Amazon Changed Reading. Now It Could Change Writing

Throughout its 17-year history, Amazon has helped change the way that books are sold, the format in which they’re read and how they are published. Now it could change how they’re written. In addition to the Kindle Fire HD and the Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon introduced a subscription book format at a press conference in Los Angeles Thursday. These books, called "Kindle Serials," will be released in segments instead of in their entirety. Updates, or "episodes," automatically appear at the back of the book as they’re created or released without extra charge. Charles Dickens popularized a similar format more than 100 years ago when he famously published many of his works as segments in weekly publications . Bezos invoked the author's works when announcing the new product, and some of them, including Oliver Twist, will be re-released as Kindle Serials. Dickens, however, didn’t have the Internet. Or data about how readers responded to each of his chapters. "[Kindle Series] Authors will be able to follow along with reader reaction and adapt the next installments based on the first ones," Bezos said. Amazon will provide discussion boards for each Kindle Serials book. Unlike most book discussion boards, they may influence the outcome of the books. Unlike in Dickens era, anyone reading can participate. "Serialized fiction is perfect for contemporary book culture, where writers interact with their readers directly and books can be delivered with an immediacy that the old pulp... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2012-09-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #social networks #analytics dashboard #social features #sponsored content

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Amazon Changed Reading. Now It Could Change Writing'


Piers Torday | 'Reading, writing, telling and sharing stories are the building blocks of humanity and civilisation'

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe had a lasting impression on author Piers Torday—so much so, that his latest book is loosely based on the classic. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #piers torday #sharing stories #building blocks #loosely based


Amazon Echo now reads your first Audible book for free

Amazon has a new way to reel you into Audible now that smart speakers are a big deal: give you a freebie just by asking. As of this week, anyone who's new to Audible can ask an Echo speaker to read a full audiobook at no cost. You don't have to be pi... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2018-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon echo #smart speakers #big deal


'Handmaid's Tale' Was the Year's Most Read Novel On Amazon

'The Handmaid's Tale' and 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck' were the most-read fiction and nonfiction titles, respectively, on Amazon in 2017. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #subtle art #*ck #nonfiction titles


'Grumpy squirrel' story wins Amazon Christmas Writing competition

A digital marketing manager has won the Amazon Christmas Writing Competition for his tale of a greedy squirrel who learns compassion from "three wise trees". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Industry Notes: Paul Auster at Guadalajara; Amazon Publishing on Short Writings

At Mexico’s Guadalajara International Book Fair, which runs through Sunday, Paul Auster has talked of turning to novels after ‘hitting a wall’ with poetry. And Amazon Publishing introduces a new imprint for short-form work. By Adam Critchley And Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief |... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #paul auster #amazon publishing #porter anderson


Amazon boosts kids' reading app with Signature Stories

Reading app Amazon Rapids has extended its offering with Signature Stories, a feature which introduces stories from its TV shows. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reading app #tv shows


Amazon Charts ranks books by what people are actually reading

Bestseller lists like the one at the New York Times measure a book's success by how many copies its sold. What it doesn't do is tell you how many of those books are being read, nor how fast. Amazon Charts aims to fix this problem with a new, weekly b... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bestseller lists


Amazon Buy-Button Change Raises Alarms, Questions

Publishers are concerned that the recently enacted policy will cut into sales, questioning the sources of “new” books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Authors offered $5k to join Amazon's Prime Reading

Amazon US is offering authors $5,000 upfront in lieu of royalties to incorporate their books into its unlimited reading programme for Prime members. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prime reading #prime members


‘Game Change’ Authors Writing Book About ‘Trump the Man’ and His Campaign

Mark Halperin, left, and John Heilemann on a panel about their series on Showtime, “The Circus,” in January 2016. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2017-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #game change #mark halperin


Alt-writing: how the far right is changing US publishing

Rightwing writers, ranging from conservative to lunatic fringe across all genres, have long been a lucrative books market. Will the new era see it grow?He compares feminism to cancer, called transgender people “retarded” and once labelled a BuzzFeed reporter a “thick-as-pig-shit media Jew”. So... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster


Can Better Writing Make Climate Change Less Polarizing?

How do writers and publishers handle charged topics like climate change? Environmentalist Jamie Clarke makes a case for including more perspectives, both for the sake of book sales and the planet. The post Can Better Writing Make Climate Change Less Polarizing? appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #climate change #book sales


Amazon launches writing competition to reinvent Twas Night Before Christmas

Amazon is launching a nationwide writing competition in search of a modern day version of popular poem "Twas Night Before Christmas".  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Prime Members Now Get Unlimited Reading On Any Device, Amazon Announces - Deal Alert

Amazon has just announced one more compelling reason to consider a Prime membership -- "Prime Reading". As a Prime member, you now have unlimited access to over a thousand books, current issue magazines, comics, Kindle Singles, and more. With access from any device – including your phone,... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle singles #prime members #unlimited reading #compelling reason #prime reading #prime member #thousand books #unlimited music #photo storage #prime memberships


Amazon Prime subscribers now have free ebooks, magazines and more with Prime Reading

If you have been looking for one more reason to become an Amazon Prime subscriber, the newly launched Prime Reading feature could just be the clincher. Prime Reading gives US subscribers access to a library of free Kindle ebooks, magazines, comics and other publications completely free of... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #top magazines #free ebooks #prime reading #exclusive content #rotating selection #kindle device


Amazon 'Kindle Reading Fund' makes books more available to those without access

The ability to read is something many of us take for granted. At a young age, you probably had tons of books in your homes and schools, enabling you to learn to both read and write. Believe it or not, not everyone has access to books. Isn't that sad? Luckily, Amazon is looking to change this.... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2016-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #makes books #fire tablets #kindle ebooks


Amazon Echo can read your Kindle books aloud on request

You don't even need to lift a finger when you're done playing Jeopardy! on Amazon Echo and want to relax with a book. Simply say "Alexa, read [Kindle book title]," and the voice assistant will start narrating almost anything you purchased from the Ki... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon echo


Amazon May Pay Self-Published Authors No More Than $0.006 Per Page Read

So much for writing short.Last month, Amazon took a page out of Spotify's playbook, electing to start paying its self-published authors by the page rather than per download. The new model was put into action Wednesday—and it looks like the e-commerce giant may now pay writers no more than $0.006... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #page read #start paying #self-published authors #e-commerce giant #pay writers


Amazon set to pay self-published authors as little as $0.006 per page read

Writers of shorter works could lose out on revenue as company’s Kindle Owners Lending Library and Kindle Unlimited no longer pay per copy downloadedSelf-published authors could be paid as little as $0.006 per page read under new rules planned by Amazon.Writers who make their works available... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon set #page read #kindle unlimited