Grassroots Movements Can Do It Too

I read an interesting article on Friday by one of my favorite bloggers, the President and CEO of Thomas Nelson, Michael Hyatt. In this post, he is saying essentially that leaders can alter the perceptions of those around them.

This is certainly true. I used this “shift the drift” method often when I was teaching. For example, I needed to give a test to one of my classes, but I knew the date I perceived as best conflicted with The Big Game, or some other sort of thing. To ensure students would give their best effort in preparing for the test, I would let them choose democratically (though I often reminded them, the class was NOT a democracy 😉 ) what day I’d administer the test. Because I was the one explaining the pros and cons of each available date, I actually could “shift the drift” in the direction I thought best.

Some people might call it manipulation, but I see it more as influence. After all, there is no negative consequence for going against the leader shift. Neither are there benefits offered for going with the leader’s shift.

But here’s what I’m learning. When it comes to reading and writing, grassroots movements such as the CSFF Blog Tour can also “shift the drift.”

What is “drift” anyway? As I understand it, it is the way people perceive something.

For countless years, editors of CBA publishing houses said, “Fantasy doesn’t sell.” This was a perception that became cemented the more it was repeated (which is why I didn’t want to repeat it noticeably 😉 ). A number of us realized a few years ago, this statement did not reflect actuality. But actuality did not influence the drift.

Enter Speculative Faith, the Lost Genre Guild, the CSFF Blog Tour, Latest In Spec and a number of other writer-initiated efforts to draw attention to Christian science fiction and fantasy.

Thankfully, the perception—the drift—is shifting, at least slowly. The surest sign is that publishing houses are quietly acquiring more fantasy. The big players seem to be Thomas Nelson and WaterBrook. I would have included NavPress on the list except the word is, they are pulling back from fiction except in their YA line.

Another sign is that editors aren’t repeating the aforementioned mantra as often. How can they, when a number of fantasy series are outselling other established authors? Not to mention the considerable media attention fantasy has recently received. At least editors have openly said they are taking a “wait and see” attitude.

The drift is shifting. 😀

In all fairness, there is no way to measure how effective the grassroots movements are, but I, for one, don’t see how they can hurt.

Which brings me to Fantasy Challenge II. Here’s an opportunity for each of us to have a hand in shifting the drift.

If this wasn’t my own contest, I would have two comments (and therefore two chances at the prizes) already. One would be for ordering Donita Paul‘s DragonFire (and finally picking it up last Friday) and the other would be for buying Wayne Thomas Batson‘s Isle of Swords. (Both have great covers, by the way.)

Of course, I also missed out big time. In the particular store I went to, Isle of Swords came with a special offer—buy it and receive a free copy of the paperback copy of The Door Within. Since I have the Door Within series in hardback, I didn’t pick up a copy, but I fully expected the clerk to ask me why. She did not. Why didn’t I mention it to her? Chalk up one missed opportunity.

Then, too, why didn’t I take the free book? It could have become one of the prizes for Fantasy Challenge II. Chalk up a second missed opportunity.

I’m still learning how to put my hand to this shifting process.