Getting Down to Business
By Densie Webb | August 10, 2024 |
July’s publishing news was not as earth-shattering as some months, but the push and pull of AI—who has the right to the words on the page, continues. The Copyright Clearance Center is getting in on the AI tug of war, with a new licensing approach for content usage. The world of audiobooks is expanding, with Spotify diving in head first. Speaking of audiobooks, Audible is beta-testing an AI-powered search feature. The much-loved middle-grade author of the Sweet Valley High series, Francine Pascal, has passed away. Washington State University Press will be shutting its doors. One company has found a way to work around book bans. The latest edition of Lynette Owen’s book on how to sell publishing rights has been released. Writer’s Digest has published its list of top websites for writers, which contains a lot of do’s and don’ts for publishing.
AI
Even publishers of scientific journals are worried about AI
New company being developed as an “AI rights licensing platform for creators”
https://authorsguild.org/news/ag-demands-prior-consent-for-ai-use-of-academic-and-news-content/
Amazon
What to do if your Amazon KDP account is terminated
Audiobooks
Audio Publishers Association stages an international summit
Another merger of audiobook companies
Audible is beta-testing an AI-powered search engine
Spotify adds 1,000 audiobooks from 100 publishers
Authors
Author of the Sweet Valley High series has died.
Book Bans
BookNet Canada has found that 23 percent of books seen as censored have been published since 2020.
Publishers
Trade publishing rose 16.5% in May
Washington State University Press will close its doors
Resources
Writer’s Digest best publishing news and resource websites for 2024
Rights
Leading rights and licensing conference to be held in Frankfurt, Germany in October
Latest edition of Lynette Owen’s book on selling rights is out
Sales
Sales stats for the first half of the year from Circana Bookscan
That’s a wrap for July, 2024! Is there any topic you’d like to see more of in the monthly Publishing News?
Densie Webb has spent a long career as a freelance nonfiction writer and editor, specializing in health and nutrition and has published several books and tons of articles on the topic over the years. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Red Adept Publishing released her debut women’s fiction novel titled, “When Robins Appear” in 2020. It is available in ebook, audiobook, and paperback formats. Her second novel, best categorized as romantic/domestic suspense, “Breathing in Reverse” was published in 2023, also with Red Adept Publishing. She is currently working (but not fast enough) on novel #3. She grew up in Louisiana, spent 13 years in New York, and settled in Austin, TX, where it’s summer nine months of the year. She’s an avid walker (not of the dead variety, though she loves anything to do with zombies, vampires, or post-apocalyptic worlds), drinks way too much coffee, and has a small “devil dog” that keep her on her toes. And she is thrilled to be a part of the Writer Unboxed family!
Thanks once again, Densie. I love that the data for books banned or censored in Canada (The Chronicles of *Narnia*?) shows that interest in those books goes straight up. Ha! And the author was Porter Anderson! Well, it would be.
Thank you for another richly informative roundup, Densie!
I have one publishing tidbit to add: a new imprint was formed under Flatiron Books. Pine & Cedar Books will be under the direction of Christine Kopprasch, who is a phenomenal editor. It will debut next summer.
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/95644-flatiron-to-debut-pine-cedar-imprint-with-s-a-cosby-s-next-book.html