Vox recently reported—via figures from the American Booksellers Association—that 35 member bookstores have closed during the pandemic. Since the association lists members with over 2,400 locations, that represents about a 1.5 percent closure rate, or one store closing each week. However, the ABA says 20 percent of independent bookstores are in danger of closing. The Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC) has distributed $2.7 million so far this year to booksellers in need. (Side note: BINC has launched its first gift store and guide to help everyone support bookstores this season.)
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
