What Ozzy Taught Me About Multi-Platform Publishing
by Kate Rados
I Am Ozzy is the autobiography of one of the craziest rock stars of all time, Ozzy Osbourne. While I was a fan of MTV’s The Osbournes back in the day, I wasn’t ever really a diehard fan of his music. Save for an occasional ‘Crazy Train’ karaoke indulgence.
When the book came out, I thought I’d take it for a test drive on the Kindle. And after a few pages, written in his exact tone of voice, I thought: I need to HEAR him tell this story! But alas, a voiceover actor named Frank Skinner has the honors. Yeah, you could argue that it takes a Herculean effort to make out what Ozzy’s saying. I mean, they DID have subtitles during the MTV series. But, screw it. That’s what makes him so charming and so much fun to listen to. Like Tracy Morgan, or Steven Colbert, who also have unique voices and line delivery.
Maybe Hachette didn’t want to gamble on this one. Or maybe Ozzy/Sharon didn’t want to do the recording. I doubt the latter, but it could definitely be the case.
I guess I’m rambling on this because I believe there are certain occasions where the audiobook, print, and eBook versions are multiple purchase opportunities.
Take I Am America, And So Can You. I bought the hardcover the first week it was out because I heart Mr. Colbert. Loved the book and read it from cover to cover in a no time at all. I then found I wanted to hear it from the man himself. So I bought the audiobook and used it as a distraction while I was riding passenger on #getjoeontwitter’s motorcycle. Yeah, 85 MPH with only a helmet and motojacket between me and four weeks in traction makes me a little squiggy.
Then, when I got my Kindle, one of the first books I bought for my library…was Colbert’s book. And I read it again. I’m a fan. Clearly.
My next purchase: My Fair Lazy, by Jen Lancaster, in hardcover. I already have all of her other books, follow her on Twitter, and think she’s the funniest author on the planet. If only she was actually reading her own audiobooks…I would buy that too. And the Kindle version, which isn’t up yet. HINT.
Another way to think of it: It’s a Gary V Fan thing (DRINK!). You know that fans of Gary (FOG) will buy Crush It, then buy the Vook, then watch his videos, then buy the next iteration…because they VALUE the content and want it everywhere at anytime.
What’s my point? I promise there is one: as publishers we have to think, thoroughly, about the possibilities and flexibility of our authors’ story. From the point of acquisition. While I agree it’s good to go back into the backlist and mine for digital opportunities, the meat of it belongs in the first meeting after the book is acquired. Maybe even earlier.
Comments
I’m not a huge fan of audiobooks as a rule (my mind tends to wander when I’m listening), but there are exceptions, like when an autobiography or memoir is narrated by the author—Barack Obama, for example, or Wil Wheaton, both of who do fantastic jobs and make the audiobook a far superior experience than the printed book.
Hey! I actually worked on this title I AM OZZY. It’s written exactly like his speaking style which is kind of an amazing feat. However, he was not available to do the audio. He was, I believe, but do NOT quote me, very busy with his music when it was recorded.
However, I find that in the case of Ozzy and certainly also with Colbert and really with so many celebrity/pop culture books, that the book will be bought in several platforms by the same consumer. Also people will buy multiple copies–for their friends, from a signing, pre-order, on the Kindle, etc. We see this also with the mashup genre as well (Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter another example, and yes, I’m totally being Hachette centric but what can I say? We’re the best with multiplatforms, in my opinion)