Our 2014 Prediction: The Future Looks Bright

On the more oracular side, in Future Think, our panel of forward-looking experts share their insights into what the important trends of 2014 will be. In “Business as Unusual,” a number of publishing mavericks talk about how they have created original business models that are taking them into fresh territory with new sales possibilities. (One of these innovators, Evan Ratliff, co-founder of Atavist, is pictured on our cover posing with his cat Henry.) And finally, in our Show Notes, section, we’ve distilled some of the key ideas that emerged from our Publishing Business Conference & Expo, ideas that will serve as a springboard for future development.

In looking forward, I have also thought back to my first job in publishing. I began my career at a company called Pergamon Press, a publisher of scientific journals and upper level college textbooks. No one knew what the company name meant, or how to pronounce it (purr-ga-MON), so I frequently had to explain that the UK-based company, owned by British media mogul Robert Maxwell, was named after an ancient Greek city in which there was a famed library and an altar to Athena, goddess of wisdom. Athena’s face graced our company colophon, and it was to her shrine that those in need of insight would travel. Thinking of this, I realize that, funny enough, from the beginning of my publishing career I did in fact have an association between publishing and oracles.

Need a sneak peek at next year’s bestsellers? I got it covered!