IMHO: The US Government Doesn’t Think Independent Publishing Matters
Publishing paths outside the Big Five are considered distinctly unattractive by the Department of Justice in its pre-trial brief.
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Amazon Trend Report: Urban Fantasy
The popular genre of urban fantasy is competitive, but with a lot of sub-category crossover.
Shepherd: A Book Discovery Site That Hopes to Rival Goodreads
Created by an avid reader, Shepherd focuses on human-powered book discovery outside of the Amazon-Goodreads ecosystem
UK-based Nosy Crow seeks graphic novels
The independent publisher has an open call for submissions for graphic novels from both writers and writer-illustrators.
Open Road Media starts frontlist marketing service
The digital publisher and marketing firm will now assist traditional publishers with frontlist sales and marketing.
New lifestyle imprint at UK’s Bloomsbury
Tonic is a new nonfiction imprint that provides readers with “a toolkit to navigate everyday life.”
Links of Interest: August 3, 2022
The latest in unionizing, book banning, supply chain woes and more.
Closing Image: August 3, 2022
BookNet Canada recently released print book sales figures for the first half of 2022.
Disability in Publishing launches with virtual event
A new organization run by and for disabled publishing professionals is set to launch on July 22 at 8 PM Eastern with a virtual town hall.
A new Canadian publisher focused on women, RE:books
Toronto writer Rebecca Eckler wants to make reading “less snobby” and already has an email newsletter with 35,000 subscribers.
New literary podcast: Book Exploder
The show is hosted by Susan Orlean and Hrishikesh Hirway and is a spin-off of the popular show Song Exploder.
TikTok launches a virtual book club
A new pick will be announced every month, and there will be a #BookClub hub in the app.
And Walmart has a book club too
Through a partnership with TalkShopLive (TSL), a streaming video shopping network, Walmart has launched Walmart Live Book Club.
A reality TV show for authors: America’s Next Great Author
Writers can sign up for a casting call for a chance to pitch their book idea to a panel of experts.
Wattpad Stars program comes to an end
Given the recent launch of the Wattpad Creators program, Wattpad has alerted Wattpad Stars that their program is phasing out by the end of this year.
The DOJ’s suit to block a Big Five publishing merger starts on August 1
In November 2021, the US Department of Justice moved to block, on antitrust grounds, the acquisition of Simon & Schuster by Penguin Random House.
Simon & Schuster’s publisher steps down after two years
When Dana Canedy was hired by Simon & Schuster in 2020, it was the first time a Black woman had been put in charge of a major publishing imprint.
Ingram launches book wholesaling operations in UK
Ingram already offers print-on-demand and distribution services in the UK; starting in September, they will expand to offer book wholesaling, as they do in the US market.
Lightning Source sets minimum discount for small publishers
Ingram is mandating that Lightning Source customers use a wholesale discount of at least 30 percent on new and old titles alike.
Book sales update: July 20, 2022
As of July 2, print book sales have fallen 7 percent versus last year in the US market, according to NPD Books.
Links of Interest: July 20, 2022
The latest in library politics, legal issues, publishing trends and more.
A Legal Battle Sheds (Some) Light on Libraries & Digital Lending
The suit against the Internet Archive’s CDL policy raises important questions on how library lending affects publishers and authors.
Closing Image: July 20, 2022
Publishers Weekly recently compiled NPD BookScan data on sales in major categories, comparing 2021 to 2022.
IMHO: No Such Thing as a Happy Medium
Medium was never a money-making platform for most writers, and with the recent departure of its founder, its potential has hit rock bottom.
How Do You Sell Books in Luton?
Book sales are becoming more dependent on establishing trust with readers in an online environment.
New literary agency: Arc
Myrsini Stephanides has launched a new literary agency, Arc Literary Management.
Amazon’s ebook return policy garners wider media attention
Self-publishing authors, among others, have long complained that Amazon’s ebook return policy is far too permissive.
Ingram’s Lightning Source moves away from phone support
IngramSpark eliminated phone-based customer service during the heart of the pandemic, to the consternation of many.
Wattpad launches a new paid program for creators
The Wattpad Creators Program is meant to serve the most engaged writers on the platform by offering them cash stipends and marketing and editorial support.
Book sales update: July 6, 2022
It’s a good time to be writing comics and graphic novels. Sales in the category increased 62 percent in 2021 in the US and Canada.
How BookTok Is Affecting Traditional Publishers
Book acquisition may start to trend toward books that inspire strong emotions in readers—and therefore more organic content on TikTok.
PageBreak Conference takes place this October
Positioned as a next-generation publishing event, PageBreak is an opportunity for the industry to gather and examine what’s next.
IMHO: How Much Does Platform Matter?
I analyze 2022 memoir deals to determine the role of platform in the author’s success.
B&N and TikTok partner on summer reading promotion
The #BookTok challenge encourages TikTok users to engage in behavior they are already engaging in: reading books and sharing their reactions.
Amazon Trend Report: Vigilante Justice
This subgenre has high sales but low title growth, making it attractive for authors wanting to break in.
Links of Interest: July 6, 2022
The latest in the creator economy, Amazon, culture & politics and more.
New children’s imprint: Allida Books
HarperCollins Children’s and Clarion Books have launched Allida Books, named for a “Korean word that means to inform, announce, or make known.”
Closing Image: July 6, 2022
At The Bookseller Marketing and Publicity conference, Hazel Kenyon of Nielsen Book Research in the UK presented the latest stats on the UK book market.
What turns off readers, and how are their reading habits shifting?
Author Marie Force surveyed her readers to find out what makes them turn against an author they once loved and stop buying their books.
Palace Project: new library ebook platform
The Palace Project app allows library patrons to access all of their library’s digital content through a single interface.
Book sales update: June 22, 2022
Through June 11, US print book sales were tracking 7 percent lower than in the same period in 2021, according to NPD Books.
Startup Parea wants to shake up the publishing industry
Parea seeks to publish books by new authors and help them find an audience by targeting influencers.
A New Book Discovery App, Backed by Ingram, Looks Promising
Tertulia generates recommendations from both social media buzz and knowledgeable voices you choose.
Readyland: printed books that work with Alexa
Readyland books work with Amazon Alexa to allow kids to talk with characters, respond to questions, play games, choose songs, and more.
Closing Image: June 22, 2022
Scholar Adam Mastroianni argues that pop culture—whether the medium is movies, music, books, or games—has become an oligopoly.
IBPA’s Departing CEO Diversified Organization’s Membership during Her Tenure
Angela Bole, who will be the new CEO of Firebrand, focused on building an inclusive membership at the IBPA.
Trendspotting: How Do You Grow an Audience? Find Your “Friends”
A recent discussion highlighted the value of finding the right audience, not necessarily the largest.
MTV Books returns
The re-launched imprint, housed under Simon & Schuster, will focus on page-to-screen adaptations and build on MTV series and personalities.
Forefront launches Frederick Douglass imprint
The imprint is a partnership with Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives and will focus on publishing nonfiction work by Black and Brown authors.