A survey of indie presses shows that 60% fear they could be out of business by the autumn, writes Galley Beggar Press cofounder Sam JordisonOver the past few years, the success of independent publishers such as Fitzcarraldo, And Other Stories, Bluemooose and Influx Press has been something to behold. They have won prizes, engaged readers and published innovative and important books. Now that wonderful literary flowering is in danger. A survey on the impact of Covid-19 on small presses, carried out by the Bookseller and writer development charity Spread the Word, reveals that 60% of the small presses polled fear they could be out of business by the autumn, 75% don’t know if they will make it beyond March next year, while 85% of the publishers have seen sales drop by more than half.Small presses have been hit especially hard because they are more dependent on physical sales in bookstores, rather than online retailers or ebook sales. I know, because my publisher, Galley Beggar Press, has also seen a big chunk of its income disappear. One of the great strengths of our kind of publishing is that we have a real connection with dedicated readers who love books as physical objects, readers who have an equally strong connection with booksellers. A great deal of what we do relies on the enthusiasm and personal recommendations of those heroes of our trade whose shops Covid-19 has closed. We have lost many of our best advocates, not to mention the most practical way of getting books... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2020-05-15 06:00:32 UTC ]
This is the second year of operation for Germany's Buchtrailer Awards and the third year for the UK's Republic of Consciousness Prize for small presses. Both niche programs have opened for submissions. The post Industry Notes: Germany’s Buchtrailer Awards and the UK’s Republic of Consciousness... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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News that the government may bring in an ‘Amazon tax’ to help “rebalance the playing field” between physical and online retailers has been welcomed by booksellers. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With sales of backlist and frontlist titles down, as well as a drop in ebook sales, revenue in HMH's trade division fell 15% In the second quarter ended June 30. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Russian ebook distributor LitRes reports 45-percent growth year-over-year in ebook sales for the first half of this year. And Storytel, which ended its first year in May in the market, cites digital access over vast distances as a driver. The post Russia’s Growing Ebook and Audiobook Sales... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The political debate is paying off for publishers of political books, NPD's data indicates, with major titles leading a nonfiction boost that shows up not just in print but also in ebook sales. The post NPD Group Sees 32-Percent Rise in US Political Books, Year to Date appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Founder W. Paul Coates looks back at 40 years in independent book publishing, for which he feels a great deal of gratitude. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hackney-based independent publisher Influx Press has won the 2018 Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses for its title Attrib. and Other Stories by Eley Williams. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Print and ebook sales are on the rise, while audiobook sales are seeing rapid growth despite being largely untapped by most publishers, according to early results from The Bookseller’s Digital Census, the annual tracker of the digital transformation run annually ahead of the FutureBook Conference. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pearson attributed the small sales decline to what are now familiar trends--stable sales of print and audio offset by modest declines in ebook sales. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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First time in more than two years: the Association of American Publishers ' monthly StatShot report shows an increase in ebook sales in the US. The post Industry Notes: US Ebook Sales Slightly Up in May; Sourcebooks Signs With Gotham for Film, TV appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Times Literary Supplement has become the official media partner of The Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On the way to Europe's Digital Single Market, booksellers are sharply alarmed about geo-blocking and its potential effects on ebook sales. The post Europe’s Geo-Blocking Debate: Booksellers on the Ropes appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Ohio-based literary press is opening a bookstore/cafe/bar in its new headquarters in Columbus's South Side neighborhood. The new store will sell Two Dollar Radio's titles, as well as books published by other small presses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Toronto-based Kobo and Seattle's Amazon are neck-and-neck in Canadian publishers' use of ebook retailers, BookNet Canada finds, in a new 2016 survey. The post BookNet Canada: Digital Revenue Up in 2016, Ebook Sales Down appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Citing a 110-percent jump in sales in Latin America and 41 percent growth in Spain, a new report sees digital as a key to the Spanish markets' turnaround. The post Dosdoce and Bookwire Chart ‘Soaring’ Ebook Sales in the Spanish Markets appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reports in Russia describe a 60-percent growth in ebook sales last year, and analysts say digital formats may grow at 30 to 50 percent for years to come. The post Russia’s Readers Raise the Digital Stakes Amid Falling Print Sales appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Counternarratives by John Keene (Fitzcarraldo Editions) has won the inaugural Republic of Consciousness Prize for small presses, for its "once in a generation achievement for short form fiction". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Robin Hyman, the former president of the Publishers Association, whose love of dictionaries and aptitude in the independent publishing world granted him a great deal of respect within the trade, is remembered by Laurence King. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The overall message coming out of Winter Institute is that independent bookselling is thriving, particularly in light of the decline in ebook sales, Barnes & Noble’s continuing stumbles, and growing opportunities for community engagement. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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