“You don’t understand,” the three-time, big-six published author told me. “Books aren’t designed for you, the customer. Today, non-fiction books are business cards--for speaking, consulting, and deals.” I was meeting this friend for dinner in New York City and had mentioned a trend I had noticed in nearly every book I’d seen in the last year: They never say what they’re about. Almost as a rule, hardcover books (and increasingly ebooks) favor laudatory “blurbs” over descriptions--opting for short quotes from important authors, CEOs, celebrities, or media outlets to make their case. At the time, I was in the middle of designing the back cover of my own book, and being somewhat new to the game, I could not understand the benefits of doing this. Wouldn’t it be better to use that space to describe the contents of the book? Isn’t that what “customers” would want? Why bury the content on the inside? I was missing a fundamental change that has occurred in the publishing business, particularly for authors. Faced with declining sales and the disappearance of book retailers like Borders, authors have diversified their income streams, and many make substantially more money through new business generated by a book, rather than from it. Today, authors are in the idea-making business, not the book business. In short, this means that publishing a book is less about sales and much more about creating a brand. The real customers of books are no longer just readers but now include... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'
[ Fast Company | 2012-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The focus of Poland's MT Biznes is on small companies' needs. A title the house has translated for sales in the UK has gone well. The post Polish Business Book Publisher Looks for Foreign Expansion appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-01 15:41:51 UTC ]
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Issue-driven nonfiction brings cultural and science topics into the business context in the 16th Business Book of the Year Award shortlist. The post The 2021 Business Book of the Year Award Announces a Shortlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-09-24 14:26:05 UTC ]
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Increasingly, books are something that libraries do not own but borrow from the corporations that do. Continue reading at New Yorker
[ New Yorker | 2021-09-02 10:00:00 UTC ]
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The 15-strong longlist for the £30,000 Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year has been announced, featuring a line-up where workplace culture, climate change and the pandemic loom large. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-15 18:06:07 UTC ]
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This surreal school year is finally over. Here are some books to get your young readers in the swing of the season. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2021-06-15 11:00:00 UTC ]
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The Portuguese-language SDG Book Club is divided into an effort in Portugal and a sister program in Brazil, each announcing its reading list. The post Portuguese-Language SDG Book Club: Open for Business appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-06-10 14:49:12 UTC ]
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People want stories and that means cultivating a publishing ecosystem where big and small can flourishThis week both the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority and the Department of Justice in the US announced investigations into the planned $2.2bn acquisition of the publisher Simon &... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-03-28 17:25:47 UTC ]
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In a free 50-page report released this week, three veteran publishing and digital media consultants offer a postmortem on 2020 and a glimpse at what the future holds for publishers, booksellers, libraries and readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-07 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The most important people in the book business in 2020 are not the powerhouse agents or the megabestselling authors or the Big Five CEOs. It is the collective of book business workers, often overworked and underpaid, that kept the industry afloat and challenged it to live up to greater standards. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-12-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Today, The Financial Times and McKinsey & Company announced the winner of its 2020 Business Book of the Year Award, which recognizes a work that provides the “most compelling and enjoyable insight into modern business issues.” The prize comes with £30,000 prize and each of the five... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-12-01 20:59:19 UTC ]
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Sarah Frier's 'No Filter' takes the £30,000 Business Book of the Year honor, in a strong shortlist from the FT and McKinsey & Company. The post Sarah Frier Wins the 2020 Business Book of the Year Award appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-12-01 20:59:13 UTC ]
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The IPA explores 'the need for a joined-up, ecosystem recovery roadmap' to address effects of the pandemic on the world publishing industry. The post Surveying the Coronavirus’ Impact on the International Book Business appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-11-24 16:10:39 UTC ]
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A trio of booksellers from a variety of stores as well as a documentarian of reading trends discussed what ails the industry as well as what has to be done to make it more sustainable at a PubTech Connect session. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-11-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Michael O'Mara is to publish a professional development book from tennis trainer Matt Little, The Way of the Tortoise. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-02 09:36:26 UTC ]
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Penguin Business has acquired an official book on British Army leadership, revealing to civilians key take-aways to become better leaders themselves. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-16 17:29:49 UTC ]
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Eligible for books originally published in English or in translation, the FT-McKinsey program looks for work to 'stand the test of time.' The post UK and USA: Financial Times and McKinsey Announce a Business Book of the Year Shortlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-09-23 20:22:39 UTC ]
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In packed workshop sessions and thematic buzz panels, booksellers and editors were able to rekindle much of the educational reason for attending—and some of the interpersonal reasons as well. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Congratulations to Ethan Hawke, star of my favorite film (Gattaca) and arguably the most bookish man in Hollywood, who has, with today’s inclusion in the (web) pages of the New York Times Book Review, completed his Literary World Bingo Card! What is the Literary World Bingo Card you ask? Well,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-01 18:45:05 UTC ]
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Ukrainian title output plunged 55 percent in the first half of the year, publishers say, as they worry that renewed lockdowns are ahead. The post Ukraine Book Business After Lockdowns: An ‘Almost Complete Collapse’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-08-18 13:49:27 UTC ]
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The 2020 British Book Awards are announcing prize winners in two parts online, the industry awards first, followed by the book awards. The post British Book Awards: Online and Upbeat, a Busy Round of the Nibbies appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-06-29 16:44:39 UTC ]
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