Surprise! Digital Gen Z Readers Like Print Fiction

Today's authors of adult fiction face the arrival of a new generation of readers: Generation Z, those born in the mid-1990s to early-2000s, who now make up 25.9% of the U.S. population and will account for 40% of all consumer markets in 2020. So what appeals to a Gen Z readership? Thanks to Library Journal (LJ) and Pew Research surveys, we know that Generation Z is the most diverse generation to date, and on track to be the most educated. They have grown up with the anxieties of post-9/11 terrorism, mass shootings and climate crisis. They have also faced a more diverse society than ever before in racial/ethnic, sexual orientation and lifestyle terms. And they are social media beings and mobile device addicts who don't remember a world without streaming media. But that doesn't mean the Gen Z doesn't read: Some 72% of respondents told LJ they'd read at least one book for pleasure in the last 12 moths—the same as for every generation. Of course, social media does a play a big role for them, even when it comes to reading choices: While like previous generations they put friend and family recommendations at the top of the list of ways to find new titles, social media is Gen Z’s second choice, at 43%, to find out about new books. The good news for fiction authors is that Gen Z members are fiction readers, per LJ: Gen Z respondents prefer reading fiction nearly two to one over nonfiction. And, though weaned on Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series, we are happy to see that mysteries still place among their top four genres. Gen Z women’s four favorite genres are, in order, romance, fantasy and young adult fiction (in a virtual tie), and mystery/suspense. Men, meanwhile, gravitate to fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and mystery/suspense. And despite their supposed digital bias, Gen Z members, like millennials, prefer to read print for long-form content, Gen Z. Hardcover books are the most-read format (79%, compared with 32% for ebooks). Here's a difference: When they do read digitally, a whopping 77% of Gen Z respondents do so on their mobile phones. For the formative fictional reading of Gen Z, see https://bookriot.com/2019/06/05/books-and-series-gen-z-grew-up-with/

The Dangerous Epidemic of Loneliness

The headlines are so full of stories fretting over the epidemic of mass shootings, hate speech and hate crimes that you may have missed a disturbing story about another epidemic: loneliness. Chronic loneliness is another term for social isolation, for a lack of physical and emotional connection to others, something human beings are biologically programmed to need for physical and mental well-being. Today, according to a new poll by YouGov, 30% of millennials, those aged 23 to 38, say they are lonely, higher than any other generation surveyed. More disturbing, 22% of millennials in the poll said they had zero friends, 27% percent said they had "no close friends," and 30% said they have "no best friends." While not measured by YouGov, the up-and-coming Gen Z also reports high levels of loneliness on other surveys. Chronic loneliness, which has tended to peak naturally with the elderly in the past, seems to be seeping downward. These findings are scary. Research has linked the stress of chronic social isolation to mental and physical health issues such as anxiety, depression, digestive problems, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep problems, weight gain, and even premature death via increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. And do we really think that there is no link between social isolation and the proliferation of tribalism and hate? Lonely people trying to make connections are fueling the growth of isolated social media groups, which create no true intimacy but do deliver a warped and ephemeral sense of belonging by defining themselves against the enemy "other," whether by race, gender, politics or sexual orientation. On campuses and at political events, the isolated and angry are susceptible to the toxic embrace of polarized tribes. And what happens when polarized souls, alone and threatened on the social battlefield, have easy access to battlefield weapons and hear an approving signal in the political noise? We should not discount this dark rot in our society. To help yourself, or someone you know, to cope with loneliness, check out this Psychology Today article https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-couch/201901/is-loneliness-making-you-sick

Social Media Nourishes Murderous Misogyny

If you haven't noticed, there's a disturbing new trend of misogyny-inspired murder in the headlines. It started when Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured 14 others before killing himself in Isla Vista, CA, in 2014, leaving a manifesto about his "Incel" motivations. After Rodger introduced the world to a dark Internet subculture, his fellow "Incels" quickly awarded him iconic status. There followed other Incel-inspired mass killings such as Chris Harper-Mercer's 2015 rampage at Umpqua Community College in Oregon that killed nine and injured eight; Alek Minassian's 2018 Toronto massacre in which he used his van to kill 10 and injure 14; and Scott Beierle's Hot Yoga Studio attack in Tallahassee, FL, that left two women dead and injured four women and a man. Even the infamous Parkland killer, Nikolas Cruz, who gunned down 17 people and injured 17 more at Stoneman Douglas High School, posted online that "Elliot Rodger will not be forgotten." What is this Incel madness? Incel is short for "involuntary celibate," and these women-hating souls (almost exclusively white male heterosexuals) believe they are entitled to sex yet are being denied by women and society. They gather in Internet forums (notably Reddit) of shared misery but go beyond commiserating with each other over not being able to get a date. Incels glorify violence against sexually active women, harassment of women, and catfishing of women. Some warp concepts such as biological determinism, evolutionary psychology, and female hypergamy (that 80% of women desire only the top 20% of most attractive men) to justify their anger. But mostly they talk about their looks, penis size, loneliness, suicide, sex robots, rape, etc. And they cheer men who take revenge for sexual deprivation by killing people. This social media-enabled misogyny should be driving more national concern. The Incel subculture is just beginning to catch the notice of mystery authors--for example Lori A. Witt's 2018 debut Incel about a male-female detective team investigating a series of murders connected to Incel Internet forums. Meanwhile, though free speech lets Incels rant, I would urge media, law enforcement, legislators, and social media platforms to raise the alarm and focus on monitoring and intervention before the death toll goes higher. For Witt's novel, see https://www.amazon.com/Incel-Walker-Arruda-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07GLXGC45

What If Social Media Turns Murderous?

Social media use has become so ubiquitous that it's no wonder mystery plots are mining social networking for clues, motives and even psychological weaponry. One example is the Social Media Murders Series by Angela Clarke, starting with Follow Me. If you think social media feeds fame monsters, you'll appreciate a plot in which recent graduate Freddie, who is trying to get her journalism career started via online contacts and posts, bumps into old friend Nasreen, now a police officer, and seeks a scoop by following her to a crime scene where a dead man lies slumped over his computer. Social media-savvy Freddie realizes the victim was a troll and finds the Twitter account of the "Hashtag Murderer," who takes credit for the murder and posts cryptic clues to the next target, titillating press and public. Freddie and Nasreen are soon in the crosshairs as they race to catch the fame-crazed killer. Or, maybe you fear that some folks in your social network of "friends" are playing unfriendly games. Then you won't find any comfort in The Other Twin by L.V. Hay. In the British thriller, Poppy returns home after her sister India dies from a fall off a railway bridge and hacks into her sister's laptop seeking the truth about her death. Poppy finds a social media world where resentments are played out online, identities are made and remade, and secrets outnumber truths. Now if you're a person who feels vulnerable to online-savvy miscreants, join tech-impaired, retired Detective Bill Hodges of Mr. Mercedes, the first entry in Stephen King's Bill Hodges Trilogy. In an unsolved case at the end of Hodges' career, the "Mercedes Killer" used a stolen Mercedes to mow down a crowd of people waiting outside a job fair. Miserable in retirement, Hodges is jolted back to life by taunting messages from the killer and drawn into a cat-and-mouse game on an anonymous social media chat site, leading to a race to stop a psychopath. Maybe you're worried social posts are attracting undesirable followers who'll try to move from virtual to actual contact. Then you'll be terrified by The Secrets She Keeps from Michael Robotham. Unwed and pregnant Agatha, who works part-time stocking shelves at a grocery store, is fascinated by chic customer Meghan, who writes a droll parenting blog and boasts two perfect children and a happy marriage. When Agatha learns her blog idol is pregnant again, and that their due dates fall within the same month, she approaches the unsuspecting Meghan and sets something terrible in motion. Or test your social nerves with Caroline Kepnes' novel You. Beautiful Guinevere Beck shops in a New York bookstore where smitten employee Joe "Googles" the name on her credit card. Joe soon finds all he needs to know from her public Facebook account and constant Tweets. He begins to orchestrate meetings and events designed to push her into his arms, and removes any obstacles to his passion--even if it means murder. For thrillers featuring social media, check out https://strandmag.com/seven-thrillers-featuring-social-media/

Mr. and Mrs. Malaprop on the Campaign Trail

I've noticed that American presidential campaigns generate a bumper crop of malapropisms, verbal mistakes named for Mrs. Malaprop, a comedic 18th century play character who tended to use an incorrect word in place of one with a similar sound. Mrs. Malaprop would urge "illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory" when she meant "obliterate," for example, and compared someone to "an allegory on the banks of the Nile" instead of an alligator. The malapropism tendency is fairly common and certainly has not been cured by 21st century sophistication. Examples include using "for all intensive purposes" in place of "for all intents and purposes," and "he supposably said" instead of the correct "he supposedly said." I heard a recent passionate declaration that "his claim doesn't jive with the facts," which would mean his claim can't engage in hip dance or talk but not the intended "his claim doesn't jibe with the facts," meaning a claim not agreeing with the facts. The famous and powerful are not immune. Former President George W. Bush was Mr. Malaprop, delivering gems such as "We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile." I wince when I hear malapropisms continue to fly from the mouths of today's presidential hopefuls and TV commentators. Social media is especially littered with these faux pas. For example, GOP candidate Ben Carson called Sharia Law "a central tenant of Islam" when he meant "tenet," and Republican contender Marco Rubio repeated the debate phrase “Let’s dispel with this fiction that Barack Obama doesn’t know what he’s doing,” when he probably meant to use "dispense with." GOP hopeful Jeb Bush may have inherited a bit of brother George's language tangling, saying in his kick-off foreign policy speech that immigration should be “a catalytic converter for sustained economic growth" (meaning "catalyst," Jeb?), and explaining to an interviewer the difficulties of criticizing brother George when “I have to do the Heisman on my brother"--likely a reference to the throat-clearing Heimlich not the football trophy. For amusing malapropisms, see: http://www.fun-with-words.com/malapropisms.html

Marketing Books Even Non-Marketers May Like

Normally, I use my Novel Viewpoints blog to talk about fiction, but I do have an alternate blogger persona posting for clients about direct marketing and database marketing. For once, I'm going to let my blog interests overlap by sharing top new books about marketing. Why? Even if you aren't involved in marketing, you are certainly the focus of marketers. Wouldn't you like to know how you are being targeted and manipulated in this age of "big data," social media influence, "personalized" messaging, and scientifically crafted persuasion? I'll start with The Power of Broke by Daymond John, FUBU founder and star of ABC’s "Shark Tank." We all like rags-to-riches stories. John explains how "empty pockets, a tight budget, and a hunger for success can become your greatest competitive advantage," with inspiring illustrations of this hustle principle from his own life, his branding consultant experiences and "Shark Tank" success stories.  If only empty pockets were enough to put me in John's league! Don't Buy A Duck: Stop Wasting Money & Only Do Marketing That Works! by Derek Champagne is a guide to basic branding and marketing, sharing candid soup-to-nuts advice and humorous missteps. I put this one on the list for all my non-marketing readers because of the review by Seth Godin, co-author of The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook: "If you had a smart friend who knew a lot about marketing, this is precisely what she'd tell you over coffee." Viralnomics: How to Get People to Want to Talk About You by Jonathan Goodman lets readers look at their social networks the way psychologists and marketers do. Goodman explains how social media marketing can promote to the right audience--not by finding buttons to push but by finding, understanding and appealing to the influential people who push social buttons. Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die by Eric Siegel is more technical but has fascinating revelations. Learn how the mass of data from online and offline sources can be used to predict behavior for boosting sales, reducing risk, crime fighting, winning elections and more. Siegel covers intriguing topics such as predicting which people will drop out of school, cancel a subscription or get divorced before they know it themselves. You may want to insist that you're a statistical outlier, but you'll be fighting the data! For more options, go to http://www.amazon.com/gp/new-releases/books/2698/ref=zg_bsnr_nav_b_2_3

The Art of the Politically Cunning Tweet

I noticed the other day, thanks to NPR reporting, that Twitter has published a 136-page manual for politicians, "The Twitter Government and Elections Handbook," addressing questions from the basic "Where Do Tweets Appear? Who Reads Them?" to why politicians should be creative with tweets: "In 'stepping out from behind the podium' and showing natural personality, these leaders humanize themselves and the political process — and gain followers to boot." Personally, I don't think 140 characters are conducive to thoughtful political discussion. But there's no arguing Twitter has been a great tool for Donald Trump to keep media buzz constant and display his "natural personality." Those who dismiss his tweets as ego-fueled embarrassments are missing the political strategy in the social media campaign that has kept him top of GOP candidate polls. A recent article by InsideGov.com ranked 30 of Trump's most popular tweets (based on retweets and media attention) by scoring them for arrogance, offensiveness and political cunning. Consider the tweet judged most "Trump-tastic," an April 2015 comment on Baltimore's troubles: "Our great African American President hasn't exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are so happily and openly destroying Baltimore!" InsideGov rates it strong on all counts: "It's arrogant. Politically, it appeals to Trump's base by belittling Obama and emphasizing crime — a particularly prickly issue among many Trump conservatives. Most of all, however, it maximizes offensiveness, ensuring that the tweet will be reposted, retweeted and criticized around the world." Aristotle's classic analysis of rhetoric posited that effective persuasion is based on ethos (authority of the speaker), logos (logic and facts) and pathos (emotional appeal). Even if facts are given short shrift in Trump tweets, he consistently hits two out of three persuasive power points for followers. Twitter also keeps messages in line with the political virtue of simplicity. To quote Aristotle again: "It is simplicity that makes the uneducated more effective than the educated when addressing popular audiences." For InsideGov analysis of all 30 Trump tweets: http://tucson.com/news/data/ranking-donald-trump-s-best-worst-tweets/article_09035f9a-12d2-5002-92e1-df5379857d2f.html

My Short Bout With 'Internet Withdrawal'

Is "Internet withdrawal" a real thing? I know that I experienced a sense of helpless isolation and frustration last week when my Internet connection became sporadic (until a cable tech fixed a faulty connection). As someone who actually remembers the days before computers, it is astounding to realize how dependent on technology we are in our daily routines, our communications and our work life. With unreliable Internet service, I had to scurry to support my marketing consulting clients, and some projects were necessarily delayed. Various transactions and communications for my daughter's wedding were disrupted. I didn't get my blog post done because it was prioritized below work. But most projects still proceeded, and social communications and e-mail responses were handled via smartphone. Yes, there was an underlying, anxious sense of disconnection, but it hardly seemed a symptom of a deeper disorder. In fact, per Wikipedia, Internet Addiction Disorder is a term coined in a satirical essay by Dr. Ivan Goldberg in 1995 and then taken seriously by researchers and, of course, the media, who have since produced new terms like problematic Internet use, compulsive Internet use, Internet overuse, pathological computer use and even iDisorder. All refer to Internet use that interferes with normal life--such as excessive computer game play, online gambling, porn viewing, shopping, constant social networking or workaholic behavior--to the extent that folks experience anxiety, depression and withdrawal symptoms similar to drug users if they go offline. It is not an official mental disorder in the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders yet, but that doesn't stop the media from headlining various studies documenting "Facebook addiction," "Internet withdrawal" and its cousin "mobile phone withdrawal." In 2014, a Business Insider story noted that workaholics especially suffer withdrawal symptoms when cut off from the Internet (because they can no longer work 24/7). To be honest, maybe because, unlike my kids, I have lived in a world without digital technology, I soon banished anxiety over my temporary Internet loss with old-fashioned versions of Internet-enabled activities, like reading and face-to-face socializing. Frankly, I don't think it's the Internet that is the problem, except as a tool making it easier to indulge the real addictions: gambling, porn, workaholism, shopaholism, etc. But if you think you are afflicted by Internet dependency, maybe you should check out http://www.psychguides.com/guides/computerinternet-addiction-symptoms-causes-and-effects/

Blowing Out the Candles of Another Birthday

Today is my birthday, and social media congratulations are piling up. Thank you all. An issue arises every year over how to celebrate, or indeed whether to celebrate the aging process at all. My husband, whose birth date is just five days different from mine, announced his plan for a joint weekend gathering in our home with our children and local relatives (over a dozen people). I thought that was fine until he asked me what I planned to cook for everyone. He was taken aback when I declined the culinary opportunity. And I refused to bake my own cake, too. Clearly, after years of blowing out an ever-growing number of candles, my birthday spirit is exhausted. So I looked at various Internet lists of celebration ideas, ranging from dull standards (dining out) to the downright depressing (go to temple and thank God you've survived another year). I wondered what livelier ladies might suggest. Here's one list of "extremely fun ways" for women to celebrate: take a private plane ride (just not with Harrison Ford); see a Broadway show (I suggest this every year with no result); perform as many acts of kindness as your number of years (yikes, I'll be busy); do something you wanted to do as a child but didn't get to do (laser tag as long as I don't break a hip); organize a flash mob (volunteers?); escape urban stress by camping (need to fix tears in the old air mattress and tent first); go on an unplanned road trip (and send constant lonely posts to social media); throw a theme party (requiring costumes is a great way to reduce attendance and expense); do something from your "bucket list" (skydiving? forget it); pamper yourself at a spa (always ready for that); go to a karaoke bar (sorry about being tone deaf); have a fancy birthday brunch with friends (easy to get RSVPs as long as I promise champagne); and, finally, take a cooking workshop--and we're back to cooking! But just as I finished writing this grumbling post, my husband walked in with a bouquet of roses and reminded me that being with those you love is still the best way to celebrate. For another list of birthday celebration ideas for adult women, see http://www.todaysthebestday.com/ways-to-celebrate-your-birthday/

Mythical Online Threats to Offline Relationships

I'm not among those who suspect digital networking undermines offline relationships, especially romantic ones. I believe the basic need for emotional intimacy is not going to be eroded or replaced by expanding social media connections and constant mobile chatter. But when 66% of American couples (adults who are married or in committed relationships) say the Internet, mobile devices and social media are key factors in their lives, I suppose it's a concern worth exploring. A recent report by the Pew Research Internet Project should reassure. Its 2013 survey found 72% of online adults in marriages or committed relationships said Internet use has had "no real impact at all" on their partnerships. And of couples who said the Internet had an impact, 74% said it was positive! In fact, 21% of cell owners or Internet users said they actually felt closer to a partner because of online or text/cell message exchanges. Not that digital communications don't have negatives: For example, 25% of all coupled adults complained a spouse or partner was distracted by mobile use when they were together, 8% had an argument about the amount of time a partner spent online, and 4% got upset at something they found out a partner was doing online. There also were age differences that reflect the higher digital affinity of younger adults. I'm sure you've noticed that mobile device deprivation causes anxiety in people under 30. So 45% of 18- to 29-year-olds in serious relationships reported a significant relationship impact (both good or bad) from digital communications (compared with 25% for all couples). Now I admit there is one digital trend that does make me a tad queasy: Sexting is on the upswing for both couples and singles, with 9% of cell owners saying they sent a sext of themselves (up from 6% in 2012) and 20% saying they received a sext (up from 15%). For more on the Pew findings, go to http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/02/11/couples-the-internet-and-social-media/

Why You Gotta Have Friends (Beyond Facebook)

As of this post, I am actually on a cruise ship sipping wine with three girlfriends -- far from husbands, children, bosses and any other potential stress inducers. A regular getaway with friends is one of those things, like my gym membership, that I consider essential to my health. My friends are more than a collection of Facebook photos; they are the people to call in an emergency, trust with my secrets and share my joys. They improve my mental and physical well-being. Psychologically, my friends buck me up when I'm down, hold my hand when I'm afraid and keep me tethered to earth when I'm full of hot air. They also help me live longer and more healthily. Scientific studies show that friendship's health benefits include a better immune system (people with more social connections get fewer colds), less stress, improved brain power (including reduced risk of aging dementia); lower blood pressure and better sleep. In my opinion, all those social network "likes" and "friends" and shared photos of cute cats are distracting from a dangerous problem in American life: the decline of friendship. Studies show that Americans have fewer close friends today than they did 25 years ago (an average of two friends now), and that the decline in social connections has resulted in a drop in general happiness despite climbing material success. Is that increasing isolation being offset by the rise of social networking? I doubt it. In fact, social networking can actually make you feel more lonely and less happy. Recent studies have shown that the "friendship paradox" is at play on social networks: On average you really do have fewer friends than your social media friends. To make matters worse, you really are less wealthy and less happy as well as less popular on average than your social media friends. No wonder that research finds active social network users have higher levels of unhappiness! For more, read  http://www.technologyreview.com/view/523566/how-the-friendship-paradox-makes-your-friends-better-than-you-are/