The end of the Writer's Digest Book Club?
Twenty-six years ago, on January 4, 1983, I joined the Writer's Digest Book Club. I bought a lot of books from them over the years -- my friend book-collector Jack Brooks once remarked, looking at bookcases in my home, that I had the largest private collection of books about writing he'd ever seen. I let my membership lapse some years ago, though, but thought I'd check out what they were up to these days.
The URL WritersDigestBookClub.com now points to a page labeled Writer's Digest Book Shop, and leads off with a note that says, "Please note that we are no longer accepting new members." So, it looks like they're essentially gone.
It's very hard for book clubs of any type to survive in the era of Amazon.com (which discounts books so much that their prices aren't much different than the special book-club prices, plus offers free shipping). But, still, this was one that I was fond off, and I'm sad to see it go.
The Robert J. Sawyer Web Site
Posted by Rob on Saturday, February 14, 2009
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3 comments
3 Comments:
Too bad, I bought a lot of their books and magazines as well over the years.I wonder if WD is just restructuring, to provide some other book club model?
I think they're just concentrating on those things that do make money for them: the magazine, and the books (but not the book club).
I am sorry to see the Writer's Digest Book Club end. I've purchased about 500 books on writing from them, and I was a member since the beginning. It was great to have the free shipping offer, when paying up front with a check, and I always used that option. Now the only other place to buy books without paying more for shipping than for the books is through Edward R Hamilton, and while they have a good selection of books on writing, they, of course, can't equal what Writer's Digest Book Club offered. What will be next, the death of Writer's Digest and The Writer (although some of us feel that The Writer already died when it was sold a few years back). - writerofftheake at Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio's oldest summer resort
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