Here be ‘unprofessionals’ “Writing offline” seems almost an odd phrase today. You’ll find it—online—in Words Unwired, a commentary by Lorin Stein in the New York Times Sunday Book Review. We understand, of course, when he gets to the even odder term, “unprofessional,” that Stein, The Paris Review editor, is writing in support of the book he has edited,… Read More
A message to #FutureBook15 from #AuthorDay
To work together, not as antagonists The Bookseller’s Author Day conference opened this year’s FutureBook Week on Monday (30th November). It was the inaugural staging of a conference expressly meant to bring together publishing professionals, traditionally publishing authors, and self-publishing authors. Our term for the conference’s intent is “issues-driven,” by which we meat that it was not… Read More
Does writing matter in a 'not book'?
‘Writing created for a digital space’ Late in her review of The Pickle Index for The FutureBook, Ami Greko tells us that Eli Horowitz and Russell Quinn (who, as Sudden Oak, also produced The Silent History) have given us another case in which the writing that forms the narrative spine of this new digital interactive storytelling… Read More
Author Earnings: Springtime for UK indie ebooks
Welcome to the UK, Author Earnings Unlike the US, where collective indie ebook earnings long ago surpassed that of all Big Five authors combined, in the UK indie-published authors and Big Five published authors are still earning neck [and] neck. As we gather this morning (4th December) to open the fifth annual FutureBook Conference here in London, a new Author Earnings report… Read More
Looking for trust: Author Day to FutureBook 2015
Sending messages from one conference to another On Friday at FutureBook 2015, I’ll present a distillation of the concerns we encountered when our Author Day delegates—both authors and publishers—took us up on the offer to put rancor and blame aside and simply to speak truthfully about what they’re encountering, both from the writerly side of the… Read More
#FutureBook2015: Judith Curr and 'Crave'
Following our story, Simon & Schuster and Atria Books have officially announced the launch of the Crave app (iOS initially, Android to follow) . You can see the app site here, and learn more about it if you’re joining us at FutureBook 2015 (4th December) when Judith Curr will brief us further. Our hashtag for the day is #FutureBook15 and… Read More
Publishers And Authors: Inviting Them To The Same Party
Every Job In Publishing Depends On Authors How is book publishing divided today? Let’s not count the ways. Outsiders looking into this beleaguered industry, however, might be surprised at the reticence many authors and publishers can have about each other. Maybe about being around each other. Meeting each other. Talking more than friendly chitchat or… Read More
FutureBook's chairs, warming up with questions
Conference update: Bookings close this weekend for FutureBook 2015, hurry to get one of the remaining seats at Mermaid London for the event, which is a week from today, 4th December. Our hashtag for that one: #FutureBook15 And on Monday (30th November), follow speakers and delegates at Author Day on hashtag #AuthorDay, the kickoff to The FutureBook 2015… Read More
Rebecca Smart joins Author Day speakers
Conference note: While anticipation is building for #AuthorDay on Monday (30th November), we’re closing bookings Friday (27th) for #FutureBook15, hurry to get your seat. PRH-Ebury’s chief on ‘What Publishers Tell Us’ I’m incredibly pleased to announce that Rebecca Smart will join our rich speakers’ lineup for Author Day on 30th November at 30 Euston… Read More
Which #BookTech player is your favourite?
What the world needs now is…. An aggregator of a book lover’s print and digital bookshelves? “The YouTube of storytelling”? A curated marketplace for publishing professionals? You tell us in #FutureChat today. Those are some of the FutureBook BookTech Awards that journalist Molly Flatt has been profiling for weeks here at The FutureBook. On 4th December… Read More