Green Mile a Marketing Scam?
Gord Hutchinson
This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
cynical debut.
It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
paperback?
Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
Again I apologize for the tone of my inital post. I look forward to
seeing some of the flaming responses :}
Robert G. Buice, Jr
In article <4m177e$d...@melon.myna.com>, Gord.Hu...@myna.com (Gord
Hutchinson) wrote:
I don't think so. signet is going to make big bucks every time King puts
something on paper, so I don't think they would care about making a little
bit more on this one than the others. He'll release 1-3 books a year and
they will get their money, serial or not.
--
Robert G. Buice,Jr supe...@pop.uky.edu
Analytical Spectroscopy Group Phone:(606) 257-5175
College of Pharmacy
University of Kentucky
PGP Key: http://kerouac.pharm.uky.edu/buice/rgbuice.html
The Man with the Golden Gun
Gord.Hu...@myna.com (Gord Hutchinson) wrote:
>This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
>cynical debut.
That's okay. You can sit in the corner with me and we'll talk all about
how the world is going to Hell in a handbasket.
>
>It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
>Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
>
Well, this isn't true according to the foreword. He says it's more the
nostalgic aspect. I admit, he could be lying, but I see no reason that
he should.
>
>Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
This, I can certainly agree with. I'd imagine there are less than a
dozen authors who could break even with this kind of thing, much less
turn a decent profit.
>
>Again I apologize for the tone of my inital post. I look forward to
>seeing some of the flaming responses :}
Nah. You're fairly intelligent, articulate, and you can spell. You can
put the asbestos sweater away. :)
-Scaramanga, damn! I'm not being bitter enough. I'll have to try harder
next time.
--
The Man with the Golden Gun, Craig Lovelace, founder of MAVWWDBN
"But tell Head of Station not to worry. That girl won't do any more
sniping. Probably lost her left hand. Certainly broke her nerve for
that kind of work. Scared the living daylights out of her. In my
book, that was enough."
-James Bond, from Ian Fleming's The Living Daylights.
bev vincent
Gord Hutchinson (Gord.Hu...@myna.com) wrote:
: This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
: cynical debut.
: It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
: Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
: We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
: couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
: taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
: paperback?
: Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
: Again I apologize for the tone of my inital post. I look forward to
: seeing some of the flaming responses :}
To quote King from his AOL appearance: (where he is actually talking
about the contests at the back of the book...)
KingStephn : It was a publicity ploy from the publisher.
Publicity, publisher. Publisher, publicity
Geddit?
--
Bev Vincent
Houston, TX
Michael R. Fierro
I just wonder why you didn't just join the 5000 other threads on this
subject?
The Green Mile was done because Stephen King wanted to do a serial
novel, plain and simple.
--
============================================================
fie...@cris.com | http://www.concentric.net/~fierro
------------------------------------------------------------
THAT is one big pile of shit. - Jeff Goldblum, Jurrasic Park
============================================================
Ivy Lee
Gord.Hu...@myna.com (Gord Hutchinson) wrote:
>We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
>couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
>taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
>paperback?
>
>Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
R.L. Stine, R.L. Stine,
he's no friend of mine,
R.L. Stine.
Ivy (yes, cousins, here's ANOTHER damn Goosebumps) Lee
--
Censors tend to do what only psychotics
do: they confuse reality with illusion.
David Cronenberg
Jeff Brown
Gord Hutchinson wrote:
>
> This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
> cynical debut.
> We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
> couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
> taxes) for the six part series.
So wait until it's collected(I'm sure it will be - I can't see them
keeping it in print as six parts). If you were unwilling to wait for
the paperback normally, the hardcover would cost as much.
I am enjoying it myself - I'd like for it to come out more frequently,
but it does lend an interesting quality to the story. All in all, I'd
rather have it one chunck at at time than wait until it's all done.
--
Jeff Brown
University of Wisconsin
KaylieWlkr
>We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
>couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
>taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
>paperback?
Been there, done something like that. Author: Stephen King. It was
worth it to me.
>Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
Your point, please?
Kimberley :D
(tongue firmly in cheek...)
Never regret what you do.
Never do what you'll regret.
John Oswalt
> This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
> cynical debut.
>
> It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
> Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
>
> We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
> couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
> taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
> paperback?
How can it be a scam when you can see what you're getting before
you have to pay anything?
If you don't think it is worth it, don't buy it.
--
John Oswalt
email: j...@netcom.com or j...@mtest.teradyne.com
http://members.aol.com/joswalt
Linda Perez
Gord Hutchinson wrote:
>
> This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
> cynical debut.
>
> It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
> Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
>
> We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
> couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
> taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
> paperback?
>
>
> seeing some of the flaming responses :}
No problem. This idea has already been thrown around numerous times.
SK has stated that it is the lowest price that Signet could charge
considering production and shipping. I think that we all agreed that,
tho' the price is not "fair" for the total number of pages, we are
really paying for the excitement of reading in installments. It is a
real high strung month of anticipation (especially at the end of GM2)
that is fun. Perhaps we would not be suckered into a 2nd set, but this
time it is worth it. I really doubt that SK is into the money aspect
(agreeing with your statement), and perhaps the publisher did think to
make some extra bucks, but I don't see it. It is more expensive to
split what is essentially one novel into six parts rather than publish
as one. And they are spending a lot on advertising. And the most
important reason I am going to the bookstore the last monday of every
month for 6 months. SK is having a blast and when he is, we get the
reward of reading a fabulous story.
Linda
Barbara Levy
On Apr 29, 1996 21:42:58 in article <Re: Green Mile a Marketing Scam?>,
'Jeff Brown <jbr...@chem.wisc.edu>' wrote:
>Gord Hutchinson wrote:
>>
>> This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
>> cynical debut.
>
>
>> couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
>> taxes) for the six part series.
>keeping it in print as six parts). If you were unwilling to wait for
>the paperback normally, the hardcover would cost as much.
show, King was talking about Dickens and how his stories were published
chapter by chapter and eventually released as one book. Maybe it'll
happen. Who knows? For me, I'm happy to read a new King story piece by
piece - I don't have the patience to wait! <g>
--
Barbara Levy
"There's a killer on the road
His brain is squirming like a toad"
- Jim Morrison
Linda Perez
Gord Hutchinson wrote:
>
> This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
> cynical debut.
>
> Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
>
> couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
Janine Lott
Gord Hutchinson wrote:
>
> This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
> cynical debut.
>
> It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
> Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
>
> We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
> couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
> taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
> paperback?
>
> Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
>
> Again I apologize for the tone of my inital post. I look forward to
> seeing some of the flaming responses :}
>
No flame here, just another opinion. I am rather enjoying
having the books fed to me bit by bit regardless of the cost.
compared to other forms of entertainment I indulge in it is
really pretty cheap. I think the thing I enjoy the most it the
time between the books.
I know...at first I complained about having to wait for each
installment but now that I'm actually in the situation I find
myself continually wondering how different situations within
the book will work themselves out. It's not like buying one
big book and knowing that the answers are just pages away, it's
better, I have time to savor each installment and formulate my
own guesses to how things will resolve themselves.
Janine
Jill Warren
Janine Lott <gl...@mindspring.com> writes:
> Gord Hutchinson wrote:
>> We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
>> couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
>> taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
>> paperback?
For Gord:
I buy several magazines and comics monthly, at an average of $3.50 per, and
I see no difference. Especially in light of the contents: a brand-new SK
story for $3 or $4 or another tired article on downhilling in Moab for the
same price?
What will happen to Mr. Jingles? vs. endless specualtion and meaningless
predictions about who will win the Stanley Cup? (the Pens!)
I think I'm getting quite a bit for the money, especially since it's
something I want and am enjoying immensely.
---
For Janine:
> really pretty cheap. I think the thing I enjoy the most it the
> time between the books.
?! I'm dying! I've been sick the past few days, I go out this morning to buy
the Mouse on the Mile, and the #$@*%!! Barnes & Nobles is sold out!!!
Aaarrrggh!! I nearly passed out from the desire to strangle the clerk.
Not as if it was his fault. :( I'll be checking, though.
> I know...at first I complained about having to wait for each
I'm still complaining. But I'm getting better at waiting. :)
But it's gonna be a looonng summer.
> installment but now that I'm actually in the situation I find
> myself continually wondering how different situations within
> the book will work themselves out. It's not like buying one
> big book and knowing that the answers are just pages away, it's
> better, I have time to savor each installment and formulate my
> own guesses to how things will resolve themselves.
Yes, and it's kind of fun, in a masochistic way, isn't it? :)
Jill
GO PENS!!
Antti Matikka
Gord.Hu...@myna.com (Gord Hutchinson) wrote:
>This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
>cynical debut.
Oh, go ahead!
You're not the only one ;-)
>It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
>Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
Didn't you read the foreword?
Stephen had a very specific idea on this one.
>We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
>couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
>taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
>paperback?
If there's still someone who doesn't know our prices, YES!!!
With pleasure.
Andy, from even Greater White North (I think)
dew...@metrobbs.com
> j...@netcom.com (John Oswalt) writes:
> In article <4m177e$d...@melon.myna.com>, Gord.Hu...@myna.com (Gord
> Hutchinson) wrote:
>
> > This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
> > cynical debut.
> >
> > Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
> >
> > couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
> > taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
> > paperback?
>
> you have to pay anything?
>
> If you don't think it is worth it, don't buy it.
> --
> John Oswalt
> email: j...@netcom.com or j...@mtest.teradyne.com
> http://members.aol.com/joswalt
>
>>>>
think, if you don't like it, you don't have to buy the rest and you won't have paid 25.00 for a book you
didn't even finish. While I'm frustrated (of course) with wanting to read the whole thing all at once, I
think this is fun for a change of pace. And, for me, who buys one to read and has the other shrink
wrapped for my collection,.......it's still worth it. Remember, if you don't want to, you don't have to buy
it.......Dianne in OKC
Rick Harderwijk
brv@indigo (bev vincent) wrote:
>Gord Hutchinson (Gord.Hu...@myna.com) wrote:
>: This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
>: cynical debut.
>: It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
>: Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
>: We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
>: couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
>: taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
>: paperback?
>: Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
I have been doing some calculation of that myself about the price in
Holland. It seems very fair to me over here:
Part 1 is available until July 1 for only fl. 2,50 part 2 to 6 cost
fl. 7.50 each, so that's 5 times 7.50 + 2.50 and that makes 40
guilders, which is a regular price for non-pocket paperback editions
over here.
Ofcourse, TGM is in a pocket edition, no need to use LARGE paper for a
SMALL story (or, at least, a SMALL part of a LARGE story).
Had TGM been published as one book, well, then it would cost 39,95.
And well, 5 cents, who cares? There ain't much you can do with that
over here (actually, can't think of one single thing you can do with
only 5 cents :-) )
Greets,
Rick Harderwijk
____ * Rick Harderwijk * () * Student Hogeschool Holland * ____
||__ * SysOp MaxAccess * || * Voorlichting, Publiciteit * || __
__|| * +31-345-517385 * || * & Informatie. * ||__||
dam...@sprynet.com
Gord.Hu...@myna.com (Gord Hutchinson) wrote:
>This is my first post to this group and I am sorry to make it a
>cynical debut.
>It occurs to me that the Green Mile series may be a marketing scam by
>Signet with or without the cooperation of Stephen King.
>We are being asked to pay $3.99 (I'm from the Great White North) for a
>couple of hundred pages every month or so. That's about $25.00 (plus
>taxes) for the six part series. Would you pay that for a 1200 page
>paperback?
>Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
>Again I apologize for the tone of my inital post. I look forward to
>seeing some of the flaming responses :}
Personally, it doesn't make much difference to me if it is a marketing
deal, or not. I'm the kind of fan that would end up paying the money
to add the book to my collection, regardless of price anyway. And
after giving this subject much consideration, mostly because I thought
it was an odd concept, I've come to believe that S.K. does enjoy
having the power over the readers, and hell, I'm guessing that most of
us enjoy it just as much for the simple reason that watching the
shelves for his latest book is one of the first things I do whenever I
am near a bookstore, and I doubt I'm the only one. There is always
one particular book that appeals to a person, and hooks them on an
author, S.K. is no different than other's in that respect from my
perspective, but it's the personality that each of his books attain
with me when I read them that make me come back for more.
The Green Mile is the least of my concerns anyway...I'm much more
concerned about seeing the end of the Dark Tower series, than any one
book being sold in chapters could ever make me.
Damien
Gord Hutchinson
kayli...@aol.com (KaylieWlkr) wrote:
>>Would this scheme fly if the author was less of a name? I doubt it.
>Your point, please?
>Kimberley :D
>(tongue firmly in cheek...)
My point is that King has become something of a cult figure amongst certain
people. I have read and enjoyed almost all of his books but I do NOT count
him as one of history's great authors.
>Never regret what you do.
>Never do what you'll regret.
Gord Hutchinson,
Mississauga, Ontario,
Canada
Brambilla Clivia
: Hi there you fellow stephen king readers!
: I live in Switzerland I have discovered the two first books
: of the green mile last week. They cost me 7.30 each, that is
: Swiss Franks. About 5 us dollars. I think it it expensive,
: but then again, for a mag, you pay more and get less.
: for comments, please email me at: morr...@math-stat.unibe.ch
: talk to you again!
: if the phone doesn't ring it's me.
: Morrigan
hor...@fastnet.co.uk
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