Schneier on Security

Bruce Schneier • August 15, 2012 7:36 AM

"And why this special deal just to sell 100 additional copies?"

My hope is that you'll tell your friends how great it is, and that they should read it.

"Oh yes, I know that those 100 are supposed to generate the additional sale of thousands or tens of thousands but do they really?"

Word of mouth is the best advertising there is. If you tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on and so on...in just a couple hundred iterations I will have sold a book to every atom in the universe.

"One good review in The New York Times should sell hundreds of thousands but I suspect even that volume is not the target."

Not that many. But a NYT review is very valuable, because 1) it jump-starts the word-of-mouth recommending, and 2) it induces other publications to review the book. If you know how to get me one of those, I'm all ears.

"Perhaps the only print run to date was overly optimistic, potentially leaving the publisher with unsold costly inventory."

No. The book is on its second or third print run already. In general, this sort of thing doesn't happen anymore. Between a change in the tax laws that makes it undesirable for publishers to maintain inventories, and changes in the publishing process to make smaller print runs more cost effective, publishers are rarely stuck with a warehouse of unsold books.

Bruce Schneier • August 15, 2012 7:38 AM

"Is there a ebook version on offer as well? "

There is, but only through the traditional channels at the traditional prices. See the book's webpage for details and links.

Bruce Schneier • August 15, 2012 7:45 AM

"Oh, man, I hope this isn't some kind of case-in-point experiment; if by chance it is, I think I failed it. :)"

Don't you know you're always supposed to change doors when given the opportunity.

Bruce Schneier • August 15, 2012 8:33 AM

"I just wish you offered signed copies right from publishing time :)"

I did. You weren't paying attention.