Posts by Densie Webb
Happy New Year! Can you believe it’s 2024? Neither can the publishing industry. Lots coming down the pike. Growing concerns over AI are in store for 2024, but the EU is attempting to take the EU bull by the horns. Will the US follow suit? Not at this point. While Apple is in talks with publishers to use their content to train AI, The New York Times is suing AI Microsoft for copyright infringement and Google’s AI program is raising fresh concerns with publishers. We’ll see. Publisher’s Weekly offers a free book-business events calendar for the year. Check it out! There may be a conference or book fair or two, you’d be interested in. Books bans are a continued thorn in everyone’s side, but there are pushbacks. And, of course, this month’s column wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the dumpster fire of review bombing by one debut author, which exploded in the headlines and tanked their writing career.
Top Book Business News of 2023 and Looking Ahead to 2024
Roundup of 2023 From Publishers Weekly
Looking Ahead to Publishing Trends for 2024
All the 2024 Book Events in One Place
AI
Apple in Talks with Publishers to Use Content to Train AI
7 Ways AI Will Impact Authors and the Publishing Industry
NYT Sues Open AI Microsoft for Copyright Infringement
Sweeping Regulation of AI in the EU
Final Vote on EU Regulations of EU Expected in 2024
Italian Publishers Toughen AI Act Regulation
How Publishers May Work with AI Firms in 2024
Google’s New AI Model Raises New Concerns for Publishers
Book Bans
Judge Blocks Provisions in Iowa Book-Banning Law
New Data on 2 Years of Book Banning
Book Sales
Review Bombing
Publisher Drops Author with Fake Goodreads Accounts
The Burning Question of Copyright
Canadian Publishing Industry Called out over Inaction
Publishers
When Publishers Shut Down Imprints
Penguin Random House Acquires Self-Help Publishers
UK Mensch Press Joins Ingram in Print-on-Demand Partnership
Who’s in, Who’s Out in the Publishing World
Publishing Secrets Revealed at Penguin Random House Trial
Inquiring minds want to know—What do you see in the publishing crystal ball for 2024? How do you think it will affect your writing/publishing journey? Do you see AI as good or bad for authors this year? Have you used AI? How was it? Have you been a victim of review bombing, even on a small scale?
Read More
In November, AI insiders continued to battle it out with the legal system and with each other. Where it stops nobody knows. Speaking of, Kindle Direct is beta-testing virtual voice narration for audiobooks. If you’re a Spotify fan, you can now listen to audiobooks via your Spotify subscription. Texas isn’t the only state dealing with book bans. Alaskan parents and students have teamed up with the ACLU to fight the book-ban tide in their state. Writers and authors may be leaving X (formerly known as Twitter) in droves, but publishers are sticking around (so far). SheWrites Press and Spark Press have struck a distribution deal with Simon & Schuster. Good news for their authors. Has big publishing changed fiction; literary translators working conditions; the good, the bad, and the necessity of genres; Hot Sheet starts its own bestseller list; and romance is still red hot—witness the opening of a new Black- and woman-owned online shop dedicated to romance.
AI
AI copyright infringement lawsuit
Law firms struggle to take down generative AI
FTC calls out consumer protection and competition in copyright office AI proceeding
AI exec leaves over fair-use disagreement
Does ChatGPT need to be tamed?
Audiobooks
Virtual voice narrated audiobooks are here
Spotify rolls out audiobook in the US
Spotify also offers an audiobook perk for premium subscribers
Book Bans
Alaskan parents and students take on Alaska school district over book bans
Bestselling author opens store for banned books
Oral arguments held in appeal of Texas book ban
Social Media
X remains the primary social media platform for publishers
Mergers and Distribution Deals
SheWrites Press and Spark Press to be distributed by Simon & Schuster
The State of Publishing
How big publishing changed fiction
Survey examines the state of working conditions for literary translators
The future of books according to Esquire
Traditional Publishing vs Self-Publishing
Love ’em or Hate ’em Genres Are Here to Stay
Simon & Schuster’s Third Quarter Drops, But CEO Optimistic
What Will it Take to Have a More Diverse , Less Exclusionary Publishing Industry?
Hot Sheet Announces Its Own Bestseller List
Racism in the Book Business
Can Racism in the Book Business Be Fixed?
Readers
Stats on the Behavior of Readers
Uh Oh
Mistakes Happen Even in the Pages of Bestsellers
Romance
Romance Is the Juggernaut of Contemporary Literature
Grand Gesture Books, a New Black- and Woman-Owned Online Shop Dedicated to Romance, Opens
Do you think book publishing is stuck in a rut, or is it changing (for better or worse)?
Read More
AI Lawsuits, Ripoffs, and Copyrights, oh my! A bevy of concerns are churning around AI and authors’ works. Keeping informed is a smart move. Scholastic does an about face on their shaky stance on diverse books. Wattpad goes the way of streaming services and ups its fees. Book sales figures aren’t encouraging—except for the romance genre. Authors’ actual incomes are always a shocker, but it’s important to know what to expect. Book trade shows may be shifting their emphases to think outside the box. Publishing business has a problem or two, or three. How bad is it?
AI
AI Raises Questions on Intellectual Property and Ownership
AI, Copyright, and Data Mining
Open AI Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
Authors Shocked to Find AI Ripoffs of Their Books
Authors Losing Patience with AI
AI Copyright Case May Shape Its Future
Authors’ Earnings
Author Guild’s 2023 Author Income Survey
The Brutal Truth About “Earning Out”
Bestseller Lists
Revamped USA Today Bestseller List Isn’t What It Used to Be
Book Sales Figures
Print Unit Fell in the first 9 months of 2023
Bookstore sales fell in August
Sales of Romance Novels a Cut Above
Book Bans
The People Behind Book Bans in Texas
The Emotional and Financial Toll of Book Bans
Bestselling Authors Stand Up Against Book Bans
Diversity
Scholastic Backtracks on Decision to Separate Diversity Book Fair
A Call for Diversity in Publishing
Middle Grade and Young Adult
The State of Middle Grade and Young Adult Publishing
Self-Publishing
Wattpad Updates Its Paid Program
Trade Shows
Bigger Trade Shows, More Nontraditional Books
Publishing problems
How Big a Problem is Plagiarism in Publishing?
The Rise of Impersonation Scams
Literary Agents Question Publishing’s Business Models
It seems as if I’m sharing only bad news about the publishing industry. Any good news about the industry that you’d like to share?
Read More
AI and copyright issues continue to dominate the news, as authors discover that their works are being used to create AI-generated materials, and The Authors Guild offers tips for protecting your work. Amazon is in the midst of an antitrust lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission claiming the company is monopolizing publishing. On top of that, Amazon is dealing with an influx of fake reviews. And in an AI/Amazon twist, the company is restricting the number of books that can be self-published in a day to three. Who writes three books in a day, you say? That would be AI. Book bans may not be in the number one spot, but they are alive and kicking, and some celebrities are speaking out. Despite a report that income for authors has increased slightly, most authors still make little or no money. It may not be news to authors, but it’s worth reporting on. And two books by former publishing executive about—what else?— publishing. And lots more. Read on.
AI
9 AI content detectors you may want to check out
How to send a letter telling AI companies they have no right to use your work.
More tips on how to fight AI’s use of your hard-earned work.
A ChatGPT analysis of a Danielle Steele novel. (There’s more if you click the link.)
Getty Images launches safe generative AI images
An attorney’s take on what AI will mean for publishing.
Amazon launches an AI tool to help sellers with product listings
Open AI says not every ChatGPT is a derivative work
Amazon
A peek behind the Amazon curtain and it ain’t pretty
FTC sues Amazon alleging illegal online marketplace monopoly
Book business applauds government lawsuit against Amazon
Amazon’s latest actions against fake review brokers
Response to the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against Amazon
Amazon restricts authors from self-publishing more than 3 books a day
Audiobooks
Commuters have contributed to audiobooks becoming a billion dollar industry
Book Bans
Book bans rising sharply in libraries
Penguin Random House launched “Banned Wagon: A vehicle for change”
Celebrities speak out about book bans
Publishing
Publisher’s Weekly says author incomes post small gains
Diversity or lack thereof in the literary agent landscape
PublisHer, an international network for women in book publishing, met at Brazil’s book fair
The state of the printing industry
How important is the back cover of a book?
Where have all the YA paperbacks gone?
Two books by former publishing executives about—what else?—publishing
Have you discovered that your works are feeding AI programs? Have you taken steps to remedy the issue? Do you believe that AI-generated books (at the rate of 3 day, apparently) might affect sales of your books? It’s […]
Read More
So, once again AI dominated the publishing news, affecting everything from self-publishing to the monster that is Amazon. Running a close second, is book banning and censorship. BookTok is still a force in book sales, but will it last? And then there’s the sale of Simon & Schuster to a private equity firm. What that will mean, nobody knows for sure. And a roundup of scams all writers and authors should know about.
AI
AI Is Coming for Your Audiobooks
How AI-Generated Books Could Hurt Self-Published Authors
Goodreads and Amazon Becoming Dumpster Fires?
Will the Powers that Be Care that AI Isn’t As Good As Creatives?
New York Times Considers Legal Action Against Open AI
How AI Could Transform the Economy
Federal Judge Rules That AI Art Can’t Be Copyrighted
Book Banning
What Penguin Random House Is Doing about Book Banning
A Surge in Education Intimidation Bills
Hearing to Block Texas Book Rating Law
Rewriting Children’s Books Justified?
ChatGPT Being Used to Help Remove Library Books
Publishers to Help Rate Their Own Books for Sale in Texas?
Motion to Dismiss Texas Book Rating Law
Book Stores
Unionized Staff at Massachusetts Barnes & Noble Walkout
Booksellers at the Vanguard of the Culture Wars
Booksellers Want the Justice Department to Investigate Amazon
BookTok
How Long Will BookTok’s Boost to Book Sales Last?
Print Book Sales Continue to Decline, Can BookTok Help?
BookTok Means Less Visibility for Some Titles
Publishing and Amazon
What the Sale of Simon & Schuster Means for Authors and the Industry
Judge Says Amazon E-Book Monopoly Suit Should Proceed
Amazon’s Literary Partnerships and Beneficiaries
First Half of the Year Shows Book Sales Up 1% to 2%
Archive liable for copyright infringement for its program to scan and lend library books
Scams
New and Inventive Publishing Scams
The news is rather depressing, but which do you think is the bigger issue for the future of books—book banning and censorship or being replaced by AI?
Read More
Lots of juggling going on in publishing this past month. Where it lands, nobody knows. Efforts to increase inclusivity also made the news. The book banning train has left the station in some states, the first defamation lawsuit over AI has been filed, and audiobooks may be coming to a brick and mortar store near you. Read on.
AI
AI’s Possible Effects on Publishing
Authors Join Legal Battle Brewing Over AI
Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Issues Policy Position for AI
Open AI Faces World’s First Defamation Lawsuit
Audiobooks
Audiobooks Offered in Some Brick and Mortar Stores
Book Banning
Booksellers in the Forefront of the Fight Against Book Bans in Texas
Industry Groups File Suit to Block Texas Book Rating Law
Free Expression Challenges in the US and France
Fight to Uphold Block Florida’s Stop-Woke Act
Bookstores
New and Improved Barnes & Noble?
Efforts to Save Flooded Vermont Bookstores
Inclusivity
Disability Representation in Publishing
How the National Braille Press Brings Books to Blind Readers
Indie Publishing
Writers Digest Lists Best Indie Websites for 2023
Self Publish with Barnes & Noble Press
Startup Proposes Influencer-Driven Publishing
Publishing Changes Afoot
Layoffs at Penguin Random House, Presses closing, Booksellers Unionize, Possible Publishing Buyout, The Possible Effects of a UPS Strike, Copyright Crisis and more.
Random House Buyout Triggers Departures
End of an Era at Random House?
One Billion Dollar Audiobook Sale?
Harper Collins Files Grievance After Union Head Fired
Mental Health Crisis Among Authors and Publishers
Ripple Effects of Layoffs and Shuttered Imprints
The “Merchification” of Book Publishing
Canada’s Downsizing at Access Copyright
Did I miss any major news? If yes, let me know, and I’ll try to follow up next month!
Read More
Second verse same as the first—AI led the news once again in June, followed by Book Ban news, but resistance seems to be gaining momentum. The USA Today Bestseller List is back! And a New York Times article about Goodreads apparently caused the site to crash. But no fear, it’s back, warts and all. So, dig in!
AI
Will AI forever change publishing? What about copyright issues? Japan has a few things to say about it and a hearing was held in the US on the topic.
How AI Is Changing Book Publishing
Will Google AI Search Turn Digital Publishing Upside Down?
The Riddle of AI, Copyright, Authorship, Ownership
Key Takeaways from Hearing on AI and Copyright Law
Japan Issues Statement on AI and Copyright Regulation
Amazon Tactics?
Alleged price fixing and manipulative tactics by Amazon were in the news.
FTC Sues Amazon Over Manipulative Tactics
Court Hears Case About Price Fixing by Amazon and Publishers
Audiobooks
Audiobook listening is still growing, but will AI be the next voice you hear?
European Publishers See Audiobooks and AI as Inevitabilities
Where to Start with Audiobook Publishing
Audiobook Listening Is Trending Up
Libraries and Censorship
The American Library Association is fighting the good fight against book censorship, and Judy Blume is aiding in the fight.
American Library Association Fighting Censorship
Libraries Reaffirm Freedom-to-Read
At ALA Judy Blume Defends Freedom to Read
New “Book Sexual Rating” Law in Texas
Lists and Reviews
USA Today Bestseller List Is Back!
Goodreads—The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Publishing Trends and Happenings
June’s publishing news ran the gamut from publishing company acquisitions and Black women in publishing, to the carbon footprint of books and LGBTQ voices in literature.
Black Lawrence Press Acquires Nomadic Press Adult Titles
Graphic/Comic Formats Enliven Religious Titles
Elizabeth Gilbert’s Decision to Pull Russian-Set Novel
European Book Fairs Want American Literature
Australia’s New Publishing Guide
Carbon-Emission Labels on Books in the Future?
Sales
Sales numbers are a mixed bag. Read ’em and weep.
Publishing Blind Spots Miss Sales
April Publishing Numbers Tell a Story
What did you find to be the biggest publishing news during the month of June? Did I miss something major? If yes, please let me know. I’ll be here same time next month!
Read More
Most aspiring authors and even those among us who have been there, done that, are desirous of the literary Golden Ticket—an agent, preferably a dream agent who ticks off all the things on your ultimate literary wish list. Like Charlie of Chocolate Factory fame when he opened a candy bar to find that shiny gold ticket, countless writers are waiting, wishing, hoping, and crossing fingers and toes to open the email that will allow entry into that exclusive club—the upper echelon of the literary world with an agent by their side to usher them in.
I’m just not one of them.
First a bit of backstory. I’ve had agents, plural. I had one for a few years doing little calorie-counting books with one of the Big 5. But I love telling the story of my second agent just to gauge other writers’ reactions. It was about 16 years ago. My background is in health and nutrition and my day job has been writing about those topics for pretty much my whole career. Another writer in the same field and I got together and wrote a book about nutrition. She had a certain amount of name recognition and we easily got a well-known and respected New York agent, had several in-person meetings with acquisition editors at major publishing houses, there was an auction that ended with a 6-figure advance from one of the Big 5, which even after the agent’s fee and splitting it 50/50 with my co-author, was still 6 figures.
Yeah, I know, right?
My, how times have changed. That would never happen today, of course. Especially with a fiction manuscript from an unknown author. But my point is that I have “been there, done that,” so I know what agent success looks and feels like.
Yes, I’ve queried my fiction. I had my eye on a few agents, who I was certain that if they would take me on, it would spell success. Not the financial windfall of my nonfiction book, but some modicum of success. It was not fun. Any writer who has ever queried knows the obsessive nature of scouring over QueryTracker, keeping Excel sheets of potential agents, checking emails just one more time in case the email arrived in the 5 minutes since you last checked, and the heartbreak of getting form letters churned out to let you know that they “just didn’t connect with the story the way I would have hoped.”
I had no takers, so I queried small publishers.
Jump to present day. My novel, “When Robins Appear,” was published with Red Adept Publishing in 2020 and with more than 1,600 ratings on Amazon, I’m happy as a “pig in mud,” as my southern mother used to say. That’s not to boast, or compare myself to authors getting far fewer or far more, but to show that attracting readers is possible even with a small publisher. Red Adept has accepted a second manuscript for publication, a new book which will be released this coming August. I’m working on novel #3, which I plan to submit to them as well. I have zero desire to subject myself to the slings and arrows of the querying process again. Of course, every writer’s goals, as well as every […]
Read More
Stories about AI led the news in May, both the pros and cons, mostly cons. More sad news about book bans, with a highly regarded poem thrown out for good measure, but there are also signs of a growing push back. So, dig in!
AI
We’d all better be paying closer attention to how AI is going to play out in the future, both as writers and as humans. It’s making headlines as the potential for pluses and problems appear to be infinite.
Google’s new editor helping to perfect fakery
Is AI paving the path to email hell?
Scribd changes its terms in response to AI
The best AI-powered apps—if you’re so inclined
UK is launching a review of AI’s impact on consumers
Biden and Harris meet with CEOs about AI risks
Is AI already replacing writers?
A boom in AI-written books on Amazon
Laws governing AI are like the wild, wild west
Hard work, not AI is the key to success
Book Banning
Libraries, inauguration poems, textbooks—book banners have them all in their sites.
Most banned authors of all time
Librarians, publishers, bookstores join lawsuit in Arkansas
Amanda Gorman poem banned in Florida
Publishers suing Florida school district over book bans
Book Banning in America has never been worse
Publishing
Book shows, editorial turnover at New Leaf Books and others, commentaries on the state of publishing, and Trump vs Woodward.
Book business could be a better lgbtq ally
Industry news, trade shows, events from Publishers Weekly
New Leaf issues update for authors
When your publisher gets the cover very wrong
The current state of being a published writer—weird and worrisome
Publishing people roundup—who’s in, who’s out?
Trump vs Simon & Schuster and Woodward
Ten Speed Press launches graphic book imprint
Wave of resignations at Coffee House Press
Bookstores
It’s all about Barnes & Noble. Now that it seems to be on the come back, employees want to unionize.
One take on Barnes & Noble “makeover”
Flagship Barnes & Noble in NYC launches union drive
Social Media
In a head-to-head with Twitter, Snapchat, Tiktok and Reddit, Linked In comes out on top?
LinkedIn driving content discovery for publishers
What say you about AI? Are concerns justified or is the hand wringing unnecessary? If you have any sources on the topic you’d like to share for next month, I’d love to hear […]
Read More
April was full of publishing news, a few eyebrow-raising bits about AI and more gut-wrenching news about book bans. But there was good news about indie bookstores and indie publishing. So, dig in!
AI
While the growing presence and influence of AI is concerning, there’s also the belief that it can’t replace human creativity. At least not yet.
INTRODUCING TOTAL CRAP, THE FIRST MAGAZINE WRITTEN ENTIRELY BY AI
A battle royal is brewing over copyright and AI
0% of My Skills Are Now Worth $0
Copyright Laws and AI Writing Bots: How Much of This is Legal?
How to Make Productive Use of ChatGPT
Size of LLMs won’t matter as much moving forward
Can AI Reduce Discrimination Against Non-native Writers?
Amazon
Like it or not, Amazon is the biggest game in town. Here’s what going on with them.
Amazon is Closing Book Depository at the End of April
Bookstores
Original bookstore promotion to keep book buyers coming to independent bookstores.
Independent Bookstore Day 2023 Thrived on Passport Promotions
Libraries and Book Banning
It seems that book banning hasn’t yet reached its peak, and libraries are a target.
Texas County to Consider Shutting Down Library After Book Ban Ruling
National Library Week to Include ‘Right to Read Day’
Missouri House Republicans want to defund libraries. Here’s why
PEN Report Shows State Legislation ‘Supercharging’ Book Bans
Publishing
The publishing industry is slow to change, but change is in the air.
Book Publishing’s Bilingual Boom
Survey Finds Self-Published Authors Making Gains
Trying to Find the New Normal in Book Publishing
Amazon Launches Your Company Bookshelf
Large Trade Publishers See Flat Sales for 2022
Bookseller survey finds debut authors struggle with lack of support
Harper Design Closed Among More Layoffs at HarperCollins
Google Becomes a Client of MVB’s Metabooks
Starting Salaries at Big Publishers Grow
The Emperor’s Old Clothes: Publishing’s Supply Chain Needs an Upgrade
‘Things are definitely opening up’: the rise of older female writers
Self-Publishing
Traditionally published authors, take note.
Self-published authors earn more than traditionally published counterparts, according to ALLi report
Social Media
The revolving door of changes taking place in Twitter are dizzying.
Twitter will let media publishers charge per article starting in May
Miscellaneous Newsworthy Links
Anatomy of a Fake Literary Agency Scam
Anything else you’d like to see in future columns? If you have a great free source of news about books, publishing, and the business of being an author, please share and I’ll check it out for next month.
Read More
March was weighed down with news about book bans and AI, both of which are unsettling, albeit in very different ways. The final word isn’t yet in on either one, but the conflict and confusion surrounding both is fully present. There’s plenty of other news to share about publishing, audiobooks, libraries, and TikTok. So, dig in!
Hopefully, this new look for Getting Down to Business makes it easier to decide which stories to click on and read. (Thank you Keith Cronin for your suggestion.)
AI
You can’t turn on a news channel or checkout a news site without something about AI. Well, here’s some more.
AI Narration of Audiobooks Is Coming
Is it Time to Hit the Pause Button on AI?
AI: The Hair-Raising Topic of 2023
Science Fiction Publishers Flooded with AI-Generated Stories
Google’s AI Doctor is Getting Better
Audiobooks Are Thriving, But Will AI Takeover?
Elon Musk and Others Call for Pause on A.I.
Publishers Worry A.I. Chatbots Will Cut Readership
Audiobooks
Aren’t all audiobooks “Original”? Read and find out.
Just What Makes an Audiobook “Original”?
Book Banning and Censorship
An increase in book banning and censorship is stimulating activism to make it stop.
Florida Screens Math Books for “Prohibited Topics”
Florida Teachers’ Union Sues over Book Banning
A Roundup of Book Banning News and Tips for Action
Activists Figure a Way to Skirt Book Bans
Galvanizing the Public to Fight Back at SXSW
Mississippi Banned Book Festival
Shocking Increase in Attempted Book Bans in 2022
Libraries
Libraries need funding and library lending issues are front and center.
Coalition Forms to Battle Library e-book Bills
Library Supporters Urge Congress to Provide Funds
Internet Archive’s Scanning and Lending Program
Publishing
Women now lead the publishing race, but there are some bad publishing actors out there.
How Bad Publishers Hurt Authors
The Lack of a Living Wage in Publishing
Women Now Publishing More Books Than Men
TikTok
TikTok is still the talk ov the town, where books are concern.
TikTok’s Influence on the Book Market Is Growing
Anything else you’d like to see in future columns? If you have a great free source of news about books, publishing and the business of being an author, please share and I’ll check it out for next month.
Read More
February was an incredibly busy news month for books, audiobooks, bookstores, and publishers, but AI and its potential impact on authors and publishing was in the forefront. Where AI stops nobody knows, but it definitely warrants paying close attention. It was impossible to include every newsworthy item, but here are some highlights.
AI
Is AI all that? It’s too soon to tell, but lots of people in the biz have lots to say about it, from chatbots that argue with you to creating original book covers, and a surge in AI-generated submissions that caused one publication to stop accepting submissions. Can AI be sued for copyright infringement? Is AI artwork protectable? We’ll see on both counts.
https://www.authormedia.com/ai-book-covers/
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/does-ai-art-affect-indie-authors/
https://link.wired.com/view/5c17ef9b2ddf9c4e2963e6c8i75is.gc6/471e7abf
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/getty-images-sues-stability-ai-for-copyright-infringement/
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/u-s-copyright-office-tells-judge-that-ai-artwork-isnt-protectable/
Amazon
The book monolith Amazon has been criticized for its liberal return policy for ebooks, allowing enough time for a book to be read and then returned, leaving authors without compensation. It would seem that a recent policy change will help clamp down on ebook abusers.
Diversity in Publishing
Movements to increase diversity in publishing (both on the author and publishing side of the equation) continue, but disagreements exist on exactly how to define diversity.
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/the-state-of-diversity-in-the-publishing-industry/
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/the-state-of-social-media-as-it-pertains-to-writers-in-particular/
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/91501-what-s-in-a-label.html
Bookstores
Barnes & Noble’s numbers are looking up, and bookshop.org will soon begin selling ebooks.
Audiobooks
A Stockholm-based audiobook subscription company is going gangbusters. Check out this stellar panel on the art of creating an audiobook from the National Book Festival,
https://publishingperspectives.com/2023/02/storytel-touts-q4-results-in-a-truly-remarkable-year/
Book Sales
It’s up, it’s down. The sales numbers don’t always paint a clear picture.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2023/02/npd-bookscan-sees-2023-us-market-off-to-a-solid-start/
Children’s Books
A look back at 2022 children’s books bestsellers, a look ahead to 2023, plus the pushback on proposed inclusive edits to Roald Dahl’s children’s books.
International News
Indie retail numbers are at a 10-year high in Britain, China’s books sales were down, anti-LGBT law in Russia narrows choices, and long-running literary debate show in Canada, “Canada Reads,” is back.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2023/02/canada-reads-returns-featuring-station-eleven/
https://publishingperspectives.com/2023/02/chinas-book-market-in-2022-an-11-77-percent-decline/
Publishers Big and Small
Harper-Collins strike ends, McMillan Publishing is increasing employees’ base pay, hybrid publisher takes a stand, and lamentations from an insider over the shifting sands in the publishing world.
https://www.idealog.com/blog/running-a-big-publishing-house-is-not-as-much-fun-as-it-used-to-be/
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/newsbrief/index.html?record=4088
Any news from the month that you’d like to share?
Read More
While we all want to stay on top of what’s current about craft, be alerted to the latest conferences, and connect with fellow writers on social media, staying informed about the business side of writing and publishing is some (or many) might say, a necessary evil. To save you from spending hours scrolling through websites to find insights into the business side of writing, we’ve curated a list of recent posts for you to dig into or peruse at your leisure. We hope you’ll find value in these and share the links with anyone else who might want to keep up with the latest.
Well, 2023 has started off with a publishing bang. Lots of news, everything from AI’s increasing presence to suggested prison time for our literary guardians who refused to remove banned books—our librarians.
AI
Artificial Intelligence and the growing questions and concerns surrounding it, continue to make headlines. A decade of research is generating a more powerful and more mature breed of A.I. A link to the best AI writing software. A writer lets her AI “assistant” write her bio with some pretty funny results, and editor and author, Tiffany Yates Martin, muses about what AI may mean for authors.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/technology/generative-ai-chatgpt-investments.html
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/25-best-ai-writing-software-for-2023-best-picks/
Audiobooks
AI enters audiobook territory as Apple unveils AI narrated audiobooks. Will the rising demand for audiobooks create opportunity for authors or will new auto-narrated audiobook creation simply expand the offering of text-to-speech technology. And a boom in Spanish language audiobooks.
https://medium.com/@elisechidleyauthor/audiobooks-the-future-of-publishing-d604c499be05
https://publishingperspectives.com/2023/01/sonic-boom-spanish-language-audiobooks-are-soaring/
Book Banning and Book Shaming
At least one state wants prison time for librarians who refuse to remove banned books, and a New York Times opinion piece takes a look back at the fallout from “American Dirt.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/opinion/american-dirt-book-publishing.html
Book Conferences
Check out some of the book Conferences, Fairs and Festivals slated for the first half of 2023.
Bookstores
In a surprising turnaround, Barnes & Noble plans to open 30 more stores.
Environmental Concerns
French publisher, Hachette Livre intends to use 100-percent renewable energy by 2026, by reducing overproduction, freight, and more. An shining example for publishers in the US?
International Publishers
The first report from the Börsenverein on the German book market’s 2022 performance depicts “a major economic challenge,” and the UK’s Independent Publishers Guild is planning a digital showcase of books in the guild’s collective stands at the London Book Fair in April of this year.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2023/01/germanys-borsenverein-2022-book-sales-down-2-1-percent/
Libraries
Digital lends at libraries at record levels. How often do you borrow ebooks from the library?
Publishing News and Trends
A new report says that publishers are planning to create most of their revenue through subscriptions and memberships. Also, with negotiations stalled, Random House and the union have agreed to employ an independent mediator to help end a strike that has stretched on since early November. And New York Magazine talks about what Penguin Random House’s Failed Bid to Eat S&S Means for Publishing. And Centrello, president and publisher of Random House, retires after 23 years.
Therese here to introduce you to our new monthly columnist, Densie Webb! Densie had been working as a vital part of WU’s Twitter team for quite some time, gathering links to share there on the business of fiction. She’ll now bring that valuable knowledge to WU-blog — sharing some of the best, most pertinent links on the business here every month in Getting Down to Business. Please join me in welcoming her to this important beat for us all. Welcome, Densie, and thank you!
While we all want to stay on top of what’s current about craft, be alerted to the latest conferences, and connect with fellow writers on social media, staying informed about the business side of writing and publishing is some (or many) might say, a necessary evil. To save you from spending hours scrolling through websites to find insights into the business side of writing, we’ve curated a list of recent posts for you to dig into or peruse at your leisure. We hope you’ll find value in these and share the links with anyone else who might want to keep up with the latest.
Book Defenders
There are forces trying to limit what we can read and that will undoubtedly affect publishing. But on the other side are forces fighting hard to keep reading rights intact. Here are some notable examples to cheer on and follow.
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Okay, so this might seem like it belongs in a post about writing, rather than publishing, but trust us, the topic of chatbots and AI-generated stories, will definitely affect publishing. Most likely sooner, rather than later.
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/a-new-chatbot-is-a-code-red-for-googles-search-business/
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/could-an-ai-chatbot-rewrite-my-novel
TikTok
While the White House has banned the use of TikTok on any device used by federal agencies, it’s alive and well in the book world, with publishers working both directly and indirectly with TikTok influencers. It’s a major driver for young(ish) readers. And it looks like TikTok may be venturing into the book selling business. Stay tuned.
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/how-will-booktok-change-publishing-in-2023/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/nov/17/tiktok-to-sell-books-directly-to-users-via-marketplace
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/when-it-comes-to-tiktok-authors-must-manage-their-expectations/
https://thenewpublishingstandard.com/2022/11/27/global-publishers-social-media-is-not-your-enemy/
Bookstores
Barnes & Noble is alive and (maybe) well, while indie bookstores are trying new growth strategies, including mail order, forming new partnerships, participating in book fairs, and even using GoFundMe campaigns to keep their doors open.
Publishers
A publishing merger fall through, a publishing CEO steps down, COVID consequences are felt in publishing, a Swiss publisher of children’s books enters the US and Canada, and midlist authors are here to stay. Read all about it.
https://www.thepassivevoice.com/a-case-for-the-midlist/\
https://publishingperspectives.com/2022/12/prh-ceo-markus-dohle-stepping-down-end-of-year/
Diversity
U.S. bookstores are going to expand their Spanish-language offerings and two reports from the BookTrust, a non-profit based in the UK, addresses the question of diversity of authors and illustrators of children’s books within the UK market.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2022/12/authors-of-color/
Have you come across any opportunities or news dealing with the business side of publishing? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Read More- « Previous
- 1
- 2
