Blockchain Technology: Game-Changing or Overhyped?
At a basic level, blockchain is an innovative way to keep accurate and secure records; it was invented to track transactions of Bitcoin.
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The Curious Case of Instaread: Copyright, Fair Use, and Rights Holders
Instaread is an iOS app that uses in-house writers to produce summaries of nonfiction books to help people absorb the content of those books.
Australia Braces Itself for Amazon’s Arrival
The Australian government has laws in place that protect Australian publishing and literary culture and curtail potential Amazon advantage.
Is the Time Right for Translations to Gain Traction?
Publishing insiders have wished for many years that translations would gain popularity with readers, particularly in English-language markets.
Hot Sheet Index: November 1, 2017
The Hot Sheet reviewed the number of millennials who visited a public library and the change in library, audio and ebook checkouts.
Closing Image: November 1, 2017
According to a new analysis from Pew Research, Millennials in America are more likely to have visited a public library.
Closing Image: October 18, 2017
The European Commission has ruled that Luxembourg’s selective tax benefits to Amazon are illegal. The infographic explains why.
As 2017 Heads into Its Final Quarter, Traditional Publishers See Strong Backlist Sales—Again
Despite the lack of a hot new title in the first nine months of 2017, print unit sales for the period were 2 percent higher than in 2016.
A Very Political Frankfurt Book Fair: Good Trade, Tough Decisions
At Frankfurter Buchmesse (Frankfurt Book Fair), overall attendance was up to a record 286,425 visitors from more than 150 countries
Blessing or Curse? Proposed Changes to Copyright Legislation Could Make It Easier to Go to Court
The CASE Act of 2017 would establish a process within the US Copyright Office for resolving disputes involving low-value claims.
Self-Publishing Output Is Up; CreateSpace Completely Dominates
the latest statistics from Bowker reflect a continued increase in the number of self-published titles in the US market.
The European Commission Goes After Amazon for Back Taxes
European Commission (EC), announced Luxembourg will be required to recoup €250 million (US$293 million) in back taxes-interest from Amazon.
Hot Sheet Index: October 18, 2017
The Hot Sheet Index reviews the change in print book sales from 2016 to 2017 in adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction.
Will Barnes & Noble Sell Off the Nook Business—and to Whom?
Barnes & Noble has lost about $1.3 billion on the Nook business in the last six years, according to Fortune.
iBooks: Is It Also Pulling Back from the Ebook Market?
Apple iBooks or iTunes users may have noticed some changes since Apple rolled out a new version of its mobile operating system (iOS 11).
Book Publishing Startup Inkitt Gets More Funding, but Their Tactics Remain Questionable
Inkitt is a digital publishing platform that uses a computer algorithm to predict a book’s success based on reader behavior.
Just When You Thought Paris Had It All: Send Agents
To bring better awareness of agents to Francophone market, the Alliance des Agents Littéraires Français, or AALF formed in spring 2016.
A New Outlet Focused on Global Publishing: The New Publishing Standard
In September, a new source of information and news on the publishing industry—with an international focus—launched for authors and publishers.
Hot Sheet Index: October 4, 2017
The Hot Sheet Index reviewed the top publishers in 2015 and 2016. Pearson topped the list as the world’s largest publisher both years.
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Fewer than half of the top 50 publishers posted revenue gains in 2016. Pearson in particular had a tough year—a 15 percent decline in sales
Smashwords Tightens Erotica Classifications, Opens International Pricing
Smashwords’ new approach requires authors of both new and existing erotica to specify which controversial or taboo themes are in their books.
Not an Author-Facing Product: Odilo Growing but Remains Primarily B2B
Calling itself a DCaaS (digital content as a service) company, Odilo is an alternative to the OverDrive library distribution system.
Writer’s Digest Announces an Upcoming Wattpad Guide
Writer’s Digest has announced it will publish The Writer’s Guide to Wattpad in July 2018. Wattpad has passed its 10th anniversary.
Deep Linking in Ebooks: Buk Attempts to Fill the Market Gap
Since the advent of the Kindle, the digital publishing community has discussed the inevitability of—deep linking into an ebook.
Hot Sheet Index: September 20, 2017
The Hot Sheet Index reviews smartphone visits to news and retail websites and at Spanish publishers digital sales in various countries.
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Growth in US website traffic is driven by smartphones, according to a new study from Adobe Analytics. They compared tablets and desktops.
Gaming the New York Times Bestseller List: An Old Strategy with a Twist
YA hardcover Handbook for Mortals by Lani Sarem debuted at number one on the YA bestseller list to the surprise of the publishing community,
As Barnes & Noble Struggles, Experts Imagine Life without It
In 2015, Barnes & Noble spun off Barnes & Noble Education Inc. as a separate entity trading under the ticker symbol BNED on the NYSE.
Ingram’s Aerio Technology in Action: Books against the Storm
Aerio is what’s called a distributed network and native retail. It creates sales points that anyone can establish online
Draft2Digital Now Offers Ebook and Print Book Templates
Over the last year, ebook distributor Draft2Digital has announced a series of new features and programs for indie authors.
Hot Sheet Index: September 6, 2017
The Hot Sheet Index reviews the percent of time smartphone users spend on top apps like Amazon, Facebook and Snapchat.
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Axios Media Trends released a report showing the top apps by age group. Of the apps ranking in the top 10 for each age group.
Digging Further into Campus Bookstore Woes
Oettinger’s reaction is a natural one—why wouldn’t the campus store take more books at the cheaper price, then pass the savings to students?
A Different Kind of Writers’ Collective: Us vs. Them in Iceland
One mutual-promotion collective we’ve recently been in touch with is Lake Union Authors, which operates on Twitter and Facebook.
Hot Sheet Index: August 23, 2017
The Hot Sheet Index reviews global viewing time for network television, online videos and videos on mobile phones.
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NPD BookScan, which tracks print book sales in the United States, recently released a sales report for the first half of 2017
The First Half of 2017 for Traditional Publishers: Holding Steady with Backlist and Digital Audio
NPD BookScan released a report showing that print sales are still increasing—up by 2.6 percent compared to the first half of 2016.
Italy’s StreetLib Publishing Service Looks to Grow Its US Business
One relatively new entry—new to the New World, that is—is StreetLib. It was founded in 2006 in Loreto, near Italy’s Adriatic coast.
A New Website-Building Tool Customized for the Needs and Abilities of Authors
The service is called PubSite, and it’s been developed by Fauzia Burke and John Burke of FSB Associates, a book marketing and publicity firm.
David Levithan of Scholastic on YA: “Don’t Write to the Market”
In a WDC conference-closing keynote address, Scholastic editorial director David Levithan offered expert insights into the young adult sector.
Association of American Publishers: 2016 Revenue Down 5.1 Percent
Report of 2016’s financials, Association of American Publishers (AAP) lists industry revenue at $26.24 billion, 5.1 percent below 2015.
A New Calculation Tool for Editorial Service Rates
Author-services marketplace Reedsy last year created a snapshot of average prices for various services offered by its independent contractors.
A New Tool for Managing the Beta-Reading Process
A new service has just opened that promises to streamline the process of managing feedback from betas: BetaBooks.
Simon & Schuster UK Commits to Society of Authors Special-Sales Rules
The UK arm of Simon & Schuster has signed on to Society of Authors’ protocol for protecting writers’ revenues from special sales.