Traditional publishing
- The New York Times profiles Bloom Books. This Sourcebooks imprint partners with successful self-published authors to great effect. In 2024, Bloom landed 23 books and two series on the New York Times bestseller list; its sales are up 58 percent. Bloom publishes more than 40 romance authors, and the majority have sold more than 100,000 copies this year. Read Alexandra Alter (gift link).
- Why AI can’t wholly replace translators. While this article isn’t about AI, it demonstrates how the value of translators goes well beyond merely translating a text; there are many “translation adjacent” activities. Read Kotryna Garanasvili at Words without Borders.
Self-publishing
- Coloring book drama: Those who keep an eye on the Hot Sheet bestseller lists have probably noticed a multitude of coloring books there. Turns out there’s quite a story underneath those popular titles. Read Kelly Jensen at Book Riot.
Media
- Spotify fills its service with generic music. By adding its own generic and stock filler music, it doesn’t have to pay a revenue share to record companies or artists, thereby becoming more profitable. For now, that filler gets done on a work-for-hire basis, but how likely is it that Spotify will transition to AI-generated music? Will listeners who want some ambient music for cooking dinner even care? Read Liz Pelly at Harper’s.
Culture & Politics
- The Arkansas book banning law has been found unconstitutional. Here’s another 2025 prediction: More state laws like these, that represent a clear overreach, will be struck down. Read Eduardo Medina in the New York Times (gift link).
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.