The digital publishing revolution is so old that a great many reading consumers might not be able to envision a time when they couldn't simply pop online to order a book, download a new title from their favorite author, or use an app or PDF for supplemental book material. eBooks and digital publishing have simply become a part of everyday life for many people.But there's … [Read more...] about The Biggest Scam in Publishing?
Where Would We Be Without Amazon? Buying Books on Smashwords
There's little doubt that Amazon has changed everything about publishing. It's not just a matter of opening the doors for indie authors, producing a viable e-reader device and then creating a platform for content to fill it, or leveraging the power of enhanced searchability to give authors potential visibility. Amazon has even sparked change in traditional publishing, such as … [Read more...] about Where Would We Be Without Amazon? Buying Books on Smashwords
Amazon Claims to Resolve “Disappearing” eBooks Issue
A couple of weeks ago, prolific author, advocate, and self-pub expert David Gaughran published a blog piece on a disturbing phenomenon: international customers were having trouble buying titles that had been published via KDP. The post had over 100 comments in the first twenty-four hours, largely from authors who detailed their own problems with trying to sell their books on … [Read more...] about Amazon Claims to Resolve “Disappearing” eBooks Issue
KDP Launches New Reports Dashboard in Beta
Self-published authors whose works are distributed via Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platform may have noticed a couple of beauty-wise changes to their author dashboards. A new report dashboard, currently in beta, gives the muddled old dashboard a much-needed facelift.However, other than being more eye-catching and appealing, not much has changed about the sales report. … [Read more...] about KDP Launches New Reports Dashboard in Beta
Bowker Announces Data Breach of Self-Pubbed Authors’ Credit Cards
Bowker, the international clearing house for ISBN numbers, has announced a breach of its MyIdentifiers.com website which resulted in theft of payment card information. This theft resulted in an alarming pattern of fraudulent transactions on the cards that Bowker customers had used to order their ISBNs.The number of self-published titles has grown dramatically … [Read more...] about Bowker Announces Data Breach of Self-Pubbed Authors’ Credit Cards
Do Indies Need to Worry about Adaptations of their Books?
If only every indie author had it so rough: being so successful with their books that they now have to worry about film adaptations of their work. Right?A new Netflix ten-part series adaptation of Shirley Jackson's novel The Haunting of Hill House has left some fans of her work elated, others fuming. None other than Stephen King tweeted that he thought she'd be proud of the … [Read more...] about Do Indies Need to Worry about Adaptations of their Books?
KDP Offers New Indian Languages for eBook Uploads
While Amazon's KDP publishing platform gave voice to authors all across the US, it took a little time at the onset for that freedom to reach other countries and other reader markets. The company continues to roll out not just the ability to find and devour new books in far-flung places, but also the language algorithms that are necessary for books to be published in multiple … [Read more...] about KDP Offers New Indian Languages for eBook Uploads
Is Self-Publishing Still a Flash in the Pan? Yeah, Right.
In case you were waiting for the hoopla surrounding self-publishing to die down, there's some unfortunate news from Bowker: the number of ISBNs issued for self-published books just reached one million last year. That may not seem like a lot--surely there are more than one million self-published books, right?--but remember, that's only the number of books whose ISBNs were issued … [Read more...] about Is Self-Publishing Still a Flash in the Pan? Yeah, Right.
BN Press Now Offers Pre-Orders, But Why?
Barnes & Noble is still clinging to life despite years-long rumors that almost every aspect of the business model is at death's door. With physical stores closing and the Nook constantly rumored to be on the chopping block, it's hard to know what to believe.So the recent announcement that B&N's Press (formerly Nook Press, the self-publishing wing of the company) is now … [Read more...] about BN Press Now Offers Pre-Orders, But Why?
Wattpad Authors Have An Opportunity To Earn from their Stories
Okay, authors, be ready to watch events unfold without getting your hopes up too high...at least not yet. Author-reader consumption platform Wattpad is beta testing a new feature that can be a game changer if it proves to be both sustainable and expandable, one that stands to open up an entirely new marketplace for readers to buy authors' works.According to a new report by … [Read more...] about Wattpad Authors Have An Opportunity To Earn from their Stories
Amazon (Supposedly) to Pay Workers Higher Wages
The "Fight for 15" has been an ongoing battle in the US, with advocates for a fair, living wage working tirelessly for a nearly 100% increase in the current non-server minimum wage (due to the expectation of tips, restaurants only have to pay wait staff a little more than $2 per hour). Some key political voices have also come on board, namely advocates like Senator Bernie … [Read more...] about Amazon (Supposedly) to Pay Workers Higher Wages
EU Removes VAT on eBooks
In a decision that has been years in the making, the EU has decided to allow the removal of VAT on ebooks, just as it has done for print books all this time. This single change could spell an increase in sales of digital works and the technology to read them, and in the interaction between readers and digital-only indie authors.For years, ebooks have carried the sting of as … [Read more...] about EU Removes VAT on eBooks
PA Prisons Stop Donations of Print Books for Inmates, switch to ebooks
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is drawing criticism for a recent regulation that will ban anyone--including established literacy organizations and charities--from donating print books to incarcerated individuals. Instead, the DOC requires that all inmates read only content already contained in the prison library or on tablets that the inmates must purchase and pay … [Read more...] about PA Prisons Stop Donations of Print Books for Inmates, switch to ebooks
After Milo Fiasco, S&S Hits It Out of the Park With ‘Fear’
You'd think Simon & Schuster might have thought twice about trying to get political after the fiasco of attempting to publish the vapid, pointless, hate-mongering memoir of the self-professed creator of the alt-right movement, but luckily for the publisher, their latest venture didn't tank like the Milo Yiannopoulos book. Instead, Watergate reporter Bob Woodward's … [Read more...] about After Milo Fiasco, S&S Hits It Out of the Park With ‘Fear’
Amazon Employees Accepting Bribes to Take Down Bad Reviews
Ah, the good old Amazon review saga... no, it's not authors buying mass blocks of five-star reviews. Oh wait, no, it's not authors bullying reviewers for leaving bad reviews, either. Nope, it's not authors buying one-star reviews for a rival author's book. Nuh uh, it's not Amazon removing any and all reviews that seem shady, purchased, left by an acquaintance of the author, or … [Read more...] about Amazon Employees Accepting Bribes to Take Down Bad Reviews
Seven-Figure Advance for Biz Book by Netflix CEO
"Netflix and chill" just took on a new--and clean--meaning thanks to a book deal for its CEO Reed Hastings. Anticipated to be the biggest business book of the year, this deal is sure to put Hastings in a very "chillaxed" state of mind.In the US, Penguin picked up Hasting's unnamed title for a reported seven-figure advance, and UK's Ebury imprint got it for another … [Read more...] about Seven-Figure Advance for Biz Book by Netflix CEO