Most startups will never see anything close to the amount of money Twitter plans on raising during its IPO this week (a reported $1.6 billion) and in fact, three out of four tech businesses fail. Entrepreneurs in training looking to create a successful company, then, might want to know what turned the 140–character sharing service into a viable business worth billions. For answers to that elusive question, Fast Company spoke with Nick Bilton, New York Times columnist and the author of the forthcoming book Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal. Nick BiltonImage via Twitter Bilton tells the tale of Twitter's founding, which he likens to a murder mystery. Nobody dies, he assures. But, as the title of the book indicates, the company had a tumultuous beginning. The four founders of Odeo, which turned into Twitter, started as friends. "As Twitter grew, the four founders fought bitterly for money, influence, publicity, and control over a company that grows larger and more powerful by the day," explains the book's Amazon page. Out of those ashes, however, emerged a service so powerful it can influence stock markets and revolutions alike. So how did the soon–to–be Twitter billionaires turn chaos into gold? Here are 8 tips drawn from a conversation with Bilton: Lesson 1: Mythical founding stories are just that: myths. "Founding a startup is actually very difficult–– a lot more difficult than I think we sometimes realize when we cover these... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'
[ Fast Company | 2013-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
Welcome back! The US Copyright Office (USCO) is again refusing to grant copyright for a work of art that was created by an artificial intelligence system. Dr. Stephen Thaler attempted to copyright a piece of art titled A Recent Entrance to Paradise, claiming in a second request for... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-02-22 12:15:53 UTC ]
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A few months back, Blade Runner director Ridley Scott said a live-action series set in that universe is in the works. The project looks to be a step closer to reality, as Amazon Studios has reportedly put it in development. Amazon's TV and film production arm is said to be fast tracking scripts... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-02-11 18:28:55 UTC ]
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If you’ve been paying attention to local news in the past year, you’ve likely noticed the concerning wave of book bans sweeping the nation. Books by authors of color; books that acknowledge historical atrocities; books featuring LGBTQ+ characters; sex education books for teens; all are under... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-02-09 19:49:33 UTC ]
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What launched as a sort of support group in the early days of Covid-19, Friends & Fiction celebrated its 100th episode on November 24. PW caught up with show's creators and hosts, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Patti Callahan Henry, to talk about the remarkable... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-30 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Those who have been paying attention to local education news and the critical race theory debate know that many school districts are battling over what materials can be kept in libraries and taught in classrooms. The battle is making its way to the courts: just this week a PEN America report... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-11-11 17:33:10 UTC ]
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Amazon is the Standard Oil of the 21st century. Its business operations and global reach dwarf those of virtually every other company on the planet — and exceed the GDP of more than a few countries — illustrating the vital importance innovation has on the modern economy. In his latest book, The... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2021-10-16 15:30:33 UTC ]
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Alex Tresniowski explains the impact of Ida B. Wells on the quest for equal justice. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-03-19 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Anyone shocked by the cancellation of six Dr. Seuss books hasn’t been paying attention. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-03-02 06:26:28 UTC ]
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A brief guide to the evolution of comic book art styles, from the early days of comic strips to present day. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-08-06 10:35:00 UTC ]
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On June 1st, a group of book publishers—Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, John Wiley & Sons, and Penguin Random House, all member companies of the Association of American Publishers—filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the Internet Archive, whose “National Emergency... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-06-01 17:48:23 UTC ]
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How good it was to be forced to read some funny novels in the early days of the virus crisis. A judge’s lot in the Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction - for which the shortlist was announced last week - is usually a happy one. True, it is also a reminder that humour on the page needs... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-01 07:29:18 UTC ]
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Interviews Veronica Esposito John Keene is the author of Counternarratives, which received an American Book Award and the Republic of Consciousness Prize. He is also the recipient of a Lannan Literary Award and a MacArthur Fellowship. He is the... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2020-03-30 15:27:14 UTC ]
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The 55th annual National Magazine Awards, originally set for Thursday, have been pushed to a to-be-determined date later in the Spring, the American Society of Magazine Editors said Monday. A mere three days before the event, the timing of the announcement—in which ASME cited the "near-certain... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2020-03-10 17:17:20 UTC ]
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With two acclaimed novels under her belt, Evie Wyld’s dazzling new work looks set to win further praise. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-09 17:03:29 UTC ]
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After the massive blowback from its selection of American Dirt—a book about the migrant experience widely denounced for having very little connection to the migrant experience (or to Mexico, where the book is set)—it makes sense that Oprah’s Book Club would make future selections more... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-03-05 17:20:51 UTC ]
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Size matters. At least when it comes to your inactive email list. That’s a message Google and other email providers have made loud in clear to publishers with bloated email lists. Email deliverability is an ongoing concern in publishing as spam filters become more selective, which in turn are... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2020-02-27 16:59:28 UTC ]
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Interviews Veronica Esposito Ottilie Mulzet is the principal English-language translator of Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, winner of numerous international honors. Together, they received the 2019 National Book Award in Translation for Mulzet’s... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2020-02-20 14:05:36 UTC ]
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Voice user interface (VUI) is becoming a pressing navigation need as more consumers and offices are employing technologies such as Google Assistant, Alexa and others. As VoiceBrew points out, several publishers like the Financial Times, the New York Times, and the Business Insider’s “Ten Tech... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2020-02-11 18:18:29 UTC ]
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You up? It's People. Starting Sunday, People magazine says it will be offering free, exclusive Oscars red carpet and backstage content to users who text 212-479-1704 and sign up by providing their name and phone number. The project is part of a partnership with Community, a messaging platform... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2020-02-04 19:22:48 UTC ]
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