Trends
- The making of a Harlequin romance cover. Seventy percent of Harlequin covers are the result of original photo shoots using local Toronto models. Learn more from Jennifer Prokop at Kirkus Reviews.
- The top ten publishing trends every author needs to know. Written Word Media has rounded up insights from industry experts, including (disclosure) Hot Sheet’s editor, Jane Friedman. See Clayton Noblit’s post.
Audio
- Marvel conquered movies; can it do that with audio? Marvel has proven quite skilled at getting people who don’t read comics to see movies based on them, but getting folks to listen to superhero audio stories might be more difficult. Read Graeme McMillan at Wired.
- Libro.fm launches independent bookstore solution for audiobook sales. If you want to buy audiobooks while supporting your local bookstore, Libro.fm now offers away. It’s called Bookstore Link. Learn more in Shelf Awareness.
Culture and Politics
- Is quality nonfiction at risk in the IP era? Long-form journalists may be overly tempted by the money to be made from Hollywood adaptations of their work; one writer worries it has badly affected the quality of literature. Read James Pogue at The Baffler.
- “Nobody in Tesco buys spy books by women.” Or so it was once believed. A new school of women is breaking into espionage fiction, long dominated by men. Read Alison Flood in The Guardian.
- Can a work of fiction about the Holocaust be inaccurate? Experts are concerned about quality in emerging new Holocaust fiction. Read Patrick Freyne in The Irish Times.
Amazon
- Amazon delivery drivers may not put safety first. In a joint investigation by Buzzfeed and ProPublica, reporters find evidence that the e-commerce giant puts speed, profit, and growth first. Read at Buzzfeed.
Bookselling
- What success looks like for an independent bookstore. San Francisco’s Green Apple Books is expanding. However, it’s from necessity, due to increased expenses and flat sales. The owners hope to use economies of scale and spread costs across multiple outlets. Read Sherri Eng at The Frisc.
Libraries
- Is librarians’ boycott of Macmillan working? Only time will tell, but librarians estimate that the boycott has resulted in an 83 percent loss in revenue to Macmillan from libraries participating in the boycott. Read at ReadersFirst.
- Why libraries are going fine free. Overdue book fines cost more to collect and block access to those who need library services most—and no one benefits from blocking a child’s library card. Read Stephen Leahy at The Hill.
Marketing Toolbox
- How a romance author makes a living (so far) on about one book a year. At the Six Figure Authors podcast, romantic comedy author Jami Albright discusses her four-book series (launched in 2017) and how she does well without high output. Listen here.
- The best fonts for books. Yes, there are preferred choices. Learn what they are from Michele DeFilippo at IngramSpark.
- A 101 guide to distributing self-published work to libraries. Get an overview of what distributors to use based on country. Read at ALLi.
- The best BookBub ads of 2019. These are the best-performing ads that use the self-serve ad display platform (not the curated featured deals). You’ll see ad examples from publishers and independent authors alike. Read Carlyn Robertson.
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.