For $70,000 You Can Buy a Place on the Bestsellers List
News by Dean Fetzer February 25, 2013
According to Forbes, you can buy your way onto bestseller lists for as little as $70,000 by hiring marketing consultancy ResultSource.
Indie Bookstores Sue Amazon, Big Six Over DRM
News by Christopher Shultz February 22, 2013
Amazon is currently the go-to place for eBooks. Three east coast bookshops and a lawyer hope to level out the playing field.
Children's Author Terry Deary Says Libraries are Bleeding Writers and Publishers, Calls For Their End
News by Christopher Shultz February 15, 2013
The 'Horrible Histories' author thinks libraries have "had their day," and they should be laid to rest. Some questionable rhetoric follows.
Bookshops Charging for Browsing? That’s Crazy!
News by Dean Fetzer February 12, 2013
Harper Collins CEO Victoria Barnsley seems to think that in this time of shrinking revenues for brick and mortar shops that the idea of charging to let you browse is "not that insane".
Amazon Granted Resale Marketplace Patent for Used eBooks, Songs, Other Digital Content
News by Dean Fetzer February 8, 2013
Rather surprisingly, considering the online giant’s current business model revolves around DRM, Amazon seems to be entering the used content arena. A sea change? We’ll see.
Ask The Agent: Lots of Rejections From Editors... Should You Look for A New Agent? and More
Column by Bree Ogden February 4, 2013
Navigating the rough terrain of today’s publishing industry shouldn’t be a solo event. This week in Ask the Agent, I’ll explore and dissect two of the industry’s mysteries, straight from the shoulder.
‘Good Sex, Great Prayers’: A Journey in Publication (Part 3: Art & Stuff)
Column by Brandon Tietz January 31, 2013
In this third installment of the "Good Sex, Great Prayers" series, Brandon Tietz discusses the process of designing the novel and the common pitfalls beginning authors fall into.
100s of Barnes & Noble Stores to Close
News by Dean Fetzer January 28, 2013
In a move confirming recent rumors, Mitchell Klipper, Barnes & Noble’s CEO, told the Wall Street Journal the company will be closing at least 20 stores a year for the next decade.
Borders Sign Goes to Auction, Letter by Letter
News by Christopher Shultz January 28, 2013
The now defunct retail chain's logo has a chance to help other struggling booksellers.
eBooks are Selling More Copies All the Time, But Who’s Getting the Money?
News by Dean Fetzer January 22, 2013
With Bloomsbury (publisher of the Harry Potter books) reporting improved margins and higher eBook sales, it poses the question: why aren’t authors seeing more money as a result?
BookScan - Still Relevant in the Digital Era?
News by Dean Fetzer
Neilsen’s BookScan now sends its sales data to Amazon’s Author Central so authors can check how many books they’ve sold - but the figures don’t always add up.
Barnes & Noble Stores Closing - Beginning of the End?
News by Dean Fetzer January 8, 2013
The mainstream bookseller has been closing superstores across the U.S., a move analysts think means they’re in trouble.
Are You Gonna Write for Money or Art?
Column by Cath Murphy January 7, 2013
Fifty Shades author E L James is PW's publishing person of the year. Hilary Mantel wins the Booker for the second time. They made their choices between commercial and literary fiction. What about you?
Scandalous: 8 Reasons Intelligent Writers Must Read Twilight
Column by Rob Blair Young December 27, 2012
Ready your pitchforks! This unironic defense of 'Twilight' examines the strengths and weaknesses of the series while encouraging writers to learn from the story's success.
Mark Coker Predicts Author Services Boom for 2013
News by Dean Fetzer December 26, 2012
The Smashwords founder has made some predictions for the coming year, including the warning that author services will make more money than actual books.
Bible on Bestseller List for 56 Weeks - in Norway
News by Dean Fetzer December 21, 2012
A new translation of the Bible has become one of the hottest-selling books in Norway, contending with the likes of E. L. James and James Nesbø.
My Kindle’s Spying on Me
News by Dean Fetzer December 6, 2012
We all know our eReaders collect information on what we read, buy and look at - but did you know the companies behind all of them share your information with third parties without your permission?
Notes from the Drunken Editor: Forging Your Own Independence
Column by Phil Jourdan December 5, 2012
How self-sufficient should a writer be in the publishing world, and how can writers develop that independence? Before getting a publisher drunk and asking him to spill his secrets, read this.
Random House Launches Three New Digital Imprints, Accepting Submissions
News by Dean Fetzer December 3, 2012
In a move into the 21st Century, Random House is starting three new digital-only imprints in an attempt to get new books out in formats people want to buy.
Europe in the Cards For Amazon Expansion in 2013
News by Dean Fetzer
Riding on the “success” of Amazon Publishing in the US, the company plans to open a Luxembourg-based arm aimed at authors in Western Europe.
The Internet Has Become The Bookstore Front Window
Column by Erik Wecks November 29, 2012
A successful marketing campaign used to mean a prized place in the front window of a bookstore. Now authors have to find new ways to get their books in front of prospective readers on the internet.
Simon & Schuster Announce Self-Publishing Service
News by Christopher Shultz November 28, 2012
Archway Publishing claims to make self-publishing a breeze, but is it really any different from a vanity press?
Amazon Has to Fess Up and Tell Us Exactly How Much They Make - in the UK
News by Dean Fetzer
The UK’s House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has forced the online retail giant to disclose its finances due to recent evidence that the company has paid very little in actual tax.
Ask the Agent: Erotic Zombie Thrillers! And More
Column by Bree Ogden November 26, 2012
Navigating the rough terrain of today’s publishing industry shouldn’t be a solo event. This week in Ask the Agent, I’ll explore & dissect a few of the industry’s mysteries, straight from the shoulder.
There Can Be Only One!: Harper Collins and Simon & Schuster To Merge?
News by Dean Fetzer November 21, 2012
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that News Corps International is interested in buying Simon & Schuster, following their abortive attempt to buy Penguin last month.
