Former publisher has founded The Watermark Agency
Mark Tauber has launched The Watermark Agency to “develop and represent projects from writers, journalists, public intellectuals, authors, leaders, and credentialed experts in their fields
Zibby Books launches with an unusual business model
Founded by wealthy book influencer and podcaster Zibby Owens, Zibby Books will publish one book per month,
Marketing and Selling to “US Book Buyers of Color”
Many big publishers, who understand and focus on white audiences, urgently need an education in non-white book buyers.
Trendspotting: Discord
Founded in 2015, Discord tends to get pigeonholed as mostly for gamers or young people. But the user base doubled in 2020
Amazon Trend Report: Paranormal Romance
Paranormal romance is an increasingly versatile subgenre, encompassing mystery/thriller/suspense and urban fantasy with both supernatural and romance plot elements.
Book sales update: September 15, 2021
BookTok is still driving US sales in YA fiction, with backlist titles from Adam Silvera, S.E. Hinton, and Lois Lowry recently topping the print charts.
A Twitter kerfuffle over the power of poetry
A poetry editor, Danielle Rose, tweeted on Sept. 3, “I wish poets understood that the general population has no interest in what we do.
Chandler Bolt’s Self-Publishing School is buying up writing sites
Earlier this year, we took note when The Book Designer changed hands and became the intellectual property of Chandler Bolt.
Printing prices set to increase at Ingram—the second time within a year
Amidst significant uncertainty in the global supply chain, IngramSpark is committed to supporting the book industry with the best possible service through the busy holiday season and into 2022.
Considering Crazy Maple Studio / KISS? Here’s an important heads-up
Recently, a well-established romance author posted a warning in a private Facebook group that they had an unfavorable experience with the publisher of the KISS app
Even Salman Rushdie has a Substack
Just before the Labor Day holiday weekend, news arrived that Salman Rushdie had signed a one-year contract with Substack to serialize his unpublished novella.
Why and How I Got My Rights Back from HarperCollins
Despite pre-publication buzz, one author found her book orphaned when the publisher was fired and the imprint dissolved.
Want to Win NaNoWriMo? The Secret Is Preparation
Whatever your writing goals are in November, a bit of planning can help set you up for success.
Why Write This Book?
Identifying your story’s “why”—why it haunts you, why you care—will give your book power that readers can feel.
Choosing a Publicist (Again): Assessing Your Changing Needs
As an author’s career progresses, the publicity needs change—and what worked for the first book might no longer be appropriate for the third.
How to Turn Trolling Into a Fine Art
Edgar Allan Poe was a 19th century troll, virulently critical of other writers—but also engaged in literary citizenship for work he admired.
I Like Substack. But the PR Is Getting Ridiculous.
Substack makes it easy for non-tech people to harness the power of email newsletters, and that's a good thing. Just beware the hype.
Closing Image: September 1, 2021
The Association of American Publishers has released their latest StatShot report, which allows for a comparison of 2021 versus 2020,
Links of Interest: September 1, 2021
News Libraries have a once-in-a-lifetime chance for a funding boost. The US House of Representatives just passed a $3.5 trillion
New literary agency and services firm: BBH Literary
BBH Literary is a publicity firm, literary agency, and editorial services company founded by David Bratt and Laura Bardolph Hubers.
Yes, You Can Sell Your Book without Social Media
One of the biggest anxieties and preoccupations of authors today is social media. How big does your following have to be?
Trendspotting: Supply Chain Woes
I happen to know more about the ins and outs of publishing’s supply chain because I’m married to a former production guy.
Where Does RWA Go from Here?
Romance Writers of America (RWA) is the leading organization for a genre that is a force within publishing. Romance titles consist of a third of all book sales and bring in over $1 billion a year
Book sales update: September 1, 2021
Barnes & Noble’s sales are up by 5 to 6 percent this year compared to 2019, according to CEO James Daunt in an interview with Publishers Weekly.
Amazon to open larger physical retail outlets
Amazon opened its first brick-and-mortar bookstore in fall 2015 in Seattle’s University Village; it stocked a modest 5,000 to 6,000 titles.