One of the biggest challenges facing authors is finding a suitable channel or platform to present their work. For self-published authors, the challenge is even greater without the support of a marketing engine and sales distributor that comes with a commercial publisher. While self-publishing still has its stigmas and detractors, digitalization in the print and…
Dear Publisher, did you see my tweet?
The strength of Twitter as a focus network has really started to come into its own this week in the general publishing and writing worlds. Yesterday, FutureBook, a digital blog association with The Bookseller, explained the significance of the Twitter hashtag, #dearpublisher, which has now seen the emergence of further hashtags like #dearbookseller, #dearauthor and #dearreader.…
AAP Report on May Hardback and e-Book Sales: Are These the Kingpins of the Publishing Future?
The Association of American Publishers has just released net sales figures for the month of May 2010. From their press release: New York, NY, July 14, 2010— Publishers’ book sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) for the month of May increased by 9.8% percent on the prior year to $715.3 million and…
Has PublishAmerica Lost the Plot?
I have seen some crazy things in my time when reviewing author solutions services, but the current antics and communications flowing from the never-never land of PublishAmerica (PBA 135.74) really tops the lot. The following two emails were sent to PublishAmerica authors over the past few days. First email: “Dear author:Sometimes a book deserves a new…
Salt Publishing Relaunch ‘Just One More Book’ to Stay Afloat
The publishing director of Salt Publishing in the UK has today told The Bookseller that following the first half year sales performance, the company is now operating with ‘less than one week’s cash left’ and they have been forced to revive their ‘Just One Book’ campaign. The “Just One More Book” campaign launched this week,…
The Shack: Where Did it All Go Wrong?
Sarah Weinman writes in today’s Los Angeles Times about how one of the most successful self-published books, William P. Young’s The Shack, is now the subject of law suits and counter suits between the author and his two original supporters, pastors Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings. “For nearly eight months, the trio have been mired…
The Faber Academy
One of the more progressive independent publishers in the UK is Faber & Faber. In October 2008 they launched a programme called The Faber Academy – a series of creative writing courses and live events lasting from just one day to six months. “Committed to innovation, the Faber Academy’s programme has an international as well…
Teleread Interview: From Harlequin to Self-Publishing
There is an interview today on Teleread by Chris Walters about traditionally published romance author Donna Fasano, who for years was published by Harlequin, and in December 2009 decided to turn to self-publishing with the Amazon Kindle store and CreateSpace. You can read all the interview here. The Independent Publishing Magazine | TIPM Media
The Philosophy and Vision of a Self-Published Writer
Those who follow some of the self-published authors we mention on these pages may like to read this terrific interview on Christopher Herz, author of The Last Block in Harlem. The interview features on Urban Reviews. “For me, each word I write, each book I’m going to put out, is a continuation of a long tradition. I am honored…
The Philosophy and Vision of a Writer and Publisher
Alessandro Gallenzi is MD at independent publishers Alma and Oneworld Classics and The Bookseller this morning ran a piece on the London-based literary press securing a global sales and distribution deal with Bloomsbury. I am delighted for Alma and Oneworld Classics. My bookshelves are filled with titles from the old John Calder catalogue, and the…