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 ]
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Kobo has said it has “no interest in fighting publishers”, after signing its first publishing deal with journalist Kevin Donovan for a book about Canadian radio presenter Jian Gomeshi, who is currently awaiting trial for sexual assault. The Canadian ebook retailer has signed world English... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When Sweetwater Books declined to publish a book with a co-author's biography that mentioned a "partner," the book found a new, better home: Scholastic. The post Happy Ending for Gay Author Thwarted by Small Publisher appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ironmark, a Howard County-based printing, design and marketing company, announced Thursday that it had acquired United Book Press, Inc. to create a book publishing division that would boost annual revenue from $22 to $35 million. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun
[ Baltimore Sun | 2015-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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To sell online, indie publishers must use Amazon. But its methods leave them out of pocket – or out of sight, paying hidden charges, says the founder of Linen Press Indie publishers need transparency and support from online companies that sell their books. Amazon fails such publishers on both... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook announced yet another tweak to the algorithm that governs its users’ News Feeds yesterday. The social network has introduced a new tool that allows users to flag a post as “a false news story.” The move follows ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A tug of war between Google and German publishers over how online news content is displayed in search results has ended in surrender (for now) for the publishers — who have grudgingly agreed the search giant can display snippets of their co ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Unless you've been living in a book-free cave, you may have heard that retail giant Amazon and book publisher Hachette are having a little tiff. It's all about digital versions of books -- so-called ebooks -- and it boils down to this: Amazon wants... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The CEO of Germany's largest newspaper group is one of the few powerful figures speaking out about the web giantMatthias Döpfner is a man on a mission. The motives behind the mission need to be scrutinised, but when so many of old media's authority figures seem at sea in a changing environment,... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, the chair of Irish PEN, outlines how Ireland continues to punch above its weight in the literary world. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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And whoever comes out on top, you can bet the poor old writer won't be any better offA few weeks ago, we published a book called Denglisch for Better Knowers, a (hopefully) humorous book about how the English language could be improved by taking new words and concepts from German. Like "ear... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The advent of digital publishing technology and ebooks has created opportunities for home-based publishersThe world of publishing was once the preserve of very large organisations, huge publishing houses with massive production infrastructures and costs, that kept smaller niche publishers on the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The panel centered on broadening audiences for independent literature while working under budgeting constraints in an oversaturated market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Following a month of upheaval in the independent sector, publishers have told The Bookseller that... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With a mix of all-ages and adult material, print and digital, Action Lab Entertainment is trying to establish itself while maintaining a balance with a staff located around the country. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On Tuesday, Jan. 21 Google introduced AdSense Direct, an ad solution for publishers looking to initiate their own direct ad sales. Publishers will need to establish their own deals with advertisers, but once they do the transaction is as simple as sharing a link. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2014-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Are digital sellers undermining the move to automated buying? For a long time, online publishers have worried that the shift to programmatic would undercut their premium business. Some have even created their own private exchanges and are c ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-10-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Man Booker Prize submission rule changes will have a negative impact on small publishers,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Five major publishers are challenging restrictions imposed on Apple after it was found guilty of ebook price-fixing. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2013-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Challenged by shrinking sales and online piracy, Poland’s publishing industry aims to mitigate losses with more stringent price regulation, reports Jaroslaw Adamowski. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Association of Writers and Writing Programs annual conference (AWP) began decades ago as a meet-up for academic creative writing departments, students, and writers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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