A keen business mind and real commitment to the publishing industry are vital for a job that is all about selling – shy and retiring types need not apply Gordon Wise has been a literary agent at Curtis Brown for 10 years, and has a wide range of clients, from celebrities like Miranda Hart to novelists such as Armistead Maupin. He is also vice-president of the Association of Authors’ Agents. But becoming an agent wasn’t part of his original career plan and he reached this point via a varied and winding path through the world of books.Wise studied History and English at Edinburgh university, both, he says, “heavy reading” subjects. But his real introduction to books as business came when, as an undergraduate, he won a place on a scholarship programme at the University of Pennsylvania. “I was allowed to work under my visa and I got a part-time job as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble, which had a big downtown bookstore,” he says. The job gave him an insight into publishing and sparked a vocation that would lead him to his current career. “What I enjoyed about publishing was that it is the place where business and creativity meet; you would be working with these wonderfully creative people – the writers – but trying to turn what they have created into something of commercial value.”If you are made an offer straight away, ask for a better offer. If you don't ask, you will never know Related: Small publishers are benefiting from changes in the industry Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
Barnes & Noble's sudden firing of its CEO after only 14 months on the job dealt another setback to the embattled book seller as it struggles against stiffer competition from Amazon.The sudden vacancy at the top leaves Barnes & Noble treading water while it looks for a new leader, says... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2018-07-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble has fired CEO Demos Parneros for violating company policies and said he'll exit the post without severance.A spokeswoman declined to say why he'd been terminated. It was "not due to any disagreement with the company regarding its financial reporting, policies or practices or... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2018-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers are finding readers are willing to make small-dollar donations to support news operations. The post In a tough ad climate, small publishers are finding success in small donations appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2018-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Philip Jones reacts to David Leonhardt's piece on the "death of Barnes & Noble". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A year that found four of the 10 companies on the PW Stock Index seeing double-digit stock price increases also saw Barnes & Noble and other big names struggle. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What do The Handmaid’s Tale, 1984, Rupi Kaur’s stories of survival, and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck have in common? They are all some of 2017’s best-selling books, according to Barnes & Noble. The bookseller has just released its top-selling fiction and nonfiction titles, and the... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2017-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Following Barnes & Noble's disappointing financial performance for the second quarter ended October 28, 2017, company chairman Len Riggio bought 1 million shares of company stock, raising his stake in B&N to 19.3%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canada’s top bookstore chain, Indigo, confirms plans to open bookstores in the US in 2018. Some believe Indigo is in a better position to compete with Amazon than Barnes & Noble. The post US Industry Eyes Canadian Retailer Indigo’s Plan To Open American Bookstores appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-11-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble's holiday sales strategies rest on new interactive apps, a new Nook model, special edition titles, and a streamlined approach to toys and gifts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble has been closing stores steadily for years, but CEO Demos Parneros said, during a conference call yesterday, that his goal is to position the company for "net store expansion" in fiscal 2019. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How years, hundreds of queries, and an abandoned manuscript led to the publication of Margaret Wilkerson Sexton's outstanding debut novel, 'A Kind of Freedom.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sandell Asset Management Corp, which said it has a "meaningful" stake in Barnes & Noble, sent a letter to the retailer's board of directors urging the company try to sell itself. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Michael Huseby, who served as CEO of Barnes & Noble, Inc. and then executive chairman of B&N Education when that company was spun-off from B&N Inc., has been named to succeed Max Roberts as head of B&N Education. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Pioneer Woman Magazine is increasing its distribution to 500,000 copies and moving past its Walmart-only distribution strategy for its second issue, which will be released in September.The Hearst Magazines publication, a joint venture with Scripps Networks Interactive, features Ree Drummond,... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2017-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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They love Facebook's ability to turbo-charge their audience growth, but they hate perpetually being the last to know about changes. The post For small publishers, Facebook is often a force for good — and frustration appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2017-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As the new head of Barnes & Noble, Demos Parneros knows his top priority is to stop the sales slide that has plagued the company’s retail stores. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Microsoft, which was Barnes & Noble's original partner on the Nook (before ending the relationship in 2014), is now back in the digital book market. According to reports, the tech giant's new online bookstore will sell hundred of thousands of frontlist and backlist titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A store in northern Maine wins a cash prize; college students petition for a Barnes & Noble; Houston gets a new Latino bookstore; and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-02-02 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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Despite weak holiday sales at Barnes & Noble, CEO Len Riggio said there are no plans to accelerate store closings and that he expects the retailer to be "store positive" in the fiscal year ending in April 2018. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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