There is a piece today in the Bookseller.com about the monetary decline in advances paid to authors by UK publishers for literary fiction. The article reports that some advances have actually dropped as low as £500, with £1,000 to £2,000 being the common marker. According to one quoted publisher, we are a long way from…
Borders UK – Days From Administration
It is distinctly likely that the coming days will see Borders UK officially enter administration despite interest from both HMV and WH Smith to purchase part or all of the retail chain of 45 stores. However, it is understood both have now withdrawn their interest. Even a late bid in the last few days by the…
Eason Withdraws Wage Cut Plans For Staff
According to an item in today’s thebookseller.com, Eason have withdrawn their threat to pursue a 12.5% wage cut from their 1500 employees. Staff and unions are still pressing for Eason management to reinstate the Christmas bonus which was withdrawn for this year. The Independent Publishing Magazine | TIPM Media
Better Discounts For Authors – Milnes-Smith
Philippa Milnes-Smith is president of the Association of Authors Agents. Today, she spoke to theBookseller.com and expressed the growing frustration authors have with their publishers when it comes an author having a heavy influence on sales and promotion of their own books. Milnes-Smith is quoted as saying; “If an author can make significant sales on…
The Espresso Book Machine – Poetry in Motion
Felicity Woods, editorial assistant at the Bookseller.com has written a nice piece today about witnessing the Espresso Book Machine up close and personal at Blackwell’s London book store. “Up close and personal it is as if the Gutenberg Press met with Willy Wonka, and the chocolatier come out on top.” You can read Felicity’s full…
Borders; To Buy or Not to Buy
I’ve been talking in a number of articles recently about the downturn in publishing, and it seems not a day goes by that we don’t hear about another major publisher making cutbacks and laying off staff. Here are the latest publishing news layoffs as reported by theBookseller.com. http://www.thebookseller.com/news/72205-anova-trims-staff-and-books-at-portico.html Earlier this week, Morris Rosenthal on his…
Amazon Finally Moves on UK Print on Demand Market
It looks like Amazon has finally made their move on the UK market for books published by digital print-on-demand technology. This very much follows what Amazon has done in the United States in conjunction with their own printer Booksurge. At the moment, there is already a court action in process by US POD publisher Booklocker…