This year, by popular demand, the panel reconvenes, this time in Los Angeles, and I fully expect a similar response. (The panel will be held on Saturday, May 31 at 11 a.m. and is titled “Boom: Marketing to the Ultimate Book-Buying Consumer.”)

Which begs a second question: Why aren’t there more books written specifically with the boomer woman in mind? And even more importantly, why don’t more of these books succeed?

I’ve got my own theory, which I’ll share with you here. Then, following Saturday’s performance, I’ll report back to you with what the illustrious panelists conclude.

Before I do, allow me to dismiss all the obvious explanations, most of which center around ageism, stereotypes and book editors just out of college who have no idea what boomers want to read. (And no, “my mother loves detective novels” is not the same as market research).

I propose that while it is true that the publishing got off to a slow start, publishing books with 40+ women specifically in mind, they are now trying really hard to get it right. The real issue is that by the time they figure out what the boomer woman wants to read now, this fast-moving demographic is off to the next subject—or at least onto a new and usually unpredictable nuance on the old favorites.

Take Springboard’s hit: “How Not to Look Old” (by Charla Krupp). Wasn’t it just about a year ago when women were embracing the “real woman” movement, and Gail Sheehy was proclaiming “women don’t want 60 to be the new 40—they want 60 to be the new 60”? Last year, one of our panelists proposed that “looking edgy” was the key to appealing to boomer women, not a concept that the double-negative “How Not to Look Old” appears to capture very well.

Prepping for the panel, I spoke with panelist Karen Murgolo about the success of the book, which her company published. She explained that the book is not about looking young, per se, it’s about not looking old (this, in fact, is the new “edgy”). Per Karen, this is an important distinction—and one of the nuances that makes the difference between a best-seller and a bomb. Charla, quite simply, got it right. Of course the boomer woman doesn’t want to look old. However, she doesn’t strive to look younger than her years, either. The book doesn’t go towards radical solutions (i.e. plastic surgery) but simple changes that can be incorporated into your life to make you look your best, whatever age you happen to be. For instance, instead of wearing metal eyeglass frames, go for tortoise, which has a softer feel against mature skin. I knew that.

The issue is that books are conceived, written, bought and marketed over a period covering at least two years before the book hits the retail shelves. It’s hard enough getting a handle on what boomer women are thinking/feeling today—let alone two years from now. For instance, while every survey under the sun was coming out with the news that eight out of ten boomers have no intention of retiring ever—the first boomer turned 62. What was the first thing she did? Take early retirement.

Why is this generation so hard to read? Because, quite simply, there has never been such a large, well-educated generation of women before—the first, by the way, to have both forged and benefited from equality in the workplace. They are defying all expectations of aging, addressing the issues as they do (or don’t!) arise with fresh perspective and revolutionary zeal. Publishers and, in fact, the boomer women, themselves, are on unmapped territory, making it up as they go along.

The panelists and I will do our best to glimpse into the future this Saturday morning. And I shall, as promised, report back to you.

The panel, by the way, consists of

Ellen Archer, President, Hyperion. Last year, Ellen spoke from the perspective of her leadership role with Voice, then a new imprint of books for women 35 and older. Her success with Voice was undoubtedly a factor in her elevation to the heights of Disney’s book publishing arm, Hyperion.

Karen Murgolo, V.P., Editorial Director, Springboard Press
Springboard, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, concentrates on quality prescriptive and narrative nonfiction for the baby boomer generation. Categories include popular culture, beauty, wellness, relationships and career and memoir.

David Singleton, Director of Planning and Promotion, AARP Publications. David, new to this year’s panel, represents AARP’s magazine, the largest circulation publication in the world—and achieves this high distinction while only targeting men and women 50+, at that. AARP also has a book publishing arm as well as numerous publications, magazines, newsletters and so on.

Carol Orsborn