Each issue of Hot Sheet contains dozens of links, and it’s always instructive for me to see what topics and perspectives drive clicks. Here’s what caught your interest in 2023.
- The Hot Sheet monthly bestseller lists. Of course I’m thrilled that this initiative has been so popular. It will continue for as long as there’s interest. Browse.
- The prediction that the creator economy will cool off. In the first issue of 2023, I linked to a trend article by Brian Morrissey in which he commented, “When I started [my newsletter] The Rebooting in October 2020, I saw the shift taking place from institutions to individuals. That was one reason why I wanted to start on Substack. That shift will continue [in 2023], only I believe much of the creator economy will face a reality check.” In Morrissey’s 2024 edition, he has modified his take due to the decline of mass media. He writes, “Call them creators, influencers, Substackers or, God forbid, B2B influencers, but the replacement of mass media will be individuals. The most promising brands will continue to be those that put individuals front and center, as theTsunami of Crap from AI comes ashore and trust continues to erode as legacy publishers in their death throes keep doing dumb stuff because they’re operating outdated playbooks.”
- What can an author do to hit the bestseller list? This Leigh Stein interview with a nonfiction author describes how she hit the bestseller list without getting much support from her publisher. One author responded to me, saying, “This is great, but what about fiction?” Keep an eye on Stein’s Substack for guidance.
- The Colleen Hoover coloring book that was canceled. Everyone wanted to see this exercise in bad taste; the reviews are still preserved on Goodreads, but little else.
- The top 10 publishing trends for 2023. This is a popular roundup every year from Written Word Media, where thought leaders in the indie space discuss trends in the year ahead. We’ll link to the 2024 version in January.
- The rise of older female writers. It sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Read The Guardian on this “trend.”
- What do you want from book publicity? This informative article by publicist Cassie Mannes Murray is a very detailed list of questions to ask yourself before putting together a publicity plan or investing in or meeting a publicist. Evergreen, relevant, and not something many authors do.
- The best of Writer Beware in 2022. This is a roundup of essential posts at Writer Beware. We’ll be keeping an eye out for the 2023 edition.
- What your publisher wishes you knew. This is an interview between author Laura Portwood-Stacer and a promotions director at a university press.
- The author of Maid discusses her finances with the New York Times. This is the latest installment in the age-old story of just how little authors—even the successful ones—earn from advances and book sales.
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.
