Today In Book Publishing
December 30, 2015 at 12:24 pm
One of the most exciting aspects of writing about book publishing for a living is the vast amount of change that is happening in the industry today. Each year the pace of change increases as new technologies and revenue strategies emerge around digital content, mobile apps, and even printing and distribution. As I reflect over…
December 29, 2015 at 12:48 pm
In 2015 many book publishers devoted significant resources to direct-to-consumer marketing and sales. These efforts went beyond social media and email marketing and led to the creation of dedicated platforms that engage and entertain readers as well as sell books. Simon & Schuster launched pop culture site Glommable, which offers book recommendations alongside articles covering…
December 28, 2015 at 12:18 pm
My youngest daughter asked for a Harry Potter boxed set for Christmas. As I wrapped the heavy, bulky package I kept wondering why she didn’t opt for the ebook collection instead. On Christmas morning I learned why: each title in the boxed set comes with a new cover. Actually, they were supposed to have new…
December 23, 2015 at 9:28 am
Negotiating a large-quantity book sale is a little like playing poker, requiring both hard and soft skills. To be good at it you need practice and experience. You also need a little chutzpah, the creativity to recognize alternatives, the ability to assess odds, the willingness to take calculated risks, and the confidence to bluff when…
December 22, 2015 at 11:22 am
Apologies to any middle children reading this. Honestly, I think you’ll be just fine. Well, sort of. But woe to the business that finds itself sandwiched in the middle! It doesn’t matter what you make or what you sell, middle market players are always in a truly bad position. I think this is even truer…
December 21, 2015 at 11:12 am
Low website traffic and a lack of existing customer engagement are some of the most common reasons book publishers aren’t pursuing a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model today. They’ll point out that almost nobody comes to their site, so they question the value of investing in a D2C solution. That’s a great point and one that shouldn’t…
December 18, 2015 at 9:59 am
As 2015 comes to a close, it’s time to identify new business opportunities and technology that will lead to a profitable new year. Will greater data intelligence enable book publishers to grow the book market? Will D2C sales and improved discoverability help publishers connect with their readers and develop loyal fans? Will publishers use digital…
December 17, 2015 at 11:35 am
Fingerprint is taking a different approach to engaging the next generation of readers on mobile, says CEO and co-founder Nancy MacIntyre. While many publishers and technologists have made strides in improving access to ebooks and creating interactive, game-like titles to keep children reading, MacIntyre believes tools for children to create their own ebooks are equally…
December 16, 2015 at 1:35 pm
Last week entertainment subscription service Playster announced its official launch in the U.S., a market that has faced some major shifts in ebook subscription over the past year. Oyster closed in September amid reports that ebook subscription services actually lose money the more users read. And despite predictions of massive adoption of services like Kindle…
December 15, 2015 at 2:17 pm
On December 9, 2015, the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance (MWPA) hosted an Oxford Debate in Portland, Maine, which considered the future of print and ebooks in the publishing industry. The MWPA’s motion for debate was, “Ebooks will eventually supplant printed books entirely.” Caleb Mason, founder of Publerati, argued for the motion while renowned antiquarian…
