What Is The Fashion Of Today’s Reader — Or Tomorrow’s?

I never understood people who responded to political or social issue polls as “undecided” or “not sure.” How could one be undecided about well-debated, long-chronicled issues like abortion, gun control, the death penalty, war, or illegal immigration? These are not topics one can be neutral or unopinionated about. I simply thought: Were they just hiding their true views out of fear or embarrassment? Are they just stupid and uninformed?

But now I wonder if these non-committed folks had it right. Were they the ones who could see the true merits and shortcomings of each side that they really were unable to say with certainty that one way or the other was substantially better than the opposing side? Maybe it was not really a choice of A vs B, but of C or D, or of a compromised amalgamation of multiple options? Sometimes we just flip-flop on an issue, trying out one side, then its opposite.

In time, it seems, all sides to an issue find alternating favor with the populace. There are times where our nation is tolerant or even embracing of certain ideas and peoples, and then there are other times things fall out of fashion. It seems few things are loved and defended throughout the generations. Every idea, every political movement, and every behavior will find its followers and supporters at some point, somewhere. It is just a matter of to what degree and for how long.

Could this be true with books and the tastes of readers?

What people want to read today could go out of style tomorrow — and what seems to have no following today could be craved by the next generation.

Technology now challenges us to define what a human even is. It will surely challenge how a book is written — and read.  

Book reading is driven by a few things: 

* Cultural habit

* Inexpensive activity with wide accessibility

* Can be done anywhere, anytime

* Can be for school, work, pleasure, personal knowledge, enlightenment and inspiration, professional growth 

But it is under threat by our time spent on: 

* Watching movies/television

* Social media creation/consumption

* Web surfing 

* Email/texts

* Online webinars

* Theatre going

* Sports viewing/playing

* Chores

* Gym

* Shopping

* Dining out

* Commuting

* Work or school

* Social gatherings

* Caring for another

* Religious experiences 

Will reading books go out of style? Authors and publishers need to provide us with books that serve the needs, desires, and abilities of readers. They must do so in a better way than any competing alternatives. 

Writing books — by humans, to be read — by humans is how it has always been done. However, AI now changes that landscape.  

What is going to happen when AI reads for humans and makes the act of reading something we outsource? 

What will happen when AI writes for us, leaving out the human element? 

What will society be like when AI writes for AI readers, the way computer-generated resumes are scanned by computers and filters which ones make the cut to HR? 

Today’s reader or writer may change in the future. Are you ready to change? 

 

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator! 

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 6,200,000 page views. With 5,600+ posts over the past 15 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs  by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum