Marketing Toolbox
- Romance author J.A. Huss discusses in depth what’s working (or not) for book marketing. She’s stepped away from Facebook ads, but invests heavily—although very carefully—in giveaways. Read the interview transcript at the Creative Penn.
- How do you get nearly 100 reader reviews on your book within a few days of release? Author Anna Hackett shares her process at the Science Fiction & Fantasy Marketing Podcast.
- The ultimate (beginner’s) guide to Facebook advertising: the folks at Buffer have created a comprehensive, always-updated guide to Facebook advertising, if you want to test the waters. Check it out.
- Here’s a solid overview for writing and updating your Amazon book description. Veteran publicist Penny Sansevieri offers clear and organized advice. Read it at the Huffington Post.
Working with Amazon
- Is it time to leave KDP Select? Author Molly Greene explains why she’s going wide in her distribution. Read more at her blog; the comment thread is useful, too.
- An author describes what it’s like to win a publishing deal through Kindle Scout. New Zealand novelist Katherine Hayton signs a publishing contract with Amazon and shares stats on her bestseller rank. Read about it at ALLi’s blog.
Traditional Publishing
- What black swans could disrupt publishing? Industry analyst Mike Shatzkin imagines several events that could dramatically change the landscape, including Amazon buying a Big Five publisher. Read a summary of his thoughts at TeleRead.
- HarperCollins has relaunched its website to be more consumer friendly. You’ll find video, Instagram feeds, and a Book Finder tool—as well as a ginormous pop-up encouraging you to sign up for their Bookperk discount email newsletter. Check it out yourself.
- Campus bookstores are going corporate. Because of cost-cutting at universities across the country, independent campus bookstores are disappearing. Read more at Shelf Awareness.
- A brief look at publisher-agnostic content and websites: Publishing Trends rounds up traditional publishers’ digital initiatives to promote all books and reading, and not just their own titles. Read the article.
Diversity
- Less than 2 percent of science fiction stories published in 2015 were by black writers. That’s according to one report published by the magazine Fireside Fiction. Read more at the Guardian.
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.