The Quiet Power Behind Literary Recognition

As commercial director and press attaché of P.O.L, how do you assess the importance of literary prizes in shaping the journey of a book and an author?

It’s always a great pleasure when an author receives an award. Simply being shortlisted is very important, it brings the book and the author into the spotlight, attracting the attention of journalists and booksellers. The author is happy to be selected, it’s a source of satisfaction. Winning the award is a great joy. But there are all kinds of awards: some have no impact on sales, some bring money to the author, and some change a book’s destiny. At P.O.L., we don’t publish books to win an award, but we do everything we can to make sure it happens.

Do you see literary prizes having a direct impact on sales or translations? Please give us some numbers.

Of the many literary prizes awarded in France, only a few have a direct impact on sales, primarily the major autumn prizes—Goncourt, Renaudot, Femina, Médicis, and Goncourt des Lycéens—and the spring prizes—Prix du Livre Inter, Prix France Télévision, and Prix des Lectrices de Elle. A shortlisted book attracts the attention of foreign publishers. And increased sales inevitably lead to an increase in translations.

The number of literary prizes has grown exponentially. Do you think it is a good thing?

There are a great many literary prizes in France (perhaps 2,000!). I wouldn’t say there are too many, even if some literary prizes exist solely to advertise their sponsors. For example, the trend in France, after prizes awarded by cafés and brasseries, is to award prizes by hotels: these prizes have no impact on sales, but they come with a cash prize, so we send out 15 copies each time in the hope that an author will win.

How would you describe the current media ecosystem in France for books, and how has it changed over the years, particularly in relation to literary prizes?

Books still occupy a significant space in newspapers. We’re fortunate in France to have that. In the major dailies (Le Monde, Libération, Le Figaro, La Croix), in the weekly magazines (NouvelObs, Le Point, Elle, Match), and also on public radio stations like France Inter and France Culture. What’s changing is probably a decline in curiosity, a shift in the focus from literature to themed books. Television is particularly challenging. There’s far too little airtime for literature on television.

France is seen as a country with a strong literary tradition and a robust reading culture. What role does the media play in sustaining France’s reading culture?

Yes, you still see a lot of people reading paper books on the Paris metro. Book advertising on the metro is also growing because newspaper circulation has declined, without a corresponding decrease in the price of advertising space. Lower circulation means a decrease in influence on sales. So this fall, for the first time, we ran a metro advertising campaign for Kolkhoze, Emmanuel Carrère’s new book.

How crucial are bookstores in shaping a book’s success—independently or in synergy with the media?

Bookstores play a vital role in literary success; in France, we are fortunate to have—thanks in particular to the fixed book price—a vast network of excellent bookstores: advice, reviews, window displays, and special features. Booksellers’ enthusiasm sometimes coincides with that of literary critics and literary prizes, as was the case this year with La Maison vide by Laurent Mauvignier (Prix Goncourt), Kolkhoze by Emmanuel Carrère (Prix Médicis), and La Nuit au cœur by Nathacha Appanah (Prix Femina). Booksellers also bring to light books that have gone unnoticed and create or amplify successes.

Do physical encounters with the authors at bookstores and festivals constitute an important part of the sales? What about online e-commerce?

At P.O.L. Publishing, we encourage author meet-and-greets in bookstores, as well as their presence at festivals. This isn’t so much about book sales—although it does contribute—but rather about the authors’ exposure, the connections they forge, the image of the publishing house, and this close relationship that extends the reach of the books. For example, this fall, Emmanuel Carrère held nearly 30 events in bookstores—both small and large—and at festivals to promote the release of Kolkhoze. E-commerce represents 6% of our revenue. It’s a bonus. Nothing more.

As on date what do you think are the most important platforms for a publisher to position the book in order to get visibility and discoverability?

Everything is important. You need it all: print media, radio, television if possible, social media, and bookstores. Add to that good word-of-mouth, because the success of a book remains a mystery. And that’s a good thing!

Your publishing house is known for having many bestselling authors. Recently, Neige Sinno’s novel took France by storm and became a global literary phenomenon. What is your secret recipe for success?

The only secret was recognizing, upon reading the manuscript, that it was a great book, a book that would contribute to advancing literature and changing society. We received the manuscript by email. Frédéric Boyer, the publisher and director of Éditions P.O.L., clicked on the email, was blown away, and decided to publish it. What’s incredible is that the book had previously been rejected by 30 publishers. After that, we simply did our job, which was to try to get people to read the book, sharing our enthusiasm and our amazement.

Jean-Paul Hirsch has been the Sales Director and Press Officer at Éditions P.O.L. for over 34 years. He often describes himself as the house’s “principle of reality.” A former bookseller, he was also involved in the launch of Electre, France’s key bibliographic and order-processing database.