“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Moreover, from this other general (paperback) market, you will consistently pick up a newer group of readers. To some extent you have been “hitting the underground movements.” Well and good, and important. You are competing now, as you were not before, however, in that general market with all of the conventional cultural goodies. As mentioned, you are not packaging our material either in such a way that it builds upon the cliches of the occult field believed in as the public sees it.

The immediate money resulting with the contracts served as financial reinforcement at a time when you and Ruburt needed it. This was more important than you seem to remember. (Although I do keep this in mind. So does Jane, I think.) Ruburt was worried about money in the bank then—not six months or a year hence with royalties. Prentice wanted to set up a paperback mass connection, for to them this means that a book is good and has value financially. They also wanted quick cash. It was a poor year financially speaking for them. They also needed financial reinforcement. You and Ruburt also wanted the books to be in the general market.

The paperbacks have not cut down the occult market that you had secured. Those people have already read the books, and are waiting for more. There would have been a lag in sales until the next book, which then triggers the loyal to pick up any of the others they might have missed along the way.

The paperbacks in the meantime are .picking up new readership that will broaden your base. Saleswise, then, you would more or less be in the same position now, whether or not the books had been sold to mass markets. The advantage, however, has not yet shown; for the people are still immersed in the books they have.

([The Gallaghers:] “We passed and noticed several fish markets.”)

[...] I was the proprietor of a gas station on Keystone Avenue, up near the skating-rink section, and on the other side of the highway from the Acme Market location. [...]

[...] I would suggest that Ruburt set aside one day a week for the marketing of his own manuscripts.

During the rest of the week, he should if possible forget about the marketing aspect. [...]

(I brought Jane a chicken sandwich — the third in a series, and the last one made from the barbecued chicken I’d bought at a Convenient Market. [...]

[...] He did not want it (in quotes) “flooding the market,” used by people who would follow the techniques and then write for help.

[...] A California resident called Maude Cardwell in Texas, to tell her that he has our permission to market the audio tapes of Jane’s ESP class, which ended in 1975. [...]

[...] Remember, when Ruburt wrote short stories he slanted them for the market. The woman could not win out in tales for Playboy, so when Ruburt thinks in that fashion about work, he thinks he is not only not slanting his material for the market, but often telling people precisely what they may not want to hear at all—hence this would arouse worries about the sale of the books.

A little unconnected comment here, concerning your good doctor’s suggestion that you ask me about the stock market.

[...] Everyone would want to know how to beat the market, and the material would quickly disintegrate. [...]

(Our doctor friend, last week, had half-jokingly suggested Jane and I see what Seth would have to say about the market. [...]

[...] We visited a straw market, native women weaving baskets and bags and selling them a loaf of bread. [...]

[...] In his enthusiastic feeling for the book, the best he could do with his lack of training was to think of it in terms of the best in the occult market.

[...] Now we can see that she is getting into the regular trade-book market. [...]

[...] (Long pause.) Ruburt was therefore impressed to the ears with the necessity of getting a book to market, and of the importance of a decent working relationship with an editor, particularly in the uncertainties of even usual free-lancing writing were taken into consideration. [...]

He is pleased now that both books are on the market. [...]

(At the market, I bought Jane a poinsettia plant for the holiday season.)

[...] The same applies to what you could do in marketing the Seth material from manuscript.

(I stopped at a Convenient Market to buy potato chips to contribute to a party the staff is giving for one of the aides who’s changing jobs at the hospital. [...]

You must forget current market values. [...]

[...] In the market, in Frank’s terms, the house is worth perhaps $38,500, or $39,000. [...]

[...] It was not fine art but directed outward in obvious fashions in an aggressive sort of thrust, with a particular market in mind, and therefore to you had a masculine quality. [...] When the natural freely creative energies were aroused in you, you instantly dispensed with all ideas of a commercial market, and completely divorced the idea of painting from selling for the reasons given.

[...] Once again, when Jane had the session I became aware of traffic noise from Market Street.)

[...] I told Jane I suspected the dream grew out of my meeting Leonard at the new Super-Duper market the other night, when he’d joked around and repeated several times how good he felt physically, after his heart operation. [...]

[...] Good market, many subjects.