Millions hang on Donald Trump’s every word, so I want him to hate my books.
When a powerful public figure criticizes an author, the discussion shifts from the book itself to the broader ideas it presents. Readers interested in politics, religion, ethics, history or current events buy it simply to better understand the debate.
Why not marketing?
Publicity from Trump’s maligning my writing would far exceed results of any advertising campaign. Folks otherwise overlooking me would naturally be curious about what generated such strong reactions and check me out. Many of them would buy my scribbles, which is (obviously) my objective.
Meta recently learned how this strategy works by suing former employee Sarah Wynn-Williams over her book “Careless People.” Her sales are currently going through the ceiling.
The approach has also proven invaluable for others. Salman Rushdie (“Satanic Verses”) was condemned to death in 1989 by Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. That transformed Rushdie’s novel into an international symbol of free expression as sales surged worldwide.
Or there was “The Coming Insurrection,” which Fox News host Glenn Beck called “quite possibly the most evil thing I’ve ever read.” His criticism propelled the book up Amazon’s bestseller rankings almost overnight.
This is known as the Streisand effect, after Barbra Streisand’s efforts to remove a photo of her Malibu mansion from the internet, only to make it the most-viewed house online.
The lesson: Powerful people trying to make something disappear make it impossible to ignore.
Call it the “forbidden fruit” effect. Publicly denouncing a book as dangerous, offensive or misleading will make many people curious about what prompted such a strong reaction. Readers who never noticed the title suddenly want to read it.
So I’m asking the president to please condemn my latest book. I yearn for the free news coverage, recognize readers will be curious or express support for my right to free speech, and anticipate sales would increase substantially.
True, such public criticism might damage my reputation, but I’m willing to take the chance.
Still, Trump may not care about my ideas, so I’m now drafting a chapter about the pope’s marketing of the church. If I do it the right way, I can piss him off. That, right there, should be good for a couple of million book sales.
With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
Hate my latest book at https://amzn.to/4hoslft.
