While the processes and ecosystems of publishers has been examined (Driscoll et al., 2018; Matulionyte et al., 2017), little research has been conducted into aspects of novelists’ work and labour (Larson, 2020). Given that the multitude of books published each year continues to increase, it is essential that authors market their work to differentiate their novels and attract more readers (Ohlsson et al., 2014). This research aimed to explore the marketing knowledge and activities of novelists and aspiring novelists to provide an insight into their labour practices.
Seventeen semi-structured interviews were conducted with novelists who had used various publication methods, and nine with aspiring novelists. Recruitment ceased when theoretical saturation occurred (Patton, 2002). Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data (Braun & Clarke, 2006) using a traditional human interpretative approach in combination with NVivo 12 plus to allow for greater accuracy of meaning expressed by the participants (Arvidsson & Caliandro, 2016; Kozinets et al., 2018).
Novelists interviewed had very mixed marketing knowledge and skills ranging from sophisticated to limited. Most of the novelists wanted to improve their marketing knowledge and acknowledged the importance of marketing, but they lacked the time and resources to undertake this improvement. The aspiring novelists reported very limited marketing knowledge, with some unable to describe what it entailed; however most expressed the view that marketing was important for novelists. The findings suggest that marketing is a knowledge gap that some novelists are never able to fill, which is likely undermining their economic sustainability.