Don’t Get Confused: Amazon Review Policy Change Doesn’t Affect Books
Amazon recently updated its customer reviews policy to eliminate incentivized reviews, but it still allows advance review copies of books.
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Links of Interest: October 5, 2016
Small items of interest in digital innovation, marketing, and traditional publishing.
Hot Sheet Index: October 5, 2016
A look at average reading time for Americans and at bookstore statistics that include sales and location data.
Closing Image: October 5, 2016
Based on census data, bookstore sales increased 1992–2004 but fell drastically in the next 10 years.
Self-Publishing Activity Continues to Grow—with a Fascinating Shift
Bowker releases annual report on ISBN usage utilized by self-published authors. The report shows continued growth for that sector.
Amazon Invests in Physical Retail Operations; Barnes & Noble’s Sales Decline
Amazon opened up its second bookstore location in San Diego, CA, and has announced plans for stores in Chicago, Portland, and Boston.
Have We Reached Irrational Exuberance with Audio?
The Interactive Advertising Bureau published podcast ad metrics guidelines. Measurability of audiences is a problem facing the medium.
The Authors Guild Wants You: New Membership Options for Writers
The Author’s Guild adds an initiative to improve contracts and offers more membership options for pre-published and self-published writers.
The Retail Pivot: Why “Make More Books!” Makes No Sense Anymore
As retail options narrow, industry consultant Mike Shatzkin suggests, “It is no longer irrational to cut the list and focus.”
Links of Interest: September 21, 2016
The latest news about Facebook marketing, Goodreads giveaways, the Harlequin lawsuit, National Magazine Awards, and more.
Hot Sheet Index: September 21, 2016
Hot Sheet Index for number of Americans who utilize library services, the perception of available services and services they utilize (2016).
Closing Image: September 21, 2016
Library usage in the last 12 months (20016(for adults over the age of 16; numbers include in-person, bookmobile, and virtual.
Tapas Media: Keep an Eye on Their Monetization of the Short Stuff
Tapas has a partnership with Hachette to release several novels in serialized form—on track to receive 15 to 30 titles quarterly.
A Look at Reading in America, Part 1: Pew Research
Pew’s report Book Reading 2016 shows a growing number of people are reading on smartphones and tablets, but print books remain popular.
A Look at Reading in America, Part 2: NEA’s Survey
A National Endowment for the Arts Annual Arts Basic Survey, which covers 2013 to 2015, includes a look at “literary reading.”
The Relaunch of Book of the Month Club
After coming under new ownership, Book Of the Month Club was relaunched in 2015 as a monthly hardcover subscription service.
We’re Programming Digital Book World’s First Author Conference
The Hot Sheet was engaged to develop the programming for the first-ever Digital Book World author-facing conference, DBW Indie Author.
Links of Interest: September 7, 2016
Small items of interest from September 7, 2016: traditional publishing, business know-how, Amazon.
Hot Sheet Index: September 7, 2016
2016 user statistics for Facebook and a list of the top publishers in the US.
Closing Image: September 7, 2016
2016 data for Americans’ use of e-readers on cell phones and tablets and even computers and laptops.
The First Half of 2016: Traditional Publishing’s Not-So-Stellar Performance
A review of the big-picture financials reported by four of the Big Five during the first half of 2016—compared to the prior year.
Barnes & Noble CEO Is Fired Less Than One Year after Taking the Job
Barnes & Noble is once again without a CEO, making the position perhaps the fastest revolving door in the publishing industry.
Wattpad Experiments with In-Story Advertising and Giving Writers a Payout
Wattpad announces Wattpad Futures, which pays writers when readers watch video ads inserted between chapters.
Kickstarter’s Publishing Campaigns Pass the $100 Million Mark
Kickstarter data indicates that general publishing has produced 9,695 successfully funded projects so far—and 23,017 unsuccessful projects.
At Writer’s Digest’s Annual Conference: Magical Thinking and Brass Tacks
Conference programming showed a new investment in trade publishing with the energy and self-directed context of the indie-author movement.
New York Times Reorganizes All Book Coverage under One Person
The New York Times announces that Pamela Paul—editor of The New York Times Book Review—will oversee all books coverage at the publication.
Links of Interest: August 24, 2016
Links of interest for August 24, 2016, including: how to write your book description, diversity efforts, Amazon publishing.
On the List: Moonshot
Profile of author Alessandra Torre, who has released a new adult novel, Moonshot. The book hit the combined print and ebook bestseller list.
Hot Sheet Index: August 24, 2016
Barnes and Noble statistics, including stock drop, upcoming new stores, and Nook sales. Industry digital statistics against print sales.
Closing Image: August 24, 2016
Consumer magazine market strength in various world regions, (2015–2020). Growing middle classes & economies drive consumer magazine revenues.
Reedsy’s Book Editor Tool: A New Way to Produce Ready-to-Go Book Files
Reedsy’s free cloud-based book editing tool allows multiple people to edit and access the book files at the same time
Cozies of Color: Sisters in Crime Investigates Itself on Diversity
Sisters in Crime mystery writers’ support group looks in the mirror and shows the membership to be even whiter than might have been expected.
Links of Interest: August 10, 2016
Links of interest for August 10, 2016 in traditional and digital publishing as well as marketing and international publishing.
Profile: Stephen Lotinga
Profile of Stephen Lotinga, who became the chief of the UK Publishers Association weeks before results of the Brexit referendum.
Hot Sheet Index: August 10, 2016
Industry research on national ad spending, changes in media audience by category, and audiobook consumption.
Closing Image: August 10, 2016
US advertising spend (by medium) from the 1920s to the date of publication.
A “Dry Spell” for New Novels on the Bestseller List: Does It Mean Anything?
Industry insiders weigh in on why no new novels have cracked the top 20 print bestsellers in the first half of 2016.
Pivoting toward Tinseltown: Inkshares’ Offer Goes Hollywood
Inkshares is a book crowd-funding platform now promising Hollywood tie-ins.
Draft2Digital Offers “Universal Book Links” That Anyone Can Use
Draft2Digital offers a universal book link that can be used anywhere to help readers find a specific book at their favorite online store.
Amazon Expands Its Singles Program: Yet Another Amazon Publishing Initiative
Amazon announces Singles Classics: “a way to make iconic articles, stories, and essays from well-known authors available in digital form.”
What Is Zola Books, Anyway? Now, It’s The Everywhere Store
Zola is offering e-commerce tools to authors, booksellers, and publishers, with the ability to sell any book on any website.
Will Readers Reco Reco? Indigo’s New Recommendation App
Indigo Books & Music, Canada’s largest bookstore, launches Reco, a reader-driven book recommendation app.
Indie Bookstores Are Doing Well, But Not That Well
Independent stores have been doing well—with memberships at ABA up for seven straight years—but they face issues of long-term sustainability.
The UK & Ireland Get New Streamlined ISBN Purchases; Prices Remain High
A new ISBN store from Nielsen will allow UK and Ireland publishers and self-published authors to register and purchase ISBNs online.
Links of Interest: July 27, 2016
Links of interest to publishing industry insiders, including an assessment of NetGalley for indie authors.
On the List: Hitched
Kendall Ryan’s newest series, Imperfect Love, launched earlier this month and hit the New York Times bestseller list.
Hot Sheet Index: July 27, 2016
Usage stats for Spotify, Snapchat, and Instagram as well as television and Apple Music.
Closing Image: July 27, 2016
Audiobook growth broken down by state—an analysis of 3.9 million hours of audiobook listening on Scribd from Dec. 2014 to Jan. 2016.
Profile: Jonny Geller
Once an actor, literary agent Jonny Geller had no trouble navigating the TEDx stage in Oxford for his recent talk, What Makes a Bestseller?
Hot Sheet Index: July 13, 2016
Hot Sheet Index listing book revenue totals for 2014, 2015 for hardcover, paperback books, downloaded audio and ebooks