In recent years, swag has become an increasingly important
element in book promotions. In some genres, it's an absolute necessity,
especially in the environment of a writer’s convention. Romance and young-adult
seem particularly gripped with the idea that merchandise equals a book to
be taken seriously. But not all genres have embraced it to the same extent. And
outside of in-person events, the value of it remains questionable.
What is swag? It’s T-shirts, baseball caps, travel mugs, key
chains, pens, fridge magnets, and just about anything else you can put a logo
or a promotional image on and give out to fans and prospective readers. It is
also ephemera like bookmarks, postcards, bumper stickers, and posters—much cheaper
to produce and much more likely to end up in the trash.
Swag is extremely enticing to writers. I know myself, I wanted people walking around with my book on their T-shirt. There is no denying it, merchandise for your book is fun. It's a step toward feeling like a big Hollywood movie. But it is important to understand that unless your publisher
is flipping the bill, swag can be a mounting cost that will eat away your
royalties.
