Amazon ebook pricing battle intensifies after 'Authors United' ad

Compares Hachette dispute to past paperback fears, but partially quoting George Orwell is a risky moveAmazon has hit back following an open letter from more than 900 authors criticising its licensing dispute with publisher Hachette, which was published as an ad in the New York Times.However, the latest blog post from the Amazon Books Team is raising eyebrows within the publishing industry due to its use of a partial quote from George Orwell in support of its cause.We have made Amazon many millions of dollars and over the years have contributed so much, free of charge, to the company by way of cooperation, joint promotions, reviews and blogs.This is no way to treat a business partner. Nor is it the right way to treat your friends. Without taking sides on the contractual dispute between Hachette and Amazon, we encourage Amazon in the strongest possible terms to stop harming the livelihood of the authors on whom it has built its business.With it being so inexpensive and with so many more people able to afford to buy and read books, you would think the literary establishment of the day would have celebrated the invention of the paperback, yes? Nope. Instead, they dug in and circled the wagons.They believed low cost paperbacks would destroy literary culture and harm the industry (not to mention their own bank accounts). Many bookstores refused to stock them, and the early paperback publishers had to use unconventional methods of distribution places like newsstands and... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #status quo #penguin books #market share #big businesses #reading public

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Ether for Authors: BoatExpo America

Porter Anderson previews this week's BookExpo America and ponders how changes at the fair reflect the ongoing transformation of "the industry, the industry!" Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookexpo america


Amazon's Kindle Worlds fan fiction publisher draws mixed reactions

Some see Amazon's Kindle Worlds fan fiction publishing platform as a great marketing move, while others are wary of Amazon's ownership of ideas. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Is Amazon Too Much Trouble to Deal With? One Pub Says Yes

Frustrated by what it sees as poor service, independent children's book publisher Barefoot Books says 'life is too short' to deal with Amazon and is cutting its ties. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #poor service #independent children


Amazon opens fan-fiction service

Amazon is once again shaking up traditional publishing models. This time, it's giving fans a chance to add their own personal touches to their favourite fiction - and get paid in the process. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2013-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #giving fans


US can prove Apple pricing conspiracy

The US has evidence that will show Apple participated in a conspiracy to raise the prices of ebooks, the judge overseeing the government's civil antitrust case against the company says. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2013-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Struggling for Ad Support, Huffington Mag Looks Past iPad

When The Huffington Post’s weekly iPad magazine Huffington transitioned from a pay model to free last August, advertising was intended to sustain the tablet-native title, as consumers had resisted paying for it. Almost a year postlaunch, it looks like advertisers are rejecting it, too. A... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #high-water mark #david rittenhouse #neo@ogilvy #active users


The Author as Entrepreneur

Samuel Johnson famously said “no man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Glee' star Lea Michele will author a combination memoir/ how-to book

Lea Michele has appeared in several Broadway productions and stars on the Fox musical series 'Glee.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon reveals fan fiction platform

Fan fiction authors will be able to publish and sell some titles in the US via new ebook platform Kindle Worlds. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2013-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Life without Amazon? Barefoot Books is the David that cut ties to Goliath

Massachusetts-based publisher Barefoot Books had previously cut ties with Barnes & Noble and Borders. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barefoot books #cut ties #barnes noble


Amazon's Kindle Worlds will allow writers to sell fan fiction

The digital publishing platform will let fans write, publish, and sell the stories they've written based on popular books, TV shows, and more. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Record price for Harry Potter book

A rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone with annotations and drawings by JK Rowling sells for a record £150,000. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon launches Kindle Worlds publishing platform for fan fiction, will pay royalties to writers and rights holders

Amazon's taken a number of steps to bring different types of content to the Kindle Store, and it's now venturing into an area that has a long history with the internet: fan fiction. The company's today announced Kindle Worlds, a new publishing platform that promises to pay writers royalties for... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Digital Pioneer Goes Back to Print: No Ebook of Stephen King’s Latest

Despite his early support for ebooks, Stephen King latest novel, Joyland will be published in print only, with no digital version anticipated. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Stephen King's decision to skip the ebook format gets renewed attention

Stephen King said his new novel, 'Joyland,' will be released in paper format only. 'Let people ... go to an actual bookstore,' said King. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J.K. Rowling, Hilary Mantel, and other British authors auction off annotated first editions

J.K. Rowling and other authors are selling first-edition copies of their books with annotations, written thoughts on the book, and/or illustrations to benefit the writers' organization English PEN. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why I Publish Ebooks on Paper for South Africans

Arthur Attwell, founder of Paperight, explains why his company has leveraged the network of photocopy shops throughout South Africa to cater to hard-to-reach readers. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publish ebooks #south africa


Alma launches cut-price classics

Alma Books is launching a new series of low-priced classics, and will be the first publisher in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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No ebook for Stephen King's new novel, 'Joyland'

In a move to bump up physical book sales, Stephen King will not release an ebook version of his new novel, "Joyland," the Wall Street Journal reports.In a move to bump up physical book sales, Stephen King will not release an ebook version of his new novel, "Joyland," the Wall Street Journal reports. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook version #stephen king


Patchett: 'Authors must work with trade'

Orange Prize-winner Ann Patchett has warned that authors who decide to shun traditional... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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