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
#AuthorDay: What divides us?
Of “trade” and “the Trade” Today we’re making the “programme reveal” for the inaugural FutureBook Author Day conference (#AuthorDay), which is set for Monday, 30th November. It’s on the 30th at the 30th, 30 Euston Square, headquarters of the Royal College of General Practitioners, we’ll all be healthier for it. Our programme should appear, if… Read More
Fat startup: Eric Ries and his Lean Startup programme go wide
Eric Ries asked for $135,000 on Kickstarter. He got $588,903. That’s not lean. And Ries, a man with a ready sense of humor, cracks up at the suggestion that he’s doing too well to fit into his famous “Lean Startup” gig anymore. “Here’s the thing,” he says. “When you launch a Kickstarter campaign, there’s something great… Read More
As The World Gets Smaller, Authors’ Jobs Get Bigger
‘An Entire Chain Of Questions That You Have To Ask’ We have a very difficult debate about subscription models or flat rate models because some publishers are afraid that they rather ruin their traditional way of making money. So very quickly you end up in an entire chain of questions that you have to ask. That’s… Read More
#AuthorSay: 'Do You Love Your Publisher?'
Exclusive to The Bookseller’s The FutureBook: At noon London time today (2nd March) — 7 a.m. New York time — a new international survey has opened to traditionally published authors. The survey is co-produced by Jane Friedman in the States and Harry Bingham in the UK. It will be available to traditionally published authors for four weeks. The hashtag… Read More
Oddest Book Title Of The Year: A Mercifully Short List
2014: ‘A Bumper Year For The Peculiar’ Publishing has a tendency to do things in waves. For example, certain conference organizers who shall remain nameless seem to take a reckless delight in scheduling their events much too close to other conferences and trade shows. This ensures that special bleary-vacant stare you see in the eyes… Read More
Could imprints get publishers' readers in a row?
Join us each Friday for our live #FutureChat with The FutureBook digital community at 4 p.m. London (GMT), 5 p.m. Rome, 11 a.m. New York, 8 a.m. Los Angeles. You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. Imprints are done. Right? Maybe not. Imprints are all around us — and in fact growing in number and importance.… Read More
Josh Malerman's ‘Bird Box’ Named Horror Novel Of The Year
Also: Finalist For A Bram Stoker Award You write because you love reading, and you write horror because you believe in the monsters, you believe in the imagination, you believe in the dark. I BELIEVE IN THE DARK. Josh Malerman Josh Malerman has won This Is Horror’s Novel of the Year award blindfolded. Don’t take it… Read More
'Are there too many literary agencies?'
The question with which I’ve headlined this post comes from literary agent Jonny Geller. More: I believe that the lack of changes in our industry will leave many authors exposed. I would say this, wouldn’t I? Well, I’m not actually criticising any one agent, or the notion of small agencies—but my industry as a whole.… Read More
AuthorEarnings: ISBN On Ice!
Everything’s Coming Up Indie. Right? As slippery as the business of publishing-industry statistics is, the author Hugh Howey and his unnamed associate referred to as Data Guy have now given us a year of AuthorEarnings.com reports. This is a good thing. Despite Howey’s detractors and some of their misgivings, the AuthorEarnings series of interpretive essays have… Read More