European Commission Consultation on ‘the Role of Publishers in the Copyright Value Chain’

The input of publishers, authors, librarians, researchers and more is sought in the European Commission’s period of public commentary open to June 15. 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

Perceived differences between 'us' and 'them'

“More trust in your staff not to be numpties.” Only if you lingered for a bit after #FutureChat — or looked back later to see the stream — might you have spotted that comment from Suw Charman-Anderson. And not much earlier, Victoria Noe had said, “It’s like a generation gap.” She was referring to the… Read More

Kickstarter issues its annual greeting card

‘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

Is the honeymoon over? KU comes between Amazon and its self-publishers

A kind of downgrade for Amazon, and nowhere near Wall Street The most significant change is that Amazon KDP has slipped to third and also reflects the growing discontent self-published authors have with the introduction of Kindle Unlimited and recent communications regarding the new VAT law in Europe for 2015. We also have five new providers entering… Read More