The Book Designer website has been a trusted and reliable resource for many years in the writing and publishing community, especially for independent authors. Earlier this month, The Digital Reader broke the news that the site has been sold to Chandler Bolt, who runs Self-Publishing School, which charges students thousands of dollars. Some are concerned about what Bolt might do with the site.
We reached out to Friedlander for comment on the sale, and he told us, “Chandler and I made contact over a year ago and have talked several times about his acquiring the blog for his Self-Publishing School, although I have no information about how he intends to integrate it with his other activities. I don’t believe there’s anyone on his staff with the kind of typographic or book-making expertise I’ve gained over the years, but I’m sure they will figure out a way to deal with it.” Friedlander said he’s been stepping back from his book publishing activities for a couple years now to deal with health issues. “Last week I turned 73 and despite being a committed optimist, aging has its own logic, and it will not be denied.”
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.
