One of the most fascinating aspects of new technologies is how they open doors for new business models. And this is very true in the evolving world of book publishing. The book publishing model has many challenges, most notably how the established system of author advances, large superstore preorders, and returns limits what will be…
On February 25th Book Business hosted a webinar titled “Trends for 2016: The Future of Books in the New Year,” which asked experts from the Book Industry Study Group, the Book Manufacturers Institute, and the Independent Book Publishers Association to share their perspectives on the industry and the major trends that will drive its future…
I attended Ricoh’s Publishing Executive Symposium this week in Boulder, Colorado, to learn how digital book printing is affecting all levels of the industry. Publishers, book manufacturers, and paper suppliers were in attendance, representing the complete supply chain of the book industry. The big takeaway was that digital book printing is growing and will continue…
I have finally come across the bookstore concept for the future and it’s not coming from Amazon or Barnes & Noble with their cross-channel pipe dreams. It’s Shakespeare and Co., which opened under new ownership in November 2015 and currently operates one store in the Upper East Side of New York, with more planned for…
Negotiating a large, non-returnable sale of your books to a corporate buyer can be a euphoric event. As you leave the premises you may celebrate with large smiles and high-fives. But unforeseen by many publishers are the various post-sale emotions experienced by the buyers, especially if this is their first time dealing with you. Their…
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…
Large-quantity book sales require input from multiple decision makers. In order to sell your book, you need to build consensus.
A recent article in The Washington Post explained why most students prefer print textbooks over their digital equivalent. There's no disputing the fact that print still dominates the textbook sector. That article correctly identified the "what" but I'm not convinced they thoroughly uncovered the "why" behind this phenomenon.
Yoav Lorch explains how Total Boox’s pay-as-you-read model is intended to meet the digital age expectations of ease and immediacy.
Memeoirs is an on-demand publishing platform that pulls content from online social interactions. Below, founder Fred Rocha explains how Memeoirs transforms impermanent, yet meaningful online content into permanent, printed works.