Are books part of the past? Or are they essential to the future? No, we’re not talking about the shopworn debate over the death of print. In this clash for hearts and minds and money, books will likely survive — but what future lies ahead for books authors? Even as the industry sees reason for [...]
Archives: Publishers Weekly
A regular Friday feature of CCC’s podcast series, “The Publishing Week Ahead With Publishers Weekly” previews the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday. CCC’s Chris Kenneally checks in with Andrew Albanese, PW’s Features Editor, as well as a range of PW writers, experts and editors.
Publishers Weekly is the leading publication serving all involved in the creation, production, marketing and sale of the written word in all formats.
No Such Thing As Used E-Book
While the publishing world learns to live with the idea that e-books may be good for business, after all, a federal district court judge finds there is no such thing as a used e-book. “To quote OR Books founder, John Oakes, ‘e-books are God’s gift to publishing,’” Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer, tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “That gem [...]
Shades of Grey… And Green
Random House parent company Bertelsmann has put a cap on a record year for the global publishing giant with an announcement that worldwide revenue at RH rose almost 23%, while the companies’ profits operating margin jumped almost 76%. “Those are both astounding figures,” Andrew Albanese, senior writer for Publishers Weekly, tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “So what’s the key driver there? [...]
Copyright Reform Next?
Publishers prepare to pack for London, while the Supreme Court sends John Wiley & Sons packing with a copyright-related ruling that the First Sale doctrine applies as well in Bangkok as it does in Berkley. Ahead of the London Book Fair, running from April 15-17, Publishers Weekly has a preview of attractions, including Rachel Deahl’s “London Briefcase,” detailing [...]
Millionaires By the Book
With the tide of e-book sales rising fast, the number of million-selling digital titles has likewise swelled. That’s good news for authors and their publishers, and lest we forget, heartening too for all makers of devices. Yet bookstore owners can take heart as well: Hardcover sales for 2012 saw a respectable number of titles break [...]
Tech-Based SXSW Festival Goes Literary
Live and learn. In 2009, book business representatives took their show on the road to Austin and were met with a hail of digital brickbats. Four years on, the techies and the booksters have found common ground at the upcoming SXSW Interactive Festival. “In 2009, the publishers came off as disengaged, and frankly unaware of the [...]
In Books, Everyone’s Declaring Independence
Across the publishing industry, all the players are proudly declaring independence. Authors have cut ties with publishers and agents and found success in more than “50 shades.” Determined to survive in their brick-and-mortar forms, “indie” booksellers are fighting for their rights in court. And at least one public library system has created a platform for [...]
Sherlock Holmes, RIP
In a famous case, Sherlock Holmes seemed to meet his demise. Yet the character survives, and for a detective 126 years old, he manages rather well to this day in part because of an apparent quirk in copyright law. One scholar, though, wants to put an end to Holmes as a money-maker for the Conan [...]
Publishing Looks Into Future
At the Tools of Change conference for 2013, to paraphrase William Gibson, the future is already here – and it was pretty evenly distributed among the many panels and workshops. Publishers and their technology vendors were focused this week on conversion and contraction, distortion and distraction. Conference sponsors O’Reilly Media brought to the New York Marriott Marquis enough futurists for [...]
Tao of Publishing
It’s the Tao of Publishing in the Digital Age – the way to success flows from reconciling the combating forces of destruction and renewal. Put another way, satori is possible in a world of both clicks and mortar. James McQuivey, vice-president and senior analyst at Forrester Research, has a take on the book trade in transition that many will likely find welcome. Indeed, [...]
