It is raining – no – it is pouring down. While I have no problems standing with an umbrella all day, it is pointless because the streets are virtually empty and the few people who do pass, do so at a pace with their head down. So, I take the day off, secretly pleased for the chance to take a breather, to catch up with a hundred little things such as answering mail and writing this blog entry.
There are so many anecdotes to write about that it is difficult to know where to start so I’ll stick with a few that might shed light on where this project is going. In truth, it will be weeks before the tea-leaves begin to settle and at least another month after that to start drawing conclusions. In my early market research, it was six weeks between giving out the books to calling in the results.
In the past two weeks, I have given out over 1,500 copies. The next month or two will be nail-biting. In my early summer experiments, I received twice the payments needed to call success. If that scales at the festival, I will be euphoric. Will the city pay its dues? Have I learned the lessons of those early experiments, or is my approach flawed? All I have to go on is the immediate reaction on the streets and that has been overwhelmingly positive.
On Thursday, a young man dropped by to tell me that he had read the book overnight and really enjoyed it. He was to be paid next day and would return then. This he did, paying the full price. At various times during the week, people passed by and called out that they were 20 pages or half-way through the book and gripped by it or captivated or some other wonderful descriptor.
Some have also paid online already and I am extremely grateful to those speedy and honest readers.
In starting such a journey, you leave yourself open to happenstance and unexpected results. One surprise lies at the door of Laggan Cottage and the wonderful people who have passed there in the past few weeks. For those unaware of the place, the cottage was the inspiration for Creggan in Book One (and shown in the video a few entries above this one). Its owner, Charles Fforde, allowed me to use the cottage for the past couple of months to conduct one of the experiments I alluded to earlier. When I left for Edinburgh, I placed a plastic trunk (designed to hold children’s toys) outside and taped a label to it announcing that it was an honesty box. I put over a hundred copies inside, inviting people to help themselves under the terms of The Honesty project.
Although it sits miles from any road in an isolated part of a quiet island off the opposite coast of Scotland, a number of passers-by in Edinburgh stopped to tell me that they had picked a copy up from Laggan! The first to do so was a lovely lady called Bernice (Belgian). She and seven other walkers had each taken a copy and every one of them had paid for it on the spot by placing the money inside the box! I did not ask for this. Indeed the instructions (I hope) clearly said that people could just help themselves and pay later if they enjoyed it. Bernice also told me that there was already a lot of money in the box from previous visitors. The next day I got a call from a friend who told me the same and that he had emptied it on my behalf. A few days later, four separate emails (Jane, Kathy, Mike and Sheila) each told me that books were disappearing and money was deposited in return.
I genuinely did not expect or design that experiment for such a result, but I’m truly grateful to all those involved. There are a number of lessons right there. I do worry that someone might pay for a book they subsequently don’t enjoy but that worry is tempered by the marvellous generosity of spirit on display from all concerned.
I had a fun argument with an amazing character yesterday – a young man called Adam. Adam trades his own art in the same lane I am distributing my books from (to the east of the National Gallery in Edinburgh). He lives in a tree house. I have not seen it yet but am told that you can dispel your preconceptions. This building is not a shabby refuge but a real home built by a remarkable person who weaves his own path through life. Adam wanted to pay for the book on the spot but I refused, telling him that he needed to read it first to make sure it was worth it. I have had this discussion many times and only occasionally accept the offer after explaining that it is not required. In this case, Adam was insistent and I gave in. This is the second time at the festival I’ve lost that argument (another to a Canadian gent and his lovely daughter) but get offered money all the time. Any real businessman would be appalled.
The other artists and traders around me are among a rare breed. I should be out of my comfort zone but everyone is so generous and helpful that it makes the experience a real joy. I am surrounded by a microcosm populated by people from Peru, France, Guatemala, Israel, Mexico, Spain and even Scotland. Edinburgh during the festival has to be experienced to be believed. Thousands of shows and over 40,000 performances. The energy on the streets is matched by the smiling faces of thousands having fun.
Meeting some friends to see a movie from a French director. The film is called The Illusionist and is an adult animation set in Scotland (and in particular, Edinburgh). Looking forward to switching off for a while.
