The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts - Perennial Seller

I absolutely loved Ryan's The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy and The Daily Stoic (which is at least tied for first for my favorite book ever). (I also enjoyed Growth Hacker Marketing.) Ryan is far and away one of my favorite thinkers and writers. So, when I got an advanced copy, I knew I'd love it. And, I did.

As I read it I thought to myself: It's kinda like having a modern-day Seneca teach you how to "make and market" great work that lasts. :)

I found the book especially relevant as I get ready to create what I hope will be a best- and perennial-selling book. I literally did every exercise in the book and will be using this as THE roadmap/game plan not only for our book but for our entire Optimize business.

Forcing myself to go thru the process Ryan recommends brought an astonishing level of clarity. I’m fired up to take the next steps in executing the strategy. If you’re serious about doing great work I think you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did. I’ve already sent copies to friends and highly recommend it.

Some things show up in the marketplace, get a bit of buzz, and ... a few years later are practically forgotten. Think of the difference between an animated film that incorporates flashy pop culture references every few minutes, and another that tells a seemingly timeless tale. The first might do well on opening weekend but will never last. The other, if it's done well, is likely to become something of a classic.

Ryan Holiday looks mostly at books, but also films, bands, apps and other products and asks the question what makes it more likely that they will stand the test of time, that they will still be selling five, ten or even fifty years after their initial release.

His answer comes more or less in two parts, but there are a lot of very useful details in each part. The first part is that the author or creator did the work. They deliberately aimed to make something that would last. They didn't simply capitalize on a trend. They tried to address a perennial need or to write something that could have an enduring appeal. This doesn't mean it would have to appeal to everyone, but could address a very specific need that only some people had but with the aim of giving advice that would not be outdated quickly. (The author knows a bit about this: he wrote two books on Stoicism, that tried to draw out of this ancient tradition a series of insights that are likely to be useful for a very long time -- that you should treat obstacles as opportunities for growth and that you shouldn't allow pride to get in the way of adapting oneself to circumstances and learning from one's mistakes). Some of the advice here resembles the kind of advice that you'd get from Stephen Pressfield's Art of Work (that if you want to produce good work, you have to be prepared to do the work), but there are a lot of useful novel insights into the specific question how to make that work be something that can have lasting appeal.

The other part of the book notes that even if you have put in the work to create something that can have a lasting appeal, it won't appeal to anyone if they don't know about it. Here the author draws upon his expertise as a marketer, to offer several general insights into how you can make sure that people hear about the work. He points out what should be obvious but often isn't to creators: that "if you build it they will come" is simply not true. You have to build it and then put as much work as it took building it into making people aware of it. Even more importantly, an artist should work to build a platform. They should know who likes their work and work to build a relationship with those people who are going to be the customers for future work. Having a platform helps to ensure that they don't have to start from scratch with every new product. It also means that new products (such as new books) can serve as advertisements for old products. One of the best ways to make sure that your old books keep selling is to keep writing new books. The new books will draw upon new people who, if they like the new book, will be interested in what you'd done previously.

I have to say that as someone who has published a book a lot of this advice was very helpful, and I wish I'd read it long before my book came out. It made me realize that for as much time as I put into writing my book it is a bit silly that I didn't put more time into thinking about how to get it noticed by the people who I wrote it for. I found this to be a very worthwhile read, and it has already begun to impact the way I'm thinking about my next book. I expect that Perennial Seller, at least, will be a book that stands the test of time.

Ryan Holiday writes well, and this book Perennial Seller was enjoyable to read. He tells stories both from his own life and from the lives of others. But I do not think he explained the "art of making and marketing work that lasts". That topic seemed more like a hook to get readers for what is a fairly standard set of self-help principles and a go-get-um attitude booster.

For better or worse, we humans are creatures of fad and fashion but also creatures who like the familiar. Different people will be at different places on that spectrum, and it is hard to know what will appeal to who. Predicting what is going to sell in the near term is very difficult to do. Most new products fail, and the only real way to tell what will sell is to put it on the market. That is even more difficult for predicting long-term sellers. The complexity of predicting fickle fashion years out defies all reason. Looking back at what sold well over time like Ryan Holiday does seems productive in theory, but in practice I just don't think he makes his case of being able to tell what works and what doesn't.

If you are looking for a well-written motivational book to get you out of bed in the morning and out there trying to do your best, this book is not a bad choice. If you are looking, on the other hand, for wise words and effective strategies on how to make a product for the ages, I don't think you will find them here.

I can only give this book middling marks. Certainly its heart is in the right place: trying to help people create things -- whether books, films, music, art, or even businesses -- that are of lasting quality and enduring success.

But I have some issues and reservations about the actual book.

As indicated by the title, Ryan Holiday's notion of "work that lasts" is entirely measurable by sales. Greatness by any other measure isn't considered. Given that this focus is plainly stated in the title of the book, and given that greatness by any other measure can always be said to be a matter of opinion, this by itself isn't a valid criticism (even if it does rub me the wrong way). But it leads to another criticism that's more valid. Since the goal of the book is perennial sales, it naturally follows that the large majority of this book is taken up with marketing advice. And the large majority of that marketing advice, in turn, applies equally well whether your goal is perennial sales or ephemeral, make-a-quick-buck sales.

The result is that if you've read much of anything about marketing before, there isn't much in this book that will be new to you. The usual suspects are all there: Be sure there's a market for your idea. Have a good elevator pitch about your product. Network. Build an email list. Etcetera.

Another complaint I have about the book is that it's full to bursting with quotes and anecdotes. I admit I enjoyed some of these and even found one or two to be a bit inspirational, but I felt they were way overused. The major problem with quotes and anecdotes is that you can find one to demonstrate any point at all -- and just as easily find one that refutes that same point. So unless a quote or story is particularly entertaining or inspirational, it just takes up space. If a reader is wondering whether a piece of advice is really a good idea or is worth the effort, a story or quote won't (or shouldn't) convince them.

But I'm not saying this is a bad book. I'm just saying that if you've made any study of marketing at all, you shouldn't expect to find much that's original and non-obvious here.

The first part of the book focuses on the creative process, and was very useful. It contained excellent and "perennial" insight into the struggles of writing. The second half of the book provides information about launching and marketing books and other creative products. Much of this content tended to be so technology specific (such as building an email list) as to be almost guaranteed to be out of date in the time-frame the author is pitching to qualify for "perennial". Also, sadly, the book is more useful if you are male -- almost all the examples are about men, with very few exceptions.

Every day thousands of new books enter the market. Which books become continual sellers? Bestselling author Ryan Holiday has studied these details with his own books and with other books. PERENNIAL SELLER is loaded with the details for every author or would-be author to read. Ryan has a keen sense of what it takes to create an excellent book and each of his sections includes gems of information for the writer.

While many writers believe their key failure is in the marketing areas, Ryan writes in the opening pages, “Promotion is not how things are made great—only how they are heard about. Which is why this book will not start with marketing, but with the mindset and effort that must go into the creative process—the most important part of creating a perennial seller.” (Page 19)

Also for those writers who believe they can quickly crank out such a book, Ryan cautions, “Creating something that lives—that can change the world and continue doing so for decades—requires not just a reverence for the craft and a respect for the medium, but real patience for the process itself. (Page 29-30)

No matter who you are working with to get the book out there, Ryan is realistic in PERENNIAL SELLER encouraging the writer to take their own responsibility rather than feel like they can delegate it to someone else. In the section on positioning, he writes a section called “You’re the CEO” saying, “If the first step in the process is coming to terms with the fact that no one is coming to save you—there’s no one to take this thing off your hands and champion it the rest of the way home—then the second is realizing that the person who is going to need to step up is you.” (Page 67)

Whether you are brand new to publishing or a seasoned writer with multiple bestsellers, you will gain insights reading PERENNIAL SELLER. I found the book engaging and valuable—in fact, maybe a book that I will read multiple times (unusual for me). I highly recommend this title.

Maybe like you I read a lot of business/marketing books. Within a few pages, I knew this book would be read to completion. Holiday spends time laying the groundwork of what makes a product successful, he really spends time here. Very few products have a long-term success because they did not spend the time really thinking about what they were creating. He wants you to think carefully through your creation and really ask what problem does this solve.

Ryan asks you the difficult questions, and he forces you to think through how you can get it right the first time. Products that go through multiple iterations after immediate production lose their luster, and disappoint those who received the first a couple of versions. He wants you to construct a product that it in it for the long haul. This type of creation forces you to be insightful and for you to do your homework, he demonstrates there is no work around this. You can't outsource this function. If you fail to really think through this step you will produce less than stellar products.

Once you have created the perennial seller it's time to market your creation. He breaks down multiple methods of getting the word out, they include traditional and through social media. He emphasizes that this is part of the creation of the perennial seller. He goes through why you want to spend your time here. I love how he continually plays the long game after all the perennial sellers are in reality the cash cows that we all desire when creating a product.

I love this isn't a bulleted list that will become outdated next week. This will be a book you will go back to again and again. Think through products or even artists that have had the longevity that everyone desires. Why does Iron Maiden outsell Madonna, how did the InstantPot create a passionate fan base, why do some products have a life that others do not enjoy. Read this book, and you can unlock some of those principals.

Ryan Holiday writes that a nonfiction book should be either (1) very entertaining or (2) extremely practical. In this book, he gives us more of the former than the latter, and I believe that is what some reviewers have found disappointing.That is also, however, what Holiday does best -- he takes a practical topic and makes it entertaining by telling interesting stories and offering personal anecdotes. This book is full of anecdotes from his experience marketing products for himself and others, and the anecdotes are worth reading.

Readers looking for a straightforward list of instructions on how to create an enduring work will probably be frustrated, though. The advice consists largely of vague rules (e.g., create high-quality work) and well-known tactics (e.g., pay someone to create a good cover for your book). As an author of numerous published books, though, I still find the instructions somewhat helpful. The author does a good job of taking well-known principles and making them concrete by offering relevant, real-world examples (e.g., when discussing list-making, he provides stories about how authors, comedians, and others have done it successfully).

If you aim to create perennial sellers, then you really should read this book -- just don't expect it to teach you everything you need to know. I should also note that Holiday has personally created perennial sellers, so he is qualified to discuss the topic.

Extraordinary. I bought this book at the airport and it was worth every penny. You can read it in a few hours, but why would you want to? Every sentence was seasoned to perfection. It's the type of book that will stay on your shelf for years as a reference. Even as it's updated, the root of it is evergreen. In it, I learned how important it is to take your time and create quality work that you may not receive the rewards you're looking for immediately, but that over time, you will see that and more. It discusses the importance of positioning, which is basically how you present your product, book, or service so that it's digestible for your core audience, how to market it in effective ways not just for ego (such as trying to chase after traditional media that may stroke your ego but does little to move the needle in terms of sales). I also learned how to test and create minimum viable product versions of your project, about taking the time to polish the project until it's truly ready and aligning yourself with influencers who are more connected to your core audience. And if you do want to chase after traditional media, Ryan tells you how to "trade up the chain" to achieve those results. I'd recommend buying the print book and eBook so that you'll never be without this book. Highly recommended.

Selling is hard. Creating long term value is harder.

The obstacle is the way

Ryan Holiday is the author of “The obstacle is the way”. One of my favourite books. Stoicism as the entrepreneurs’ operating system.

He was also the assistant to Robert Greene, the man behind “33 strategies of war”, THE book on strategy.

Perennial seller

His latest book is “Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts”. A “Loveability” approach to selling.

“Lovability” brings more of those strings together, including the attitude of entrepreneurs and start-ups to business. Why focus on pivoting, PR spin, fundraising, valuations and exits? Why not just focus on customer delight? On building on relationships, quality, and real value creation. And why not build something that lasts?

Long-term thinking is the new black

It may be just me, but there is a wind of long-term, sustainability and quality starting to blow. I think it is a response to the fluidity of social media, climate change and the speed of change. Why build something quick and mediocre, when you can create something slow and enduring. With long-term value.

Forget the hacks, the quick tricks, flash in the pan approach. Focus on mastery, longevity and perennial. On lasting impact and relevance.

Mastery

Ryan Holiday brings the “Mastery” approach from Robert Green and combines it with the no nonsense Stoic philosophy, and it is refreshing and honest. There are no magic bullets. Graft, grit, deliberate practice and a focus on excellence.

The Lindy effect

The book mentions companies that have been around for hundreds of years. Companies such as Zildjian (founded in Constantinople in 1623, Fiskars (founded in 1649) and Trudon (candle makers since King Louis XIV). In that way, it feels a bit like “The hidden champions of the 21st century.”

Again, the Lindy effect. Named after a famous restaurant where showbiz types used to meet to discuss trends in the industry, it observes that every day something lasts, the chances that it will continue to last increase. Or Nassim Taleb has put it, “If a book has been in print for forty years, I can expect it to be in print for another forty years.

Lasting

How to create something that lasts for hundreds of years? That is the question. Creating lifelong value and thus lifelong, or even multi-generational, income. And that is hard, hard work. Making great work is incredibly hard. But it must be your primary focus. While many dream perennial-selling dreams, they think that the wanting—instead of the work—is what matters. “Lots of people,” as the poet and artist Austin Kleon puts it, “want to be the noun without doing the verb.”

Once you realise that there is no quick fix and are willing to put in the hours, the blood, the sweat and the tears, you can start thinking about other success factors. Again, no magic there.

Segmentation

The first success factor is segmentation and definition of the target market. Picking your beach head. An audience is not a target that you happen to bump into. Instead, it must be explicitly scoped and sighted. It must be chosen. Having no specific user in mind is one of the major mistakes that kill startups.

Some question to consider:

Does it have a purpose?
Does it add value to the world?
How will it improve the lives of the people who buy it?
Is it either very entertaining or extremely practical?
What does it teach?
What does it solve?
How are you entertaining?
What are you giving?
What are you offering?
What are you sharing?
What sacred cows are you slaying?
What dominant institution are you displacing?
What groups are you disrupting?
What people are you pissing off?
Is it the best you can do?
What feedback did you get?
It’s not “promotion” we’re talking about here—that comes later. Instead, prior to release, considerable effort needs to be spent polishing, improving, and, most critically, positioning your project so that it has a real chance of resonating with its intended audience. Who is buying the first one thousand copies of this thing? Who is coming in on the first day? Who is going to claim our first block of available dates? Who is buying your first production run?

Promotion

There is there is no publisher or angel investor or producer who can magically handle all the stuff you do not want to handle. Nobody has a reason or the time to give you the star treatment. What does that mean? At a very basic level, if you’re not amazing in every facet, you’re replaceable to publishers, studios, investors, and customers alike. Nobody cares. Get over it.

Take control

Therefore you need to take control of your own fate. You are the CEO. Taking responsibility for yourself. For marketing and selling. Get ready for the real marathon that is marketing. Marketing is your job. It cannot be passed on to someone else. There is no magical firm who can take it totally off your hands. And if you don’t see any salespeople, you’re the salesperson too.

The pitching question

And to help you with that, start with this question “This is a ______ that does ______ for ______.” Consider how someone would describe your book, movie, restaurant, campaign, candidacy—whatever—at a party. Consider someone trying to tell someone else about it in just 140 characters. What would they say? Will they feel stupid saying it?

It’s a ______ that does ______ for ______. Have you made filling in those blanks as easy and exciting as possible? Have you done the hard work for them?

Other questions

Who is this for?
Who is this not for?
Why is it special?
What will it do for them?
Why should anyone care?
Word of mouth

No one has the steam or the resources to actively market something for more than a short period of time, so if a product is going to sell forever, it must have strong word of mouth. It must drive its own adoption. Over the long haul, this is the only thing that lasts. Your marketing efforts, then, should be catalysts for word of mouth. Which is hard work.

Take inventory of everything you have at your disposal:

Relationships (personal, professional, familial, or otherwise)
Media contacts
Research or information from past launches of similar products (what worked, what didn’t, what to do, what not to do)
Favours they’re owed
Potential advertising budget
Resources or allies
Influencers
Champions—The More Influential, the Better
Lists and platforms
A “high-impact recommendation”—an emphatic endorsement from a trusted friend, for example—converts at fifty times the rate of low-impact word of mouth

Call to arms

Create a“Call to Arms”—a summons to your fans and friends. I been working on ______ for a long time. It’s a ______ that does ______ for ______. I could really use your help. If you’re in the media or have an audience or you have any ideas or connections or assets that might be valuable when I launch this thing, I would be eternally grateful. Just tell me who you are, what you’re willing to offer, what it might be good for, and how to be in touch.

The other parts of the marketing mix

All other means are at your disposal. PR, social media, advertising, etc. However, when it comes to creating a perennial seller, the principle to never lose sight of is simple: Create word of mouth. And if you are clever, you build a list (not building a list is know as “amnesia marketing”) and a platform of loyal fans. The platform is not a stepping stone. It is the finish line. Read “Machines, Platforms, Crowds“.

Create events, rile your detractors (if you don’t have any, you are doing something wrong), swap your list, engage, be authentic, be nice, create relationships, do crazy things, explore and experiment. Again, no quick fix. Hard work.

Long haul

You need to settle in for the long haul. Remember, the best and most valuable things that do not find their echo immediately. In other words, it is far better to measure your campaign over a period of years, not months.

Why are you doing this?

It is hard work. It is hard work. It is hard work. Just to repeat again. Hard work. You need to commit and you need to focus. If you’ve committed to doing something incredibly difficult that countless others have failed at before, you probably also shouldn’t be juggling five other projects at the same time. You’ll need to put 100 percent of your resources toward this one. A person on a singular mission can’t be distracted; he can’t chase every coloured balloon he comes across.

No nonsense, hard work

This is a book in the style of “Do-it Marketing”, “Be obsessive”, “The navy seal art of war” and yes “The obstacle is the way”. Read this books and add “Mastery” by Robert Greene and you will have a complete no-nonsense approach to long term success.

To summarise that approach in 3 words: Bloody Hard Work.

I have been looking forward to reading Perennial Seller since I heard about Ryan Holiday talking about it last week in his podcast. I have been reading his other book the Daily Stoic every day for the past 6 months and enjoy his writing style.

I started reading Perennial Seller and while I am just a few chapters in I can say this book is great for anyone wishing to have their ideas stand up to the test of time.

His focus is a lot on writing, but there is plenty of other examples from the long success of Iron Maiden to a small restaurant know as the Pantry that has been open for 33,000 consecutive days.

This isn't a get rich quick type of book - but based on putting in the time to create something great. A must read for anyone that wants their idea to last for more than a few years.

By writing a book on How to make an idea last Ryan Holiday has created a book that in itself will stand the test of time and become a classic.

I have read many books on marketing, however very rarely I stumble upon a book that good. Lots of amazing advice, great and smart strategy perspective. Thank you, Ryan! I believe I own every one of your books and I am so appreciative of you work and insights.

This book is primarily written for the stereotypical creative types, i.e. folks who enjoy the work/process of making something new but are not necessarily interested in/good at commercializing their product/service.

PROs:
* provides a step by step description of actions to be taken to commercialize one's "product"
* just the right leve lof detail to be relevant to a very broad variety of topics/industries
* well-written: If you are pressed for time, you can just skim through the book and still manage to cature its essence
* Has plenty of examples to illustrate the author's point

not-PROs: (can't really say there are any major cons)
* in a few places, I fel like the author rambled on for a bit - but that is subjective

I have utmost respect for Holiday and for his mentor, Robert Greene. That said, I feel like in this book he has fallen into a trap of his own "marketing-brain's" making. His earlier release, "Ego is the Enemy" was not a perfect work, but certainly came across as much more genuine and heartfelt. One must make allowance for the fact that Holiday is a business owner in the sales/marketing sector, it is only natural for him to write a book that would benefit his niche. Still, if he was hoping to actually produce a Perennial Seller with this book, it is off the mark. Ego is the Enemy is a million times more likely to actually become one. Do not advise against this book, just would rather steer you towards Ego is the Enemy instead.

I have utmost respect for Holiday and for his mentor, Robert Greene. That said, I feel like in this book he has fallen into a trap of his own "marketing-brain's" making. His earlier release, "Ego is the Enemy" was not a perfect work, but certainly came across as much more genuine and heartfelt. One must make allowance for the fact that Holiday is a business owner in the sales/marketing sector, it is only natural for him to write a book that would benefit his niche. Still, if he was hoping to actually produce a Perennial Seller with this book, it is off the mark. Ego is the Enemy is a million times more likely to actually become one. Do not advise against this book, just would rather steer you towards Ego is the Enemy instead.

Perennial Seller is a practical book more akin to Holiday’s Trust Me, I'm Lying and Growth Hacker Marketing than his more recent works on stoicism. With that said, Holiday’s clear gift for writing (and for weaving stories from across various spectrums into his work) is as evident here as in his more recent work, and I can imagine this makes reading Perennial Seller an enjoyable activity in itself, even if you’re not especially interested in the subject matter.

I am interested in the subject matter, and though I am a writer, I believe Holiday did a good job of filling this book with thoughts and examples from across the creative spectrum. I thoroughly enjoyed his thoughts on doing your best work, and I appreciated his honesty that in today’s world, doing your best work is no guarantee that anyone is going to pay attention (as I believe he quotes in the book: “Build it and they won’t come.”). This honesty was refreshing, and though in the marketing section he does touch upon a few modern-day phenomenons that, as he rightly points out, may not stand the test of time themselves, I enjoyed his approach to focusing on tried and true principles to help get your work out there, instead of building up a large following on a social media platform made of sand.

This book by Holiday mirrors other work of his. That is, the stoic influence is palpable, which isn't a bad thing. Holiday encourages us to look past the transience of the present moment, and this is very applicable to business. Ask any behavioral economist!

Making something endure is the surest way to stay in business for a long period of time, because it generates timeless value, and is an endless resource. One thing which stuck out to me is that "ideas are not enough!" That is, we need practicality, a plan, and an understanding of our business and our motivations. We need all of these things to be successful in the end.

This review is for the Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts

If you are going to do something, do something that matters.

Author includes actionable methods that can assist your thinking. Put you in the correct frame of mind to do your best work, in legacy terms.

While not every suggestion or example will apply to my or your position or circumstance, you will find things that will make you go Hmmm.

Holiday’s latest literary treat “Perennial Seller” deals with the fascinating idea of what makes a body of work have lasting impact and relevance, essentially what produces timeless work. I applaud the author for embracing and attempting to address such an alluring and thought-provoking topic. Is it an interesting read? Yes. Is it worth your time reading? I think so.
As with any feedback of-course we are dealing with entirely subjective commentary. As they say, thirty percent of people will love the work, thirty percent will hate it and the remaining thirty percent won’t care. Did I ‘love’ this book? No. Did I ‘like’ it? Absolutely.
“Perennial Seller” reads like an extended version of and adjunct to “Growth Hacker Marketing”. Holiday has a marketing brain and is a marketing aficionado. If his latest release becomes a perennial seller, which for him I sincerely hope it does, I believe it will be a direct result of the ‘marketing’ and ‘platform’ pillars explicitly discussed in his latest release, not to mention that the book itself also possesses one of the most captivating covers you will ever see! The book is written in four parts – the creative process, positioning, marketing and platform. Holiday I must say, has very cleverly crafted three of the four parts 46 pages in length each, yet the ‘marketing’ part receives an additional 20 pages in length, making it, the marketing part, 66 pages long! The overriding emphasis appears to be on ‘marketing’ or more precisely, ‘perennial marketing’.
When I think of timeless work, the classics, the masterpieces, I think of remarkable ‘content’, not remarkable marketing. That’s not by any means down-playing the importance of marketing. You can have all the bells and whistles when it comes to marketing but if you’re ‘content’ lacks meaty appeal, remarkableness and originality, you can forget about becoming a perennial seller. Where I felt let down, was in what I believe was the most underdone, most under-cooked section of the book, the ‘creative process’. This section, this pillar, could have been further developed and expanded, for as the author clearly acknowledges, the creative process is the most important part of creating a perennial seller!
The quandary I found myself in after this read was that I wasn’t left feeling in any way convinced that the term ‘perennial seller’ is synonymous with the words ‘timeless’, ‘classic’ or ‘masterpiece’. There is a dichotomy I believe, and a ‘perennial seller’ does not and should not, without the true test of time, instantaneously assume the labels of timeless or a classic, let alone masterpiece. It’s not up to the publishing industry and its metrics to tell us what is a classic, what is a masterpiece – we the readers get to make that call! A perennial seller does not equal ‘timeless’, does not equal ‘classic’, and does not equal ‘masterpiece’. Nonetheless, I believe the author intelligibly communicated the concept of a ‘perennial seller’ in its current commercial context. When I think of Ferriss, Altucher or 50-Cent I think ‘perennial sellers’. When I think of Shakespeare, Dickens or Cervantes I think ‘timeless’, ‘classic’ and ‘masterpiece’.
Due most likely to my own naivety I remain baffled as to why Cyril Connolly’s “Enemies of Promise” is used here as some sort of authoritative text. I understand the ten-year question posed by Connolly and how it ties in with the central theme of “Perennial Seller”. What I don’t understand is how or why Connolly’s work is regarded as perennial, or should I say timeless, classic or even a masterpiece? Apparently people are still talking about it sixty years later and it attracts a cult following decades after Connolly’s death. Where? Amongst whom? How many of the reading public have heard of Cyril Connolly or “Enemies of Promise”? Honestly? Connolly’s immense skill as a literary critic is not in question here, instead my own cynicism leads me to suspect that the author may be attempting to do what Bukowski did for Fante’s “Ask The Dust”, to significantly resurrect Connolly’s work. If that is the case, a masterful stroke of play indeed and kudos to Holiday.
Any other bugbears that irked me? I understand that not every example known to man can be used but given the subject matter in “Perennial Seller” I was left pondering a few questions following the read. The ‘Bible’ is the best-selling book of all time and even though it’s generally available for free, why is there literally no mention of it anywhere? What makes such a non-commercial book truly ‘timeless’? JK Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ doesn’t rate a mention, why? Dan Brown’s ‘Da Vinci Code’ doesn’t get a scratch, why? Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ album barely gets any literary limelight despite it being a, if not ‘the’, best-selling album of all time, why? ‘Rocky’ was supposedly written in under four days and we know the rest, yet why is there no attempt to explain why it became what it became, and why is it simply the exception that proves the so-called ‘rule’? Does glorifying 50-Cent’s marketing prowess as a drug-dealer really add to the credibility of the book’s subject matter, or does it cheapen it? Why is ‘luck’ given only but a few sentences in the book’s conclusion and not worthy of an entire part or section, given that by the author’s own admission “it would be dishonest to talk about creating a classic, perennial seller and pretend that luck has nothing to do with it, because luck matters a lot”? And is it just me or are the almost constant references to Robert Greene becoming tiring, if not exhausting? We ‘get’ it, its been ‘paid forward’ beyond belief, and we respect the mentor-protégé homage, but seriously, I believe Holiday has more than enough credibility and literary polish to stand his own ground!
Subjective and constructive criticism over…
Iron Maiden’s management may have turned down the author’s request for an interview but I for one strongly recommend that none of you out there ‘turn down’ this read! Why have I taken the time to write the above gibberish? Because, if you haven’t yet worked it out, I’m a die-hard Holiday fan and always will be! I give a toss and I want his work to become truly timeless. Whilst for me “Perennial Seller” may not be the author’s best work, I go back to my initial two questions. Is it an interesting read? Absolutely! Is it worth your time reading? DEFINITELY!

In the fever swamp of modern content creation, likes and subscriptions and retweets and the like have become the coin of realm. The popularity of your book or video or article in the first 24 or 48 hours has become the measure of success for a creative. Anything not liked or viewed or consumed is in some way considered to be a failure and left for scrap. The mindset that this brings to the creator is not always positive, leading to work designed solely for short-term recognition but having no lasting value.

Perrenial Seller makes a powerful case for patience and longevity. Holiday has penned a book that both argues for thinking about creating works that stand the test of time and guides the creator in how to go about marketing something that might be a ‘slow burner.’ The book goes well beyond marketing theory and encouragement for the creator. Holiday makes the case for the value of work that sells or is consumed year after year, touching new lives as generations roll over. The writers and filmmakers and musicians that the author highlights help the reader to visualize the concept that he is advocating.

The book is a great read whether you are the writer, filmmaker, etc. or the one who helps the artist to promote the work to the world. Both sides of the equation will benefit from understanding what Holiday has to say to the other, make each stronger advocates and teammates for one another.

Just because you've created something doesn't mean someone will want it.
Whether it's a book, art, music or some other product of your imagination, your job is to make others want it. Some will be satisfied with a quick payoff and move on to another project.
In this book, Ryan Holiday offers strategies for making your creation a lasting--a perennial--seller, a project with an unlimited lifetime of reward. His blueprint is practical and filled with examples of artists in many fields who have achieved this kind of success.
He emphasizes from the start, it isn't easy. It takes work, lots of hard work, and dedication to the process.
Many self-help books raise false expectations. Holiday is frank in saying you can do everything right and still fail. There's that little thing called luck that's a factor in every enterprise. Still, do everything right and it's more likely luck will follow. You can't succeed without trying.
Holiday divides his blueprint into four parts--the creative process, positioning, marketing and platform. All are essential if you want to achieve the goal of creating a perennial seller. Follow the process and you'll have a product people will care about and want.
Reading this book will inspire you. It's a worthy addition to any creative person's book shelves.

*I listened to this, not read* Still would read it but have instead chosen to listen to it again and would likely have re-read it. It will not be for everyone, which no big is, but it has actual examples that are practical, measurable and documented. Huge fan of how it is laid out, in short, measurable pieces that either build on or simply enhance other chapters. To think this information is not applicable across a cross-section of industries, products, and situations is silly. Different than his other books but just as good.

I wasn't believing the hype in this reviews section. But this book is actually very good.

As someone who is autistically obsessed with the work of Robert Greene I have to say, that this is tied with the work of robert greene, in terms of quality. Ryan Holiday took his best article ("6 reasons your book will fail") and turned it into a book.

I hope Ryan rewrites "Ego is the Enemy" and "Obstacle is the Way" now that he is at the very least 5x more skilled as a writer, compared to the time he wrote those two books.

Just one thing I seriously didn't like about Perennial Seller: the use of autistic words. By 'autistic words' i mean words that none uses and that force the reader to look it up a dictionary. Such as 'crass'. Who the hell uses the word 'crass' in daily life? The book is way too filled with AWs, but that is not a dealbreaker. Of the 1/4 that I read so far, the book is a solid 9.8/10

Bottom line: read the free sample of the book, that is available on the store. If you like what you read, then the book is for you.

A refreshing book by the author of The Obstacle is the Way.  He is proponent of releasing products only when they are ready - as his goal is to create lasting works, classics that will be read for a long time and generate long long royalty lives.His case studies and work with authors like Tim Ferris, James Altucher, Mark Strauss are well documented . Clearly written, this looks like a book that will stand up over time. Good for a four hour plane ride read. 

Fast read

Good concepts

Lacking in tactics

Really just for authors, musicians

Not a must-read

Summary: work hard and do good work -- and you will be a perennial best seller

It's incredibly unfortunate when authors pool months or years of their energy into a book, and upon it's release they don't sell a single copy. It's equally disheartening when someone is a great marketer and their book comes out with a bang, but quickly dies off. Ryan is the strategist behind a plethora of best selling books in the last few years, and has written two timeless classics of his own with Ego Is The Enemy or The Obstacle is The Way. Perennial Seller is a pre-requisite for anyone looking to write a book that stands the test of time.

There are dozens of reasons why I think this book was amazing. The top 4 are below:
1) It is clear and concise - every story, quote, and experience that was written about adds to the book.
2) It is practical - You don't need to be a creator to gain value from the book. If you are in marketing, sales, or business development the lessons in this book are useful.
3) It can stand alone - I am a huge fan or Ryan Holiday as is but you do not need to read his previous works to gain an immense amount of value from this book. If you are going to read any of them, this one is the best... so far.
4) It is easy! This book is easy to get through. It is a page-turner and pulls you through on an adventure through the art of making something that lasts.

Thanks for this one Ryan - looking forward to what's next!

I've always been intrigued with why certain items are perennial sellers and others are simply a flash in a pan. Ryan Holiday reveils many examples of those who sell over extended periods of time and analyzes what sustains their value and worth. From books to rock bands the wide variety of references will appeal to marketers, both professional and amateur. I took lots of notes and highlighted throughout. This is a worthy addition to your reference library and could very well become a perrential favorite.

A very good book for those producing something for sale that they hope will endure for decades is for academic interest for those who wish to understand how it happens, but not aimed at those of us who are not commercial producers. I would recommend it as a gift for people with an artistic bent who wish to make money from their works. It is well researched and includes many types of creative adventures.

This is an absolute must-read for any creator. Ryan Holiday has long been one of my favorite authors, thinkers, and doers. As I continue pondering the message of this book, I believe that together with Seth Godin's "Tribes," Austin Kleon's "Steal Like An Artist," and Steven Pressfield's "Turning Pro," you have the perfect starter kit for anyone ready to share their work with the world.

I have read almost every book ryan has made, this one really hit home because I am a music artist , and I feel this book really speaks to us as artist. I have been using Ryan's ideas coupled with my own for years, and have amassed over 40 million youtube views and 30k subs on my page. I think with some of these new ideas I can really grow, and focus on building perennial work, which I feel I have been doing look up Stylez Major on YouTube and you will see some of the success I have had, this is a book I will go back and study multiple times, thanks Ryan and hopefully this book is a perennial one for you.

I have read many books on marketing, however very rarely I stumble upon a book that good. Lots of amazing advice, great and smart strategy perspective. Thank you, Ryan! I believe I own every one of your books and I am so appreciative of you work and insights.

As the world flattens, content flourishes, and power slips from traditional squeeze points like big media, business, and government, you know who we're believing in again? Individuals. That means you and me. But how do we earn and keep that trust? We create genuine, quality work that stands the test of time. Perennial Seller is a powerful prescription for doing just that plus finding the long-term fans you need for work you're making that matters.

I just finished listening to Ryan's new book, Perennial Seller. I absolutely loved it. For me, Ryan struck an outstanding balance art and systems. I noted every question he suggested that readers ask themselves and now having stepped back from the book, I have a great plan in which to move my work forward through this lens that resonates with me

One note about Ryan - I had listened to Ryan on several podcasts over the years and last year, he opened a door for me to write an article for a major publication. I am nearly 20 years older than Ryan yet he has always struck as someone wise beyond his readers. Honored to be a perennial reader. Thank you for making a great book, Ryan!

If you're considering doing anything creative and want a guidebook on "how to", read this book. If you're in a startup or about to start a new company, this will be your guidebook. You'll pick it up 100 times and outline several parts to get your attention later.
Buy and read, and then read this book again.

Perennial Seller, sets out to answer the question: 'Is there a common creative mindset between work that lasts?' And what a question that is!

Ryan's thesis is: 'longevity isn't an accident'. And the mindset to kick it all off is 'wanting to create a classic'. The reason so few artists create Perennial Sellers is because so few set out to create them. This, Ryan notes, is a major opportunity. (It's how he carved out a niche with his publishing company, Brass Check.) In the book Ryan details strategies and tactics for the reader to take full advantage. This is how to create work that lasts.

Absolutely love this. Any creator NEEDS to read this book. From start to finish, it shows you exactly how to create work that lasts. My review alone wouldn't be able to do it justice. Just buy it. You will not be disappointed. Ryan Holidays books have already (and this is going to sound ...dramatic maybe?) changed my life. He's one of my favorite strategists and thinkers. Read this book to teach you how to create and market the work that's inside of you. Read his other books to learn how to be a better person and live a better life. Just read this guy's stuff - you're missing our if you haven't.

Ryan Holiday is an amazing writer. From Ego, to the Obstacle, to the Daily Stoic, he keeps challenging the way I see the world.

Perennial Seller is fantastic. Holiday tells a story of how and why we need to base our work on timeless principles to make our greatest impact.

Fantastic - 5 Stars.

Buy this book.

Joe Ciccarone
Philadelphia, PA

Ryan's books have always been page turners and Perennial Seller fits that description as well. Tailored for those in the process of doing specifically creative work, but filled with fascinating ideas and insights that apply to anyone. Excellent read.

A dream marketing play is not just about a product launch or great event well-run or a super social media campaign. It is about longevity.

In Perennial Seller, Ryan Holiday continues his fantastic marketing advice by giving superb examples of organizations that have been and will be around for a long, long time. Tales like those of Zildjian Drums and Ted Turner reveal ideas you can emulate to make sure you're building a great marketing legacy.

Highly recommended, as are his other two outstanding books, Trust Me I'm Lying and Growth Hacker Marketing.

A must read for all creators (writers, coders, designers, business owners) who want to produce a masterpiece that is as relevant a decade from now as it is today. The book provides excellent mindset training and tons of examples so you can lay the groundwork to your perennial seller.

Brilliant and beautiful book. It breaks down the creative process in a way that is not only EXTREMELY practical, but feels human and relatable. Thanks to Ryan Holiday for yet another timeless manuscript.