The 3 Biggest Challenges of D2C Bookselling in 2016
February 4, 2016 at 2:36 pm

As Book Business’ year-end trendspotting survey indicated, direct-to-consumer marketing and bookselling will be top-of-mind for all segments of the publishing industry in 2016. It’s clear from these results, as well as the slew of newly-launched consumer-facing sites, apps, and newsletters that publishers are eager to learn how consumers find books, why they buy, and how…

8 Ways Publishers Can Engage Their Super Fans Through Email
January 26, 2016 at 1:18 pm

Pinterest, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram may be the marketing platforms that earn all the buzz, but here’s a fact: Your email list is a more valuable direct-to-consumer marketing tool than all of those social media sites put together. The power of your community exists in your list -- those people who have actively…

Mofibo: Growing Ebook Subscription on a Local Scale
January 12, 2016 at 11:46 am

While other ebook subscription services have shuttered, Mofibo a Copenhagen-based subscription service, continues to grow, boasting 15,000 new users every month and over 1 million pages read on its platform daily. The service has achieved sustainable growth and profitability due to its purposeful focus on developing local markets and providing ebooks in local languages, writes…

Whatever Happened to Innovation in the Publishing Industry?
December 14, 2015 at 12:58 pm

Remember the excitement surrounding the launch of Amazon’s Kindle eight years ago? It was a clunky device, even by 2007 standards, but it was revolutionary. One of the original Kindle’s breakthrough features was the ability to download books via cellular network. The e-Ink display and extremely long battery life also led to its popularity despite…

The Non-Linear Reading Revolution Is Now. Here's How Publishers Are Handling It
December 3, 2015 at 11:20 am

Going mobile is more than just big pages fitting on tiny screens. Mobile requires content to be organized so that it can be quickly served up in bite-sized chunks into any of the myriad forms that users might want, because today’s consumers want their content their way, on their devices, and in their timeframes. Publishers…

Self-Publishing & Big Five Dominate Book Market, According to Nielsen
November 9, 2015 at 11:14 am

Frankfurt Book Fair 2015 is in the rearview mirror but there were a few noteworthy tidbits gleaned from the event. Nielsen’s Jonathan Stolper shared some of the more important facts and figures in his state-of-the-U.S.-market presentation. Although you can argue Nielsen’s data isn’t complete and it’s therefore far from perfect, it’s one of the few…

Ebook Sales Are Down, But Are We Surprised?
August 6, 2015 at 5:35 pm

I’ve admitted before on this blog that I’m not a big ebook reader. Despite being branded as a tech-savvy, social-media-rampant millennial, I still prefer print reads. But I’m not a “I love the smell of old books,” person or the “I enjoy holding something tangible in my hands” type. When it comes down to it,…

A Vending Machine That Delivers Literature
December 26, 2013

In a trendy coffee shop called Elixr, on a side street off of Philadelphia’s toney Rittenhouse Square, there is funky décor, loud music, strong coffee, and, by the door, a small vending machine. From this machine, for two dollars, one can purchase not cigarettes or candy or any of those other typically unhealthy vending machine wares, but, instead, a short story.

The Best of the Best
December 19, 2013

It is the time of year when we are awash in “Best of” lists, and many worthy publications have put forth their recommendations for the best books of the year that is about to pass us by. A friend of mine professed herself overwhelmed by the lists, and asked me if I would curate them for her.  Here, for Julie and for the rest of you, is my “best of the best,” a list of books I think you should find a time and a place for in your busy schedule.

Who Wins in the Holiday Book Buying Spree?
December 17, 2013

Although it's too early to say if book consumers have come out in force this holiday season, and my personal situations no clear indicator, we can take a look at recent purchasing trends to see if publishers and booksellers will have something to celebrate this holiday season.