When author Solomon Inkwell queried agents with his YA vampire novel Vickie Van Helsing, he received an immediate, eager response. The literary agent who called, however, had only just finished praising the sample chapters when he said, "But I can't sell a vampire novel to a publisher. What else ya got?"Inkwell, who had taken almost two years to pen his debut novel, turned … [Read more...] about Hybrid Crowdfunding Blends Two Publishing Paths
Digital Publishing News
Are e-Book and Print Sales Cycles Different?
We are living in a digital world where major publishers have firmly embraced the e-book format into their distribution cycle. When a new title is released in hardcover it is immediately available as an e-book. Print books depend on the lucrative holiday season to drive sales, as people tend to buy them as gifts and most big budget novels normally come out in the last three … [Read more...] about Are e-Book and Print Sales Cycles Different?
What Can Super Bowl Ads Tell Digital Magazine Publishers?
Most American consumers have watched (and even enjoyed) a Super Bowl ad at some point, even if they're not professional football fans. These ads, which run well into the millions of dollars to produce and air, are viewed by an estimated 114 million consumers during the live event, and then are repurposed for network advertising once the big game is over.But an article by … [Read more...] about What Can Super Bowl Ads Tell Digital Magazine Publishers?
Clippet News App Takes on Murdoch’s Empire
Rupert Murdoch's name is infamous in the world of print and television media, but a new startup is challenging his stronghold on the news empire. Clippet, a digital mobile app that offers users bite-sized portions of news with the option to select the story in order to hear the entire piece, is going after the busy, on-the-go crowd who still want to be connected to current … [Read more...] about Clippet News App Takes on Murdoch’s Empire
Magazine Media in the Digital Publishing Era
At this week's American Magazine Media Conference in New York, top CEOs and publishing experts from the magazine publishing sector examined the shifting role of their products and their viability in the digital age. While magazine publishing is still firmly rooted in the creation of a physical print product, digital magazine consumption has increased enough in the last few … [Read more...] about Magazine Media in the Digital Publishing Era
Backlash Against Mockingbird Sequel as Concerns for Author’s Status Come Out
The reading world was riveted earlier this week by reports that a long-awaited second volume of Harper Lee's work, a sequel-slash-prequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird, would be released by HarperCollins in July 2015. But speculation is already circulating that this is not in accordance with the author's wishes or best interests.Reports from various … [Read more...] about Backlash Against Mockingbird Sequel as Concerns for Author’s Status Come Out
The Impact of Digital Magazine Covers
One of the early complaints about ebooks was that they weren't taking full advantage of the possibilities that digital provided. Rather than maximizing the full potential of the concept, early ebooks were just portable, digital, page-by-page replicas of their print counterparts. In an interesting finger-pointing twist, industry experts have now said the same thing about digital … [Read more...] about The Impact of Digital Magazine Covers
What Would You Pay to Read a Book?
What can $294,038 buy you? According to one author, it can buy you an airline ticket, two nights in a hotel, one meal, and the right to read a book that's been out for quite some time, among other things.eBook pricing has been a hotly contested issue in the last few years, debated among industry insiders and court officials alike. But a new offer from author James Patterson … [Read more...] about What Would You Pay to Read a Book?
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Now Accepts Self-Published Authors
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America governing body has approved bylaw changes that now accepts self-published author for Active and Associate memberships in the organization.Self-Published authors will need to abide by the same requirements to join the SFWA as ones that are traditionally published. Specific details will be posted at sfwa.org by the first of … [Read more...] about Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Now Accepts Self-Published Authors
HarperCollins to Publish Sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird
The day that literary fans have eagerly awaited has finally come with the announcement that Harper Lee, reclusive author of the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, will publish her second book, a sequel to her award-winning first book, later this year.The book, titled Go Set a Watchman, will feature an adult Scout and will be set in the 1950s in the … [Read more...] about HarperCollins to Publish Sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird
Kindle Convert Software Creates eBooks from Your Print Content
The digital publishing revolution didn't only put publishing access and large-volume content storage within easy reach of consumers, it also serves a vital purpose in protecting information. Projects like Google's controversial but necessary effort to preserve rare texts, for example, is one of the chief applications for ensuring the longevity of the printed word.Amazon has … [Read more...] about Kindle Convert Software Creates eBooks from Your Print Content
The Indie Author Dream: Fact or Fiction?
Much of the ongoing drama between the self-publishing proponents and the traditional publishing industry boils down to one chief concern: money. With whole data sets dedicated to examining not only what self-published authors truly earn but also what traditionally published authors are (or more likely, are not) earning, the facts seem pretty clear:Authors who do the work of … [Read more...] about The Indie Author Dream: Fact or Fiction?
Competition in the Digital Library Content Market
Just as publishers and book retailers compete for reading consumers' time and funds, so too do digital content providers compete for the all-important library market. Companies like OverDrive and 3M Library System work to offer the largest catalogs of content, the most seamless patron experiences, and the most support in terms of technology and taking some of the circulation … [Read more...] about Competition in the Digital Library Content Market
Romance Still Tops Bestsellers at Smashwords
eBook distribution platform Smashwords has forged a lot of the paths that self-published authors have taken, and has provided a lot of groundbreaking data to help authors form career plans that may or may not include the status quo. One of the many sources of information that Smashwords provides the industry as a whole is a look at its bestsellers lists broken down for the … [Read more...] about Romance Still Tops Bestsellers at Smashwords