Look Mom, I really did publish a book!

Here's the problem. My mother and her friends don't see my book in the local independent bookstore in my hometown. And if my book isn’t sitting there next to Harry Potter, does it really exist?

To make matters worse, I'm not on the Today Show or Oprah or Jon Stewart plugging my book (although if invited I'd happily appear). I've explained to Mom that this is a business book with a niche audience, but I sense some skepticism.

So at my recent appearance as a keynote speaker at the Vocus User Conference in Washington DC, I filmed "proof" of my book, just for Mom.

And I also put the video into a news release and sent it using the spiffy new PRWeb video news release feature. David Meerman Scott Proves to His Mother that He Really Did Publish a Book

As of this writing, Mom hasn’t seen the video. She's at a friends house for the week and is unlikely to check email until her return next week.

Comments

[Joe Wikert]

Hiya David. OK, tell your mom I'll vouch for you. Not only have I seen your book, but I've read it and loved every bit of it! Btw, I see it's still doing exceptionally well on Amazon -- way to go!

[T Demop, Blogging for Business]

It's tough to convince mothers. Mine won't believe anyone would ever buy and read anything I write. She doesn't even attempt to read mine, although she has a "coffee table" copy.

Nice video -- better book though :)

[Jacquelyn Lynn]

I think this is a problem all of us non-celebrity non-fiction book writers share, and not just with Mom, but with a lot of our family and friends. I had 10 published books under my own name (plus several ghostwritten bestsellers) when an acquaintance said, “So, when are you going to write a book?”
David, let us know how your Mom likes the video.

[David Meerman Scott]

Hi Jacquelyn

So I'm not alone!

Mom is still travelling and without a computer. I hope that she will see the video this weekend.

David

[Dianna Huff]

David, How do you come up with all these clever ideas? This one is a hoot!

[David Meerman Scott]

Hey Dianna,

I'm not afraid to experiment. Many of the things I try simply fall flat, but now and then something clicks.

David

[Denise wymore]

Congratulations on making the Top 100!!

I broke the 10,000 mark for about an hour. It was very exciting. I had to get some help - an interventon of sorts - to get me off my Sales Ticker habit. Now I check it about once a week.

[Jane]

David, I didn't attend the VOCUS users conference, but a friend of mine did, and she picked up an extra copy of your book (which you signed!) for me. I've read it twice now. It's my new bible for my business. Thank you!

[Timothy Fish]

Here is a worse problem for you. My Mom walked into her local bookstore, told one of the workers that she wanted to buy my book. The guy looked it up in the store's computer and then tried to sell her a different book. Fortunately, when people go to Amazon.com and tell them that they want to purchase either Church Website Design or Searching For Mom there is no one to try to push some other book. I think there are some companies that are going to be losing a lot of money if they don't start selling more long tail books.

[Kathleen]

I imagine that nebulous or mythical book or not, your Mom is in your corner. Some of us aren't so lucky, not that I'm bitter, I'm used to it. I'm the "underwater basket weaver" of my family in spite of writing the most highly acclaimed book in my industry and selling it on my blog that I've managed to establish as the "go-to" site of the business. They don't read that either. After 10 years, my family still can't fathom that I make money (more money than they do) typing on a computer all day. And about something as worthless as "fashion" no less :).

[Jesper]

Its a terrific book. I enjoyed reading it and lookforward to any future publications from you.