50 Shades of Grey?

[machin576]

This book exploded because of digital books.

Women were able to read something they were curious about without others knowing what they were reading.

Check the numbers, it had HUGE sales in digital format.

Its the basic magazine in the school book trick but with a digital device.

 

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[The-J]

Baaaaaa

View attachment 4019

Calm down, I'm referring to social issues. Plus, you're nowhere near conservative, Mr. 'I'm gonna give up my US citizenship cuz I don't believe in America anymore'. :coolgleamA:

But our sociopolitical leanings aren't the topic of this conversation. The topic is 50 shades of grey, one of the worst books ever written.

My day is worse off for having read your post.

I wish you didn't quote it, man. Lights is on my ignore for a reason :cuss:. Truth be told, I didn't even read the topic message. I just saw 50 shades and I wanted to comment on it.

 

[Kak]

I read this... I wish I didn't... WTF? http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...es-of-grey-speed-read-14-naughtiest-bits.html

 

[TheTruth]

My day is worse off for having read your post.

Rofl!

 

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[Lights]

If anyone is writing I found a cool app to hopefully defeat writer's block.

Write or Die by Dr Wicked | Putting the 'Prod' in Productivity

 

[Lights]

Yep. A lot of buyers buy the book without knowing what it s about, and Twilight inspiration plays a big role. Now, I never even read a Twilight book, I watch a little bit of the movie, but it was boring. I have to do some research into that.

Seems like a bunch of lonely Plain Jane women just get their kicks off this book and romance.

[video=youtube;Y0e20Cn_67o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0e20Cn_67o[/video]

 

[Kak]

I have to say it popped up on my suggestion list on Amazon a few times. I have no idea why, but it has a nice looking tie on the cover.

 

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[Lights]

I have to say it popped up on my suggestion list on Amazon a few times. I have no idea why, but it has a nice looking tie on the cover.

women think that the tie means wealth, only wealthy men have ties... I'll have to keep that in mind when I am writing my novel.

I don't think the author plan this novel the way that it turned out, but it's marketing genius.

just saying.

 

[dknise]

Sure, if your idea of "sexual health" is getting whipped by a leather belt while hanging upside down from a trapeze by some self-absorbed, borderline sociopath, well, awesome.

Hahahaha! I personally find it disturbing that millions of women are fantasizing about having an affair while reading this. They then hide behind the curtain of feminism.

Fifty Shades of Grey Encourages Cheating

The extra marital affairs dating site, AshleyMadison.com, has seen a 50 per cent rise in the number of women signing up to the site daily since the release of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Disgusts me... and we all know how I feel about cheating.:smilielol:

 

[PatrickP]

Why did sales blow up?

Because Opra recommended it

She talked about one food ingredient my friend uses in his business. Literally 2 weeks later the cost of that item in each of his products went from $.40/bottle to $6.00/bottle. That one ingredient then cost more than the ENTIRE product used to cost.

Last time I talked to him, 2 years later the price has only come back down to $4.90/bottle for this one ingredient.

She truly can change entire industries with just a mention on her show.

My guesstimate is this one item increased the cost by well over $200,000,000 on that one food item which is Resveratrol. It was talked about in the news LONG before she talked about it. It was not until Opra talked about its benefits that the cost of it sky rocketed.

 

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[Kak]

Why did sales blow up?

Because Opra recommended it

She talked about one food ingredient my friend uses in his business. Literally 2 weeks later the cost of that item in each of his products went from $.40/bottle to $6.00/bottle. That one ingredient then cost more than the ENTIRE product used to cost.

Last time I talked to him, 2 years later the price has only come back down to $4.90/bottle for this one ingredient.

She truly can change entire industries with just a mention on her show.

My guesstimate is this one item increased the cost by well over $200,000,000 on that one food item which is Resveratrol. It was talked about in the news LONG before she talked about it. It was not until Opra talked about its benefits that the cost of it sky rocketed.

Hmm business model alert! Watch Oprah, Dr Douche, Etc. Launch eCommerce sites selling that product immediately and use PPC for instant traffic...

Just have to find a supplier of all kinds of this crap. Put "Recommended by OPRAH!" on the site. All kinds of sheep will eat it up.

 

[Kak]

Hahahaha! I personally find it disturbing that millions of women are fantasizing about having an affair while reading this. They then hide behind the curtain of feminism.

Fifty Shades of Grey Encourages Cheating


Disgusts me... and we all know how I feel about cheating.:smilielol:

Holy shit! :nonod:

 

[PatrickP]

Or Dr Oz

He doesn't cause the jump is sales like she does BUT he does cause HUGE increases in sale of the products he mentions.

Just watch one of his shows and immediately do a google search for that item and see the # of results. Wait two weeks and see how many sites sell that item.

But it takes time to get the items manufactured AND as soon as it appears on their shows the supply evaporates in days and what IS available increases in cost exponentially.

It seems there are many companies who do just as you say.

 

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[Layna]

Hey Lights, I can tell you a little bit of the backstory to 50, though you've probably heard it by now...

It all started with Twilight, obviously. 50 was originally a straight rewrite of Twilight sans vampires that was created in the FanFic community. (The only plot difference was 'Bella' wasn't a virgin. It spun out to BDSM from there.) That community is actually the really interesting part of the story. A massive number of women loved Twilight to the point that they were inspired to write their own stories based on it. We're talking serious obsession here; people were both reading and writing totally amateur stories based on the worst book franchise in America. Let's skip over the weirdness of that.

This rabid community has actually spawned several presses of their own that release their awesome literature and like 50 most of it nearly identical of Twilight with the names changed. People found a way to monetize the obsession that wasn't contained by Twilight books and movies. I think compared to this, being promoted by Oprah is an afterthought. The market here is absolutely fascinating.

Psychologically, I think this is sort of the female flip-side to the pick-up artist community for men. Both are based on what short-circuits the female brain. Both are monetized. It's generally easier to find what short-circuits the male brain (no offense!) so this is also pretty interesting...

Also, Lights, could you please not base your story in Kansas? We seriously don't need the help ;-)

 

[Lights]

Hey Lights, I can tell you a little bit of the backstory to 50, though you've probably heard it by now...

It all started with Twilight, obviously. 50 was originally a straight rewrite of Twilight sans vampires that was created in the FanFic community. (The only plot difference was 'Bella' wasn't a virgin. It spun out to BDSM from there.) That community is actually the really interesting part of the story. A massive number of women loved Twilight to the point that they were inspired to write their own stories based on it. We're talking serious obsession here; people were both reading and writing totally amateur stories based on the worst book franchise in America. Let's skip over the weirdness of that.

This rabid community has actually spawned several presses of their own that release their awesome literature and like 50 most of it nearly identical of Twilight with the names changed. People found a way to monetize the obsession that wasn't contained by Twilight books and movies. I think compared to this, being promoted by Oprah is an afterthought. The market here is absolutely fascinating.

Psychologically, I think this is sort of the female flip-side to the pick-up artist community for men. Both are based on what short-circuits the female brain. Both are monetized. It's generally easier to find what short-circuits the male brain (no offense!) so this is also pretty interesting...

Also, Lights, could you please not base your story in Kansas? We seriously don't need the help ;-)

I'm heading to the library tomorrow to check out Twilight before I continue writing my book, going to read this thing in 1 week, and hopefully get a feel. This isn't a fad, and I don't think the community will be going anywhere anytime soon. I could be wrong, but the fanbase is too powerful right now, and if I release a book in the next 2-3 yrs I think I caught on fast enough. I think the Vampire market is done though.

My novel isn't going to be a replicate of this though, but the essence will probably be the same. I think the love story of Twilight is what made Twilight, so I want to get those emotions into my book. Love stories are always popular, so I can't go wrong there. I done some research on Twilight, and it looks like a better idea to read that then to read Fifty shades... which is a fad.

No, I'm not doing that farm bdsm novel, that was a joke, it wasn't the sex that made Fifty Shades so popular. It play a huge role in word of mouth though. It was the media, the Twilight, the "different", and a bunch of other factors.

 

[Layna]

I'm heading to the library tomorrow to check out Twilight before I continue writing my book, going to read this thing in 1 week, and hopefully get a feel. This isn't a fad, and I don't think the community will be going anywhere anytime soon. I could be wrong, but the fanbase is too powerful right now, and if I release a book in the next 2-3 yrs I think I caught on fast enough. I think the Vampire market is done though.

That's a good idea and you're right about the community not going anywhere. In fact, it could be a good resource for you to put up a few chapters, get some feedback and generate interest.

 

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[Vigilante]

it wasn't the sex that made Fifty Shades so popular.

LOL.

In your first post, you stated you haven't read it.

 

[The-J]

Hahahaha! I personally find it disturbing that millions of women are fantasizing about having an affair while reading this. They then hide behind the curtain of feminism.

Fifty Shades of Grey Encourages Cheating


Disgusts me... and we all know how I feel about cheating.:smilielol:

It clearly shows that women don't know nearly enough about their own sexuality in order to have a fulfilling relationship with a man.

The best thing that 50 Shades did for society was allow us to talk about sex more openly. (I mean, I don't think it should be TOO open, like seeing this book sold at Wal-mart WTF)

Other than that, 50 Shades is a pile of shit. I'm insulted that it got popular. It's so poorly written and I honestly can't see how it can even pass off as 'erotica'. My 13 year old self could have written better erotica than this.

 

[Layna]

It clearly shows that women don't know nearly enough about their own sexuality in order to have a fulfilling relationship with a man.

I'm not even going near that one...

The best thing that 50 Shades did for society was allow us to talk about sex more openly.

True story

Other than that, 50 Shades is a pile of shit. I'm insulted that it got popular. It's so poorly written and I honestly can't see how it can even pass off as 'erotica'. My 13 year old self could have written better erotica than this.

FTW Yes, yes it is. I despair that this is a bestseller.

 

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[Vigilante]

I think it became a phenomenon because it was socially acceptable... even encouraged... for missionary style conservative women to read something more steamy and aggressive.

When we owned our Christian bookstores, some of the better selling titles that we shipped via our website were titles on sex. However, we sold almost zero of these in the stores. Sexually repressed or sexually conservative people were interested in the subject... they just weren't about to plunk it down on the counter as their pastor walked in the front door of the store.

The lack of a smutty book cover made it more acceptable (you could keep it on the nightstand instead of in the drawer).

There is an awesome fastlane message in the popularity of this book, though... because it ignited a wave of excitement (pardon the pun) in a category of literature that has existed for ever.

 

[Layna]

When we owned our Christian bookstores, some of the better selling titles that we shipped via our website were titles on sex. However, we sold almost zero of these in the stores. Sexually repressed or sexually conservative people were interested in the subject... they just weren't about to plunk it down on the counter as their pastor walked in the front door of the store.

That's an interesting observation. Having grown up in a conservative community like that, I'm not really surprised.

The lack of a smutty book cover made it more acceptable (you could keep it on the nightstand instead of in the drawer).

I didn't recognize that, but you're absolutely right. It does have good (discrete) packaging and I'm sure that's helped.

There is an awesome fastlane message in the popularity of this book, though... because it ignited a wave of excitement (pardon the pun) in a category of literature that has existed for ever.

Right, she and Stephenie Meyer tapped an apparently under-served market and monetized it effectively.

What disturbs me here is that I actually liked Twilight (and I know it's horribly written), so I'm susceptible to SM's brand of mush, as well. :-\

Nonetheless, it's an interesting phenomenon and market.

 

[Lights]

LOL.

In your first post, you stated you haven't read it.

I don't need to read something to know after researching for the past couple of days why Fifty Shades became popular, now I'm researching Twilight, and it all makes sense to me now. I watch like 4 interviews from Stephanie Meyer, and 2 from the EL James. So I think I know if sex made it big or not.

And no sex didn't make it become popular. The book needed a hook though, and BDSM was it's hook. But that wasn't why it is what it is. It was the Twilight fanbase, people comparing it to Twilight, the "love" story I read from reviewers, and people just ate it up. Plus the marketing, timing, and all these other factors. I see why it's such a big success. That is what makes it different from all the other erotica out there. BDSM was basically the gimmick though.

I don't need to read the book to get that. I'm not the type of person to read through garbage, and without reading it, I saw the first paragraph of what it is on some blog.. It looks like crap. No USA college woman speaks like her. I'm not going to sit through all of that lol, that's out of my character.

No offense to guys out there, but after reading a little bit of Twilight, I can see why most women are into this mushy stuff. It's all so simple. I just never took the time to analyze this, since it's not my thing. But Twilight is the real deal, and I support all Stephanie Meyers has done. I don't know enough about EL James to comment.

http://www.abookloversdiary.com/2012/05/read-first-chapter-of-fifty-shades-of.html

 

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[JAJT]

I'm not the type of person to read through garbage,

You mean a successful person?

Even MJ cracked the book open and read most of it to better understand it. Research backed by independent analysis.

Reading what a bunch of other people are saying about something isn't research. It's regurgitation, repetition. Hell, those people analyzing the book may have never read it themselves. You'd be surprised at how much circle-jerking and copy-catting goes on out there. Without having read it you are just taking their word for it. What happens when you see a disagreement between two prominent sources? Flip a coin? Go with the majority? You have no actual opinion of your own to leverage. How is that analysis? How is that research?

I've never read the book but I have no interest in duplicating it's success either. If I were ANY kind of writer you'd better believe I'd have put on a pair of latex gloves and borrowed a copy for my own independent review at some point. Why would I invest hundreds of hours trying to duplicate it's success when all I have to go on is someone else saying "it was the tasteful use of anal" that made it successful?.

 

[Lights]

That's a good idea and you're right about the community not going anywhere. In fact, it could be a good resource for you to put up a few chapters, get some feedback and generate interest.

yeah...

I came up with a great idea (I threw out the whole Roses for Rapunzel... but I kept the same character). I'm still writing it out right now. I don't think I'm going to put any chapters up from my book until it's completed.

 

[The-J]

I'm not even going near that one...

You're probably one of the smarter ones, then.

The second best thing that 50 Shades did was increase sales in other erotica novels. Women will finish the series and then realize "Hey, I want to read more books about this kind of thing!" so they will find more, read it, and fall in love with the genre. I think this helps improve not only the sexual health of women but also the sexual health of couples (gay and straight) all over the world.

Erotica will no longer be a 'niche' genre.

DISCLAIMER: I read the first book. Downloaded it off of a BitTorrent tracker. It's actually available for free, legally, on the Internet, with the names "Edward" and "Bella" on it. Sorry, E.L. James, you don't deserve my money.

 

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[Lights]

You mean a successful person?

Even MJ cracked the book open and read most of it to better understand it. Research backed by independent analysis.

Reading what a bunch of other people are saying about something isn't research. It's regurgitation, repetition. Hell, those people analyzing the book may have never read it themselves. You'd be surprised at how much circle-jerking and copy-catting goes on out there. Without having read it you are just taking their word for it. What happens when you see a disagreement between two prominent sources? Flip a coin? Go with the majority? You have no actual opinion of your own to leverage. How is that analysis? How is that research?

I've never read the book but I have no interest in duplicating it's success either. If I were ANY kind of writer you'd better believe I'd have put on a pair of latex gloves and borrowed a copy for my own independent review at some point. Why would I invest hundreds of hours trying to duplicate it's success when all I have to go on is someone else saying "it was the tasteful use of anal" that made it successful?.

I just don't read garbage which in the context of my message to Vigilante, meant i never came around to it.

but I plan on getting to it after reading Twilight.

 

[Lgallion]

Garbage or not, 50 Shades is just the most public hit in this genre which has quietly exploded with the release of the Kindle (the theory is it eliminated the shame of dragging around sexy covered romance novels and slashed the price too). Now 44% of all romance novels are bought electronically (source Readership Statistics | Romance Writers of America).

More personally I have a friend who's mother writes romance novels (yes the trashy, sexy kind) and has build it into a ebook only mini publishing empire with a TON of cash flow. Just like all products it doesn't matter if you like it or not (reference the Snuggie, people would pay for that?!?), if the marketing appeals to an audience then you have a viable product. She is Fastlaning it all the way to the bank, and last time I checked her teller didn't care the checks were from quickly written, plot repeating, soft-core mommie porn. If I thought I could writing one, I would be typing right now.

 

[Layna]

The second best thing that 50 Shades did was increase sales in other erotica novels. Women will finish the series and then realize "Hey, I want to read more books about this kind of thing!" so they will find more, read it, and fall in love with the genre.

That's exactly how the base has grown and the market shows no signs of slowing.

It makes a strange sort of sense that someone from one of the more conservative belief structures (SM) was in the best position to rationalize what was otherwise taboo and make it palatable and marketable. It's actually kind of obvious in retrospect.

And I don't blame you at all for downloading 50, seriously. I think it's right on the border of copyright enfringement although our law doesn't agree with me. Also, many fans were understandably ticked that a work that had been free and edited with their feedback was removed and they were then being charged for. Questionable all around!

Hey, I know! I'll present on Twilight at B&P!

Kidding

 

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[Lights]

Twilight is a mediocre novel at best. I understand why it's so popular, and it's because too many girls/women idolize about the perfect love, the perfect boyfriend, and it's all so sexy. Edward is downright weird, and his personality sucks. Bella is a depressive character. It's not a page turner for me, and there were only a few "high" moments, but the book reads like some cheap teenage flick. It never suck me into a world, and I blame that on poor writing. Memoir of a Geisha did that to me, read that novel non-stop, and that is one of my favorite novels.

Well I am glad I read it though, since I know why it's popular. I get it. But I think I'm not the right age group for this, it's more for the average 15 yr old than for me.

If you're a guy, geez don't read this book unless you want a bore-fest....

 

[prime]

Its not surprising why this book is making a killing. I've never read it and I really don't plan to read it, but #59 replies, excuse me 60 replies (including this one) later, this is the largest thread in the Idea Bucket / Need Analysis forum...