Marina Woods and I had a long discussion last night that was sparked by the unfair treatment the movie ATL had received from certain suburban Georgian malls(my neighborhood mall included,) And the week long discusion over at Dave Long's Faith*in*Fiction Blog about niche marketing and the quagmire for African-American novelists:
- an excerpt from Dave Long's F*i*F discusion-How to Avoid the Niche...
These books and authors[African-American] are in some ways in a no-win situation. If the books don't look "black" enough they might miss their core audience. Yet such covers and title threaten to make them invisible to the majority of the buying audience.
Anybody got any ideas?
Anybody got any ideas?
You can read the discussion to find my remarks to Dave and others that chimed in. But the question never was answered. And in all honesty I don't think it could be at F*i*F, since most of the writers there are non-Black, so its revelance and importance doesn't matter as much to them. Correct me if I'm wrong...
There are some African-American writers who specifically only want to target African enclaves in the world. While, others would like to crack the CBA code. With such a predicament to be in, I can see how easier it would be to not approach the CBA publishers, and either self-publish or form partnerships with Walk Worthy Press, Urban Christian, CAABA or other similar in make-up.
However, there is another factor--in my opinion--that is more important then niche marketing, demographics and race. It is Jesus and his commision for all of us(black and white.)
- an excerpt from Scott McKnight's The Church, Embracing Grace and Racism 1....
If you embrace a kingdom vision of the gospel itself, racism is nothing short of disgusting. If you embrace a judicial perception of sin, the Cross, and the gospel, racism is more tolerable. I’m sorry to put in such bold terms, but it all comes down to how you understand the gospel.
I am not an expert on the topic of racism, nor am I a paragon of a colorless and a raceless (not the same thing) perception of our world. But, I want the Church to be better because I believe racism is a denial of the kingdom vision and gospel of Jesus.
So starting today through next week we will explore this discussion:
Grace & Race in Christian Publishing
Grace & Race in Christian Publishing
It will explore:
- Book Cover and Local Color
- Creating a Marketing Incubator for ethnic Authors
- Reading outside the box
- writing outside the margins
- adding characters of different ethnicities in WIP
- major misconceptions
- championing diversity on bookstore shelves
- what else?
If you would like to join in on this discussion contact me here or off loop at dee at gospelfiction dot com.
OT: This is an open trackback day.
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Coming May 2006 
