by Porter Anderson
Bowker | Wed Jun 15, 2016
The Hot Sheet
Get a special price at Bowker on a Hot Sheet subscription now.
Jane Friedman and I have been observing the experiences of authors in the contemporary marketplace as it has developed over many years.
The impact of the digital dynamic, after all, hasn’t just rocked publishing. Like a good, stiff earthquake, it also has rearranged the landscape for writers—opening up new pathways to publication…and several pretty little trails that will lead your career right over a cliff.
But you’d think that at a time when free blog sites about writing are on every corner of the Web, the last thing you’d need to do is pay for a private subscription newsletter for authors. Right? Wrong.
by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Wed Nov 19, 2014
Saturday, November 15, Bowker was pleased to be among those sponsoring the Self-Publishing Book Expo, which took place at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan. As Publishers Weekly put it,
Among the highlights of the show were panels providing indie authors with information, tips, and best practices on publicity, marketing, teambuilding, and websites. Among the exhibitors at the show were Lulu, Bowker, Smashwords, BiblioCrunch, BookLife, Author Connections, and Nook Press.
This is the sixth year of the conference, which is quite an indication of the growth in self-publishing since 2008. One other anniversary of note: today is the 7th anniversary of the Kindle. Coincidence?
by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Wed Nov 5, 2014
On Wednesday, November 12, at 1 p.m. Eastern, DCL and Bowker present "The Distribution Landscape: What You Need To Know", a webinar directed at self-published authors. Laura Dawson of Bowker will conduct a Q&A session with Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords. Topics that we’ll cover include:
- Overall market conditions
- Retailer health
- New distribution models
- Pros and cons of exclusivity
- Amazon vs Hachette – what does this mean for authors?
- Distribution tools that work well for authors
- Direct or distributor?
You can find more information about the webinar, and register for it, here.
by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Wed Oct 8, 2014
A new analysis of U.S. ISBN data by ProQuest affiliate Bowker reveals that the number of self-published titles in 2013 increased to more than 458,564, up 17 percent over 2012 and 437 percent over 2008. Print titles were up a very strong 29 percent over 2012, indicating the format’s continuing relevance to self-publishers. While self-publishing continues to grow, the pace appears to be normalizing after several explosive years.
Read Bowker’s report on self-publishing here: http://bit.ly/selfpub13
“Our general conclusion is that self-publishing is beginning to mature. While it continues to be a force to reckon with, it is evolving from a frantic, wild-west style space to a more serious business,” said Beat Barblan, Bowker Director of Identifier Services. “The market is stabilizing as the trend of self-publisher as business-owner, rather than writer only, continues.”
The analysis also shows:
by Brian Jud
Bowker | Tue Aug 12, 2014
In a recent discussion, I was asked, “How many authors are up to the task of selling 1000 books?” My immediate (unpublished) response was, “If you can’t sell 1000 books, why bother publishing?” But upon more thought, that flip response would have been a great disservice to those who really want to sell 1000 books, but do not know how. The word “TASK” struck me as a perfect acronym representing four areas that I believe need attention in order to be successful as an author. Each requires much greater description than below, but this may give foundering authors food for thought. Two of these characteristics are internal (TA), while two can be acquired (SK). Attend to each and I believe your ability to sell 1000 or more books will be greatly enhanced.
by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Thu Aug 7, 2014
by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Fri Jun 20, 2014
Learn what goes into creating professional-looking books! Join India Amos, Managing Editor of Print and Digital Production at CN Times Books, and Allan Lieberman, Special Projects Manager, Data Conversion Laboratory, Inc., on Monday, June 30th, at 1:00pm EDT to discover what you need to know about production and design.
Whether you are publishing in print, digital, or both, this webinar will help you determine what choices you need to make for your book. We’ll cover:
by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Jun 18, 2014
Growing your business depends in large part on your ability to innovate – both content and marketing. Moving from your core business (trade sales) into special (non-bookstore) markets is an example. Creating a mastermind group can help you access the combined knowledge of others to help you make the move. To do this, build an environment in which people feel comfortable, willing and able to innovate. Here are the Top Ten Principles For Developing a Successful Mastermind Team.
by Brian Jud
Bowker | Thu Jun 12, 2014
As the publisher, you are responsible for producing a quality product at all levels: writing, editing, design, printing, customer service and marketing (pricing, promotion and distribution). Poor quality – whether in product and service – can destroy a publishing venture over time. Negative word-of-mouth communication, whether in person, in blogs, in discussion groups and forums, or through social media spreads quickly and is difficult to overcome. While you cannot control what others say about you on these media, you can control the source of their pleasure or discontent by maintaining high levels of product and service quality. Here are Ten Aspects of Product and Service Quality.
by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Tue Jun 10, 2014
Book review magazine Shelf Unbound is accepting entries for its third annual competition to crown the best from independent presses, self-published authors and publishers producing five or less titles per year. The winning entry, selected by the editors of Shelf Unbound, will be featured with runners-up in the magazine's December/January 2015 issue – read by 125,000 book. This year's competition is sponsored by Bowker, the official U.S. ISBN registration agency and creator of SelfPublishedAuthor.com.
