Publishing Dilemma

After several high profile suicides of teens and children who were relentlessly bullied at school and online over the past several years, it seems that bullying is now a market for profitability. WorldCat, a worldwide library collection, said the number of English language books tagged with the word “bullying” in 2012 rose to 1,891. This is an increase of 500 titles over the last decade alone. Considering many high profile cases, it is no wonder that many authors and publishers are cashing in on the idea. Although some of them are attempting to bring aware to the bullying epidemic, others seem to be milking the epidemic for their own benefit.
Michelle Fadlalla, director of education and library marketing for Simon & Schuster, said that their intention is to provide resources to schools and libraries about bullying. She also said, “At the same time it is definitely an opportunity for us to gather sales because it is such a hot topic.” The line seems blurred between author’s helping to raise awareness of a serious issue and profiting and promoting themselves from a horrible epidemic that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

While some publishers and authors are cashing in on this horrible epidemic, some are even starting campaigns to help raise awareness. Two young authors on the topic, Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones started a Facebook page that monitors insensitive pages and rallies to have them taken down. Similarly to Hall and Jones efforts to combat bullying, publisher Random House Children’s Books began a campaign called “Choose Kind”, in which both individuals and classrooms can vow to promote acts of kindness.

Whether sincerely or not, authors and publishers alike seem to be cashing in on what seems to be a surge in the bullying epidemic. While some are genuinely interested in raising awareness against bullying, others seem to be promoting and profiting off a horrible tragedy.  

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