the interesting story told by Griffel put a positive spin on a rough and competitive industry.
He tells his personal tale of struggle and rejection from book publishers, even though his career path and industry contacts could have made that path a bit easier to navigate.
Then lo and behold, words like Kindle, Nook and iPad enter the lexicon of the writer and the book industry. Electronic publishing builds and the digital revolution takes this writer from a traditional path to the unconventional.
It’s not just the ultimate publication of his novel, titled “Forty Years Later,” that made for the fascinating lecture and story of triumph; it’s his own marketing perseverance and non-traditional approaches as he describes his book as a drama of Baby Boomer memories and the 1969 Woodstock era.
Although his book is only available as an e-book, Griffel was prepared for the questions about traditional book signings as a marketing tool. He has been a speaker not only on Long Island but at the New York Public Library as well and offers signed photographs of the book’s cover to anyone who wants one.
In addition, he has marketed his book by generating local newspaper press coverage.
Perhaps additional marketing opportunities of Griffel’s Woodstock story could be done through the Woodstock era Museum at Bethal Woods as well as in the town of Woodstock and surrounding areas itself.
Of course, last year’s 4oth anniversary celebration of the infamous concert offered a number of media opportunities. This year’s 41st anniversary came and went without so much as a media whimper. But at least for me, Griffel’s “Forty Years After” gave the chance to reminisce again.
By the way, a previous piece I recently wrote focused on the e-book phenomenon and discussed how the marketing of e-books has quickly changed the publishing world. Check it out by clicking below:
http://www.examiner.com/marketing-in-long-island/digitally-speaking-e-books-are-being-marketed-and-sold-faster-than-you-can-turn-a-page
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