Corona Life
- Fan fiction experiences a surge. Archive of Our Own reports readership numbers are through the roof, with donations also up. Read Mike Glyer at File 770.
- Learn what bestselling authors are reading at home. Featured authors include John Grisham, Elizabeth Gilbert, James Patterson, and more. Watch BookTube on YouTube.
- Creative writing groups have formed for essential workers. The organizers hope to ensure that such workers’ efforts do not go unrecognized. Read Maddie Crum at The Baffler.
- Why magazines and media companies are laying off right now: While it may seem counterintuitive to lay off employees when subscriptions and traffic are up, the problems facing media companies are rooted in decisions made long ago. Learn more at Study Hall.
Trends
- Copyright infringement cases get complicated when literature is derived from fan fiction. It’s now commonplace for authors to publish commercially lucrative stories with plot elements and tropes derived from a fan-generated body of literature. When such authors make claims of copyright infringement against others drawing from similar material, the cases become fraught with legal questions that have yet to be answered. Read Alexandra Alter in The New York Times.
- Astrology, crystals, tarot, and witchcraft books are on the upswing, according to a BookNet Canada study. Tarot titles saw the biggest increase. Learn more from Monique Mongeon.
- Trans representation in YA fiction is changing. A writer discusses what he’s learned from keeping an online database of YA fiction written by trans people about trans characters. Read Ray Stoeve at Autostraddle.
Culture and Politics
- African authors fight for publishing independence. Francophone African books tend to be published by French imprints, making them hard to purchase at home. Some authors are pushing back and retaining African rights. Read Olivia Snaije at The Guardian.
- Men give up on reading books quicker than women. Usually, they give up before page 50. Read David Sanderson in The Times (subscription required).
Online Event Toolbox
- Thinking about hosting a virtual conference? Don’t miss this incredible, practical guide to using the Zoom webinar platform to increase engagement and quality of experience. Read Stefanie Murray and Joe Amditis at Nieman Lab.
- Learn about strategies for virtual author events and building online communities—especially now. Maria Dismondy of children’s book publisher Cardinal Rule Press has had recent success; she discusses strategies and goals in a May 2020 IBPA podcast. Listen.
- How YA authors are moving online. Authors discuss the advantages and drawbacks of marketing their books through online events. Read Alex Green at Publishers Weekly.
Marketing Toolbox
- Boost your online sales through strong book descriptions. The marketing team at Ingram offers concrete suggestions for increasing sell-through at online retailers. Key insight: many descriptions are too short. Read at their blog.
- How to create effective BookBub ads. If you’re unfamiliar with the pay-per-click ads you can place inside BookBub newsletters, indie author marketing expert David Gaughran offers a primer and explains why they’re his favorite way to reach readers right now. Watch on YouTube.
- How to sell more books with an Amazon series page. If you’re writing any kind of series, make sure you have your series page set up properly. Read Ricci Wolman at Written Word Media.
- Here are 17 tips for great copywriting. Double-check any landing or sales pages you’ve created for subscriptions, memberships, classes, or clubs. Read Harry Dry at Marketing Examples.
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.