A New Publishing Platform with No Royalty Cut: Bonnier’s Type & Tell
Bonnier—Stockholm’s powerhouse media corporation—quietly launched self-publishing platform Type & Tell in September 2015.
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Simon & Schuster and the Milo Yiannopoulos Book Cancellation
“After careful consideration, Simon & Schuster and Threshold Editions imprint have cancelled publication of Dangerous by Milo Yiannopoulos.”
Another Vegetable in the Short-Read Salad: Radish
Radish characterizes itself as “a short-form serialized fiction platform capitalizing on the shift to mobile.”
Ebook Distributor Smashwords Expands Its Reach to Libraries
When it comes to ebook distributors, the strongest player reaching the library market is Smashwords. It now adds CloudLibrary to its list.
A Growing Call for Collaboration among Independent Publishers—and Authors, Too
When put together with care and dedication—and when approached professionally—a collective can benefit community members who have shared needs.
Celebrity Books: Are They Taking Work from “Real” Writers?
Authors are questioning publishers’ assertions that celebrity-bylined books for kids produce money that’s then invested in other writers.
Graphic Book Bestseller Lists among the Most-Mourned New York Times Losses
The New York Times made substantial cutbacks to its bestseller lists near the end of January. The total is now pared back to 130 positions.
Links of Interest: February 8, 2017
The latest in news and trends, publishing and politics, new imprint announcements, and marketing tools.
Hot Sheet Index: February 8, 2017
The Hot Sheet Index examines profit and revenue data for Amazon Web Services, and looks at Canadian and US print book sales for 2016 v. 2015.
Closing Image: February 8, 2017
This quarter-by-quarter graph shows book formats purchased by Canadians in 2016. Paperback is the most popular format.
Closing Image: January 25, 2017
Hardcover sales are up 5%, surpassing ebooks sales as a format for the first time since Borders closed in 2012.
Ebook Distributor Pronoun Unveils New Royalty Rates for Amazon Sales—and They’re Better Than KDP Rates
Pronoun [now defunct], acquired by Big Five publisher Macmillan in 2016, charges authors nothing for its distribution service and takes no sales commission.
Amazon Blinks under Pressure on Ebook Competition in Europe
Amazon lifted most-favored-nation status from EU ebook contracts in 2017.
As Amazon Feels the International Heat, Kobo Widens Its Game
Kobo has taken steps to expand its international market reach as Amazon’s position in some markets is questioned by European Commission.
Pearson Wants to Sell Its Stake in Penguin Random House—As Expected
Pearson has announced its intent to sell off its share of Penguin Random House, which is the largest of the Big Five publishers.
Amazon and Apple End Exclusivity Deal on Audiobooks
Apple and Amazon will end their exclusivity agreement, a development that is expected to bring more competition to the marketplace.
Links of Interest: January 25, 2017
January 25, 2016 links of interest on the topics of Traditional Publishing, Indie Authors, Amazon, and Audiobook Trends.
Hot Sheet Index: January 25, 2017
The Hot Sheet Index looks at print sales for adult coloring books for 4th quarter 2016 and 2015 and also examines library ebook lending.
The State of the Industry: Nielsen’s Stats Compared to Author Earnings’
At DBW, statistics from Nielsen and the Author Earnings reports from Data Guy offer insights into “sales data for 2016.
A Look inside Traditional Publishing’s Digital Marketing Efforts
Key takeaways from “What Sells Books Now: Strategies and Tactics for Modern Marketing” during Digital Book World 2017.
At Last, an Upbeat Trend in Young Male Reading
When marketing to boys, Nielsen is seeing a need to influence the child, not just the parent. Purchases are made because boys ask for the books.
On Mindset and Success: Insights from DBW Indie Author
Discussion of the increasingly blurred lines between self-publishing and traditional publishing.
Strengthen Your Marketing Know-How: A Roundup of Tools and Tips
Marketing tips, tools, and services from Digital Book World 2016.
Links of Interest: January 11, 2017
January 11, 2017, links of interest related to self-publishing and marketing.
Hot Sheet Index: January 11, 2017
The Hot Sheet Index looks at the book preferences of BookBub subscribers and examines categories of Americans who’ve read a book recently.
Traditional Publishing in 2017: Fewer Contracts Overall?
A forecast of 2017 trends in traditional publishing: celebrity autobiographies, Amazon, digital marketing, Wattpad, YA, and more.
Closing Image: January 11, 2017
Gallup image shows the results of a poll for the number of people who say they have not read a book in the last year.
Indie Authors in 2017: Professionalization Is the Buzzword
With sales slowing for some indie authors, there’s discussion of the increasing necessity for “professionalization” to remain competitive.
Print Sales Were Up in 2016, but Barnes & Noble Isn’t Celebrating
Over the last seven weeks of 2016, the ABA reported print book sales were up 5 percent from the prior year.
Keep an Eye on UK Taxation and Authors
There’s the “triple whammy” of tax woes ahead for authors if a new set of tax rules passes in the spring of 2017. In the UK.
Some Call for Boycott of Simon & Schuster after It Signs Controversial Alt-Right Author
Simon & Schuster’s deal with Twitter-banned right-wing Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos sparks protest and discussions about free speech.
US Adult Fiction Is 71 Percent Digital, According to Data Guy
Data Guy of Author Earnings produces quarterly reports highlighting indie sales based on data scraped from Amazon sales pages.
Amazon’s Digital Bestseller List: A Predominance of Amazon’s Own Imprints
Amazon now has 13 imprints and is the largest publisher of works in translation. In 2016, It could release more than 2,000 titles.
When a Big Book Isn’t Necessarily a Big Help to the Market
Summary of market performance in 2016, a year in which there were no major blockbusters.
The Pantsuit Nation Controversy: Social Media and Rights Issues
A book deal based on material shared in the Pantsuit Nation Facebook group raises questions regarding rights and fair use.
Authors’ Protest: Penguin Random House in the UK Reopening Talks with Unions
An outcry from authors and others has helped prompt Penguin Random House UK to reconsider its original decision to discontinue talks with two unions.
Links of Interest: December 28, 2016
Links of interest in Self-publishing, Traditional Publishing, News, and Marketing.
Hot Sheet Index: December 28, 2016
Sales data for 2016 versus 2015 and the percentage of adults on specific social media channels.
Closing Image: December 28, 2016
The Data Guy has crunched the print book sales numbers for 2016. The chart lists the data by genre for traditionally published books.
More Executive Shuffling at Barnes & Noble
Jamie Carey, the president of B&N’s development and restaurant group, resigned after a 13-year stint with the company.
Links of Interest: December 14, 2016
The latest in trends, traditional publishing, marketing, and Amazon.
Hot Sheet Index: December 14, 2016
Hot Sheet Index reviews the audiobook readership statistics for people in the UK, based on gender and age group.
Closing Image: December 14, 2016
A new report that maps translated fiction across the many languages in Europe includes a chart showing the bestselling career path of Stieg Larsson by language.
The Irrational Exuberance of Podcasting Continues, This Time at Macmillan
Macmillan is in a unique position to launch a new podcast network, given its decade-long partnership with the QDT network.
Authors United Disbands, Urging Authors to Support the Authors Guild
Authors United has closed up shop and its leadership has commended the Authors Guild as a rallying point for members.
A Self-Published Poet Wins a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award and Lands a Deal with Andrews McMeel
Amanda Lovelace’s self-published poetry book has seen tremendous success resulting from support from an online community.
European Union Finally Is Headed for Lower Ebook Taxes
Until now, ebooks have been classified not as books but as electronic services in EU countries.
More Tax News: UK Adult Coloring Books Are Safe from VAT
In some areas, authorities can see books and reading as more valuable for raising tax revenue than for what they mean to education.
Traditional Publishing Sales Slightly Down for the First Half of 2016
The AAP figures confirm that book sales were down 3.4 percent, driven primarily by a dropoff in ebook sales and higher print returns.