Maxwells can't sell their latest book?

[fundiefan]

No dog & pony shows scheduled for this year. Obviously poor book sales; poor enough that they're trying to schlep them on their web site. No courting children even though all but one are adults. John has his home debt free - huzzah! - but can't live in it because he has no wife, so what's the point? Even fundies are obviously seeing that.

Stevie boy is drying up. Soon he'll be shriveled, trying to support six adult offspring and a wife with no means to do so.

I eagerly anticipate the spin they'll put on that.

[danvillebelle]

I get a certain amount of evil glee thinking of boxes upon boxes of "Making Great Conversationalists" and their newest boring tome of tripe, sitting and gathering dust in their basement.

:D :D :D :D :D

ETA: AND at their puzzlement over how their exciting ideas that were surely "from the LORD" aren't selling or panning out.

[Coconut Flan]

I'm kind of surprised the crash was so precipitous. It's quite impressive how their popularity has dropped in just the last two years. VF gone. IBLP/ATI dropping like a rock and then losing their leader. Maxwell conferences down to 1 so far this year.

Are the fundies fleeing, going fundie-lite, heading to fundyish mega churches, or what?

[Peas n carrots]

I'm kind of surprised the crash was so precipitous. It's quite impressive how their popularity has dropped in just the last two years. VF gone. IBLP/ATI dropping like a rock and then losing their leader. Maxwell conferences down to 1 so far this year.

Are the fundies fleeing, going fundie-lite, heading to fundyish mega churches, or what?

I personally think part of the reason is the market is just straight up over-saturated. It seems like every other family has some kind of ministry or another. Plus this is a culture where folks don't tend to be wealthy to begin with and they have a lot of mouths to feed. I think there are probably quite a few Maxwell fans, but I'm guessing that there is one person who buys the book and then it passes around to several friends and family members.

I also think another issue is the Internet. When a lot of these groups started (or in Stehovah's case...his family) started, the internet wasn't as big and not as many fundie families were plugged in. Now it is so easy to get info (good or bad) I imagine that has hurt their sales as well.

Don't get me wrong...I think there is really a whole plethora of reasons why all these big fundie orgs are going down, but I think with the Maxwells they have not been very successful adjusting to the demands of the fundie market. They need to find a new niche - I really seem to have some decent skills when it comes to construction, and I don't understand why they wouldn't get into the business of flipping homes or doing something in the construction realm.

[Peas n carrots]

Btw...the Maxwells are doing a book giveaway! If you leave a comment you too can win your copy so your son(s) can eschew mortgages because they are of the devil.

[salex]

I personally think part of the reason is the market is just straight up over-saturated. It seems like every other family has some kind of ministry or another. Plus this is a culture where folks don't tend to be wealthy to begin with and they have a lot of mouths to feed. I think there are probably quite a few Maxwell fans, but I'm guessing that there is one person who buys the book and then it passes around to several friends and family members.

I also think another issue is the Internet. When a lot of these groups started (or in Stehovah's case...his family) started, the internet wasn't as big and not as many fundie families were plugged in. Now it is so easy to get info (good or bad) I imagine that has hurt their sales as well.

Don't get me wrong...I think there is really a whole plethora of reasons why all these big fundie orgs are going down, but I think with the Maxwells they have not been very successful adjusting to the demands of the fundie market. They need to find a new niche - I really seem to have some decent skills when it comes to construction, and I don't understand why they wouldn't get into the business of flipping homes or doing something in the construction realm.

They would have to deal with a lot of non christians and catholics and such if they began flipping houses. Doing remodels means the Maxwell men might have to be alone in a house with some other man's wife... and she might have to tell them how she want's the bath redone! Or, they "might" need credit to buy another house and fix it up... much bigger investment than ordering 500 books from a printer.

[16strong]

They would have to deal with a lot of non christians and catholics and such if they began flipping houses. Doing remodels means the Maxwell men might have to be alone in a house with some other man's wife... and she might have to tell them how she want's the bath redone! Or, they "might" need credit to buy another house and fix it up... much bigger investment than ordering 500 books from a printer.

What's sad is that Steve is probably reading this as we speak and nodding in agreement with you. :?

[socalrules]

Honesty, I think that the fundy movement is just caving in on itself in general. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the parents were already educated in the school system or had some type of training, which allowed the fathers to work, while their wives stayed home, constantly pregnant, and raising uneducated kids. Many of them likely lived a nice middle-class life. The ramifications of that lifestyle is now being felt because it is really almost impossible for these now adult fundy kids to have the same lifestyle as their parents. These young adults(male) are now finding that it is difficult to live the same lifestyle when they are uneducated, unskilled (by unskilled I mean no professional training other than from home) and therefore just do not have the same opportunities for prosperity as their parents. You can't just be a plumber, roofer or anything like that withough formal training anymore. You can't learn to fix a car at home anymore with all the computers in the new cars. You just can't open up shop in these fields anymore. I think that a lot of people are now seeing that the Maxwell view is just not as realistic. They still want their kids to live the crazy fundy lifestyle but things like only marrying after your buy a debt-free house, when you are not allowed to even work for anyone else and uneducated, is just not realistic. The world is passing this young generation of fundies by and their offspring will be even further back.

[FloraDoraDolly]

I wonder what Stevie thinks about owning a manufactured home debt-free? Seems like that would be a fairly easy thing to do but those don't appreciate, they depreciate, so I wonder if his book discusses what TYPE of home he aims for and why?

A manufactured home will appreciate in value if it's on its own lot and if it is permanently fixed to a concrete foundation or basement. (I am assuming we're talking about a double or triple wide that looks like a real house.) But if it's in a trailer park, forget it. You'll blow hundreds of dollars a month in lot rent with the home's value depreciating all the while.

[salex]

I think whoever said the internet is killing some of these self publishing groups is accurate. If you see a title of something like how to be a good conversationalist or buy a house for cash all you have to do is google and you get lots of free info.

For example, I googled start a small business and got this thesimpledollar.com/50-side-businesses-you-can-start-on-your-own/ and was very amused at how many of these we see attempted by the fundies we follow.

Auto detailing , Babysitting , Bed and breakfast , Blogging ,Cake decorating , Candle making , Candy making Card making , Catering , Childcare service ,Cleaning services for businesses ,Collectible trading , Computer troubleshooting ,Consignment buyer , Cookie making , Dinner preparer , Event coordinator , Event DJing ,Exercise teacher , Furniture making , Garage sale management , Gardening services ,

Handy man services ,Housecleaning ,Interior decorating ,Jewelry making ,Knitting / crocheting / quilting ,Landscaping services ,Meal-to-go preparations ,Online media consultant ,Personal shopping , Pet grooming ,Pet sitting ,Pet walking ,Pet yard waste cleanup ,Produce selling ,Proofreading ,Public speaking ,Scrapbook making ,Senior citizen assistance ,Sewing and alterations ,Soap making ,Teaching music ,Toy making ,Tutoring ,Video preparation services ,Virtual assistant ,Web site design ,Wedding planner ,They left of wedding photographer.

People can and do make livings doing various of these things. My old lawn guy went from nothing to a place at the lake on weekends in a decade of mowing lawns… and he earned every bit of it. But most quilters or jewelry makers are not making a killing. I know an online media consultant… she has a degree in journalism, worked for a newspaper as a blogger and for 3 separate online companies before starting her own business.

[YPestis]

Honesty, I think that the fundy movement is just caving in on itself in general. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the parents were already educated in the school system or had some type of training, which allowed the fathers to work, while their wives stayed home, constantly pregnant, and raising uneducated kids. Many of them likely lived a nice middle-class life. The ramifications of that lifestyle is now being felt because it is really almost impossible for these now adult fundy kids to have the same lifestyle as their parents. These young adults(male) are now finding that it is difficult to live the same lifestyle when they are uneducated, unskilled (by unskilled I mean no professional training other than from home) and therefore just do not have the same opportunities for prosperity as their parents. You can't just be a plumber, roofer or anything like that withough formal training anymore. You can't learn to fix a car at home anymore with all the computers in the new cars. You just can't open up shop in these fields anymore. I think that a lot of people are now seeing that the Maxwell view is just not as realistic. They still want their kids to live the crazy fundy lifestyle but things like only marrying after your buy a debt-free house, when you are not allowed to even work for anyone else and uneducated, is just not realistic. The world is passing this young generation of fundies by and their offspring will be even further back.

Don't forget that many fundies also have job restrictions. As another posted pointed out, even small businesses like flipping houses requires one to interact with non-fundies. Gays, heathens, single mothers! Some fundies want to avoid even having to deal with undesireables in a professional setting. There's also the expectation that fundies should avoid jobs which may require them to work with/for women, sell items like alcohol or birth control, work on Sundays.

Plus, by requiring that young men only seek self-employment, it limits job options. Not all young men are business minded, not all small businesses turn a profit, most businesses will suffer lean periods. All this makes it difficult for a young man to support a fast-growing/large family on a single income and avoid debt.

Forget debt-free houses, I think expecting young fundie men to provide for a fast growing family is tall order. It's just hard to have a large family in certain parts of the country. Health care is expensive, children are expensive, housing is expensive. There's a reason people limit their children, go to school, and have both parents working. The economic landscape has changed since the 19th century. We can't go back to those "glory days" anymore.....

[kitandmike]

Last night I responded to the Maxwell's post regarding the contest. At the time of my post, no one had responded yet (or at least were approved through moderation).

I wrote the following:

I am a widow with a son (age 15) and twin daughters (age 13) and would love to be entered into your giveaway for your book. I would like my children to see through your stories that it is possible for them to purchase a house debt free.

Alas, there are now 44 posts approved with the exception of mine!!!!! He has always published my comments before. I would like to believe that they were inundated with soooo many responses that they have not gotten to mine; however, when you look at the responses that they received when announcing the book, I doubt it.

Looks like Steve has invoked his right to not publish my comment. Too bad because my comment was made only with the best intentions. :lol:

[Rainbowcolor]

Looks like kitanmike's comment was posted but not with the same wording.

[salex]

If you post here that you are posting there, it is likely he's "on the lookout." May have to not let the right hand know what the left is doing. Also, book giveaways may just be marketing, not proof said book won't sell.

However, if they haven't posted dates for the roadshow, that is interesting to me.

[Palimpsest]

Yes, it looks like Steve didn't like kitandmike's wording - so he changed it to something more ... effusive.

:naughty: Steve.

I would love to win a copy of your latest book. I am a widow with one son age 15 and twin girls, age 13. I think that all of them can learn some valuable lessons from your book on how to buy a house debt free and how to save for the furnishings of the home.

Thank you for taking the time to share and write down your successful tips.

Catherine

I'm wondering about Jen in TX who is straddled by debt.

He's up to 67 entries now, I hope screening them all cut Family Bible time short.

[sparkles]

Kitandmike, I think you should definitely email Steve and ask him why he rewrote your comment. That's not editing, that's putting words in someone else's mouth. He's changing the content of your post while still attributing it to you and the only word I can think to describe that is...DISHONEST. I'm dying to know how he'd spin this.

[WonderingInWA]

Kitandmike, I think you should definitely email Steve and ask him why he rewrote your comment. That's not editing, that's putting words in someone else's mouth. He's changing the content of your post while still attributing it to you and the only word I can think to describe that is...DISHONEST. I'm dying to know how he'd spin this.

I agree. You have a right to know.

[anjulibai]

I agree. You have a right to know.

ITA. I would love to know what was wrong with your post.

[sparkles]

I think it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Steve has a hand in all of their gushing testimonials and rags-to-riches stories. If he's not inventing them out of whole cloth, he's probably taking the simplest comments and anecdotes and embellishing and altering them to the point where the authors would never recognize them.

Stevie Boy, you may deceive your leg-humpers but your all-seeing, all-knowing god has your number.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Yes, it looks like Steve didn't like kitandmike's wording - so he changed it to something more ... effusive.

:naughty: Steve.

I'm wondering about Jen in TX who is straddled by debt.

He's up to 67 entries now, I hope screening them all cut Family Bible time short.

Wait...he didn't even take anything out that was in anyway unfundie or he didn't agree with. He just added compliments to himself! Steve, you lying, egotistical asshat.

[slickcat79]

Last night I responded to the Maxwell's post regarding the contest. At the time of my post, no one had responded yet (or at least were approved through moderation).

I wrote the following:

I am a widow with a son (age 15) and twin daughters (age 13) and would love to be entered into your giveaway for your book. I would like my children to see through your stories that it is possible for them to purchase a house debt free.

Alas, there are now 44 posts approved with the exception of mine!!!!! He has always published my comments before. I would like to believe that they were inundated with soooo many responses that they have not gotten to mine; however, when you look at the responses that they received when announcing the book, I doubt it.

Looks like Steve has invoked his right to not publish my comment. Too bad because my comment was made only with the best intentions. :lol:

Well, you dared suggest that your daughters might want to buy their own house. Off to the prayer closet! :naughty:

[WonderingInWA]

Well, you dared suggest that your daughters might want to buy their own house. Off to the prayer closet! :naughty:

Right. A daughter's place is IN the home, not on the property deed. Duh.

[slickcat79]

Right. A daughter's place is IN the home, not on the property deed. Duh.

Hey, they get to save for the furnishings of the home. Separate but equal, amirite?

[donks]

BWA HAHA! My fake entry passed Steve's scrutiny and was posted exactly as I wrote it! 120 entries at this point... I hope I win,book burning for the old YouTube channel!

[Jana814]

Can't believe how many comments their post has gotten.