‘Three years ago Rebecca’s project got a pledge from Scott. This year they got married.’ That’s from Kickstarter’s look-back in handkerchieves at 2014. My associate at The Bookseller Charlotte Eyre has ably written up the attractive annual report that Kickstarter creates to regale us with how well things have gone. Her story, Kickstarter publishing projects raised… Read More
#FutureChat recap: Your 2015 Digital Publishing Predictions
We asked, and we received. We started with the excellent, provocative predictions of a group of invited guests. We’d asked them to give us around 50 words each on what they see ahead in digital publishing. Among some of the strongest commentary we had was Philip Jones’ estimation of the reader’s place in the digital dynamic… Read More
2015: The Year of Being Brave
Tis the season to make predictions, and so we asked digital luminaries from both sides of the pond for their 50 words about digital publishing in 2015. Here, by way of introduction is my own prediction and analysis about what may pass next year: In 2014 the digital book business enjoyed a somewhat puzzling year.… Read More
The Bookseller's Books of 2014: 66 by Women, 54 by Men
‘What are these lists good for?’ And how 2014 of The Bookseller staff to have asked itself this. It has been a very “wait a minute, what are we doing?” kind of year in publishing. And not always a lot of answers at the ready. Or maybe too many answers at the ready, no way… Read More
Plunge taken: A #FutureChat recap on The Bookseller's Indie Author Preview
You know the term “four-hander” for a piano piece composed to be played by two pianists, right? Our #FutureChat on Friday turned out to be the Twitteresque equivalent, and I was very glad to have my colleague Caroline Sanderson’s hands along to help engage in the conversation. The FutureBook community seemed energised and welcoming, maybe… Read More
Indie Authors And ‘The Quality Question': It’s Called Rigor
When A Wet Fish Slaps You Even as self-publishing authors may weary of hearing about the problems of much independently produced content — typos and other editorial woes — a new showcase means yet another reason to shoot for precision and excellence to meet the marketplace’s standards. Bill Clinton used to talk about being able… Read More
Plunging In: The Bookseller's first Independent Author Preview
Here’s the good news: I do think that pretty much all the books I’ve included are good enough to be traditionally published, and by that I mean, well enough written. That should be music to any weary stigma-fighter’s ears. My colleague Caroline Sanderson is filling me in here on her experiences in choosing the very first round… Read More