Why Don’t JP Holding’s Apologetics books sell better?

[Pitchforkpat]

I think that oversimplifies things. To WLC's credit, he is also an excellent writer, speaker and debater. He's well lettered, too.

But that's the whole point. He's an excellent writer. That's why Reasonable Faith sells so well. My guess is that excellence in writing is the reason Holding can't even hold a candle to Loftus in this regard. I don't even consider Loftus to be a great writer but he clobbers Holding in sales. And Jason Long, although he writes in an accessible style, can hardly be called a great writer. Yet he stomps Holding despite being far less known.

[Milan]

But that's the whole point. He's an excellent writer. That's why Reasonable Faith sells so well. My guess is that excellence in writing is the reason Holding can't even hold a candle to Loftus in this regard. I don't even consider Loftus to be a great writer but he clobbers Holding in sales. And Jason Long, although he writes in an accessible style, can hardly be called a great writer. Yet he stomps Holding despite being far less known.

Maybe Holding's sales would be better if he stopped his vitriol? Speaking for myself, I often feel disengaged and annoyed with his more venomous writings. I'm unsure what his books are like, though. I've only read several of his articles/essays.

[Pitchforkpat]

It can, if Long advertises his book to people who have no idea he has an Internet presence. JP does not do any marketing, so any marketing Long does would put him ahead on that front.

Does Long advertise his book? I haven’t seen it.

You are morbidly ignorant on the subject of marketing, which is to be expected considering the only purpose of this thread is for you to brag about how many more books someone who isn't you sold compared to someone else who also isn't you.

First of all, you have no idea of my knowledge of marketing, and you're predictably wrong. Second, there’s no “bragging” going on since I didn’t write any of the books that clobber Holding. The thread is about why Holding sells so little. Clearly you have no reasonable answer to this. Instead, it sounds all too much like sour grapes.

So you do think Hitchens and Dawkins are superior to Carl Sagan then? And Loftus is superior to Bertrand Russel?

The point is that they all sell very well. And even though Russell’s book was published 83 years ago it still outsells Holding. My guess is because it’s actually good.

[Pitchforkpat]

Maybe Holding's sales would be better if he stopped his vitriol? Speaking for myself, I often feel disengaged and annoyed with his more venomous writings. I'm unsure what his books are like, though. I've only read several of his articles/essays.

Best post and best comment of the thread so far (apart from mine, of course). You may well be on to something there, Milan.

[Darth Executor]

Does Long advertise his book? I haven’t seen it.

Why are you asking me? Shouldn't you have this kind of data in front of you BEFORE you start threads like these? Oh wait, of course not, because:

First of all, you have no idea of my knowledge of marketing

Yes I do. You've done no research on the amount of advertising any of the parties involved have done. You've done no research on the target audience and their buying habits, or the market in general. This thread's mere existence is a testimony to your ignorance on the subject.

The point is that they all sell very well.

No, the point is that sometimes, books written by imbeciles outsell books written by competent individuals. Though it's hardly a surprise that you have to pretend to not get the point. Despite your protestations, you don't know anything about marketing or marketing research. If you did you'd have done your homework and known making a dumb thread like this is ill advised.

[Darth Executor]

Best post and best comment of the thread so far (apart from mine, of course). You may well be on to something there, Milan.

If Holding's "vitriol" is preventing him from selling books, how did he end up the #1 Internet apologist like you claim in the OP? People like vitriol on a web site but not on paper? This, ladies and gentlemen is a classical example of cognitive dissonance. Pitchfork part will believe anything, even when it blatantly contradicts his own claims, as long as the message of the two claims will further his goals.

[Waterrock]

Holding's apologetics are not very good and not very original.

Yours in Christ,

Waterrock

[Raphael]

Holding's apologetics are not very good and not very original.

Yours in Christ,

Waterrock

Love the assertions. you gonna back them up?

I assume you've read the books? and that you will give a break down of how they aren't very good.

[Chaotic Void]

Quality matters enough that a real quality book would do better than 1,100,000 in Amazon rankings. Quality clearly isn't the problem

We're talking about the same human population, right? The same population that enjoys crap like Joel Osteen and Friedberg/Seltzer flicks over the excellent works of NT Wright and masterpieces like Citizen Kane? Quality is obviously not a high priority in today's society.

He's no stranger to self promotion. If it was any good, he wouldn't need to "pimp" it in order to sell a decent amount.

Last time I checked, JP doesn't travel around websites etc promoting his books. Actually, I've seen him do very little self-promotion.

[Waterrock]

Sorry, Raphael, I must decline. I was just floating by TheologyWeb for a quick visit and was merely chiming in, with no aspirations of a prolonged discussion today. Perhaps another time.

Yours in Christ,

Waterrock

[Raphael]

Last time I checked, JP doesn't travel around websites etc promoting his books. Actually, I've seen him do very little self-promotion.

Infact most of it consists of a thread here when he has started on a new project, and a link or two on Tektonics.

[Rayado]

Sorry, Raphael, I must decline. I was just floating by TheologyWeb for a quick visit and was merely chiming in, with no aspirations of a prolonged discussion today. Perhaps another time.

Yours in Christ,

Waterrock

[lilpixieofterror]

Sorry, Raphael, I must decline. I was just floating by TheologyWeb for a quick visit and was merely chiming in, with no aspirations of a prolonged discussion today. Perhaps another time.

Yours in Christ,

Waterrock

Is it just me or does this guy sound a lot like a sock puppet?

[princesa]

Amen

[there was no amen key visible...???...]


edit : i was amening darths post because i couldn't find the amen key and it just came out as a solitary post.....whatever

[lilpixieofterror]

Amen

[there was no amen key visible...???...]

It's the 'thumb up' icon.