‘Only One Piece Of The Puzzle’ Subsequent to our report on the Authors Guild’s release of results from its 2015 Member Survey, I’ve invited the Guild to provide some interpretation of how it sees the release of its “The Wages of Writing” survey results. In response, I have this explanation of the survey exercise, and I want to… Read More
Are publishers getting the #authorsay message?
The real irony here, it turns out, is that it wasn’t the publishers calling the questions: 75 percent of responding authors said they have never been asked for feedback from their publisher 7 percent said that publishers pay writers well 32 percent said that the prestige of having a deal with a traditional publisher was important to them… Read More
‘Do You Love Your Publisher?’ #AuthorSay Is Hanging On Every Word
‘To Encourage More Professional Authors To Speak Out’ Originating with our report at The Bookseller’s The FutureBook in London, the news of a new online survey today (March 2) could mean a better understanding of authors’ experiences in what is sometimes called “legacy” publishing. A US-UK effort is gathering fresh perspectives on the “quiet side” of… 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
#DBW15: So Shall You Reap? Success and ‘Investment’
Shot Out of a Cannon I’m told that there are people who find the holidays restful. I have yet to meet one of these extraordinary creatures, but I think they would find holding the publishing industry’s first grand-slam conference of the year in the second week of January to be a dandy thing. Bright-tailed and… Read More
#DBW15: Digital Book World surveys authors – 'Risks, Rewards, Commitment'
Have you ever actually seen an olive branch? Self-publishing has dramatically changed the freedom and control authors exercise over their writing careers. The self-publishing successes of top-selling and midlist authors have made it possible for many of them to earn more income from their writing and have raised questions about why authors need publishers. Those… Read More
UK author income survey: Another publishing bombshell
The topic of our Friday #FutureChat this week, 11 July, will be the ALCS survey news. Join us live on Twitter at 4 p.m. London time, 11 a.m. New York time, 8 a.m. Los Angeles, 5 p.m. Berlin, 3 p.m. GMT. Brace for impact The key survey revelations commissioned by the UK’s Authors’ Licensing & Collection… Read More
Is the "Publishers' Monopoly" Broken?
Dana Beth Weinberg at Digital Book World 2014: “Should traditional publishers feel threatened by the potential of self-publishing? Of course they should.” Read More