Editorial

Those on the front lines of the ever-changing book publishing industry offer their opinions on the latest trends, innovations and opportunities for publishers and authors today.

These Ithacas: On David Davidar’s “Publishing Tell-All”

Ithaca by Davidar

Indian publishing exec David Davidar’s tepid novel Ithaca offers little more than cliches for publishing insiders, but could serve as a 101 course for neophytes.

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PEN World Voices: Make it New, Make it International (Dammit)!

pen-world-voices-2012-logo

Chad Post of Open Letter Books criticizes the PEN World Voices festival for a lack of foreign content, bad planning, and no focus–and offers his ideal vision.

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Let’s Improvise! Jazz as a Metaphor for Publishing Progress

Take the A Train

Jazz provides an apt analogy for the new agile workflows in publishing and the need for different departments to improvise in concert on a final outcome.

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The Objects of Our Obsession: On the E vs. P Debate

Author MJ Rose

Author M.J. Rose calls for reason and calm in the ongoing debate between print and digital books, noting that the two will persist and serve different needs.

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Why Writers Need Publishers…Or Do They?

Lisa Buchan

Given the number of public attacks on the value of publishers, why have so few writers abandoned their existing publishers? There are some very good reasons.

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Publishers Beware! More Creative Destruction on the Way

Martin Levin

The digital transition in publishing could mean unlikely business acquisitions are in store for major publishers by tech giants like Apple.

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Amazon’s Trojan Horse

Bryce Milligan finds wisdom in Bob Dylan's lyrics, just don't buy it on Amazon

Publisher Bryce Milligan asks whether Amazon’s philanthropy may ultimately be buying silence from the very organizations that would be its most vocal critics.

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Traitorous Activity: Why a Veteran Publisher Went Digital

Ivan R. Dee spent 30 years as a print publisher, now he's all-digital

Former print publisher Ivan R. Dee launched Now & Then press to publish digital essays, finding the same skills apply as books — and it’s far less frustrating.

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A Novelist Appraises China, Then and Now

Cover---All-The-Flowers-Of-Shanghai_400

Duncan Jepson’s new novel ‘All the Flowers in Shanghai’ gives western readers a glimpse into China’s psyche, where tradition can take precedence over reason.

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The Title Wave: Against Punny and Cliché Titles

An Innocent, A Broad

Why the convention of giving books and book reviews titles that rely on pandering puns, stupid references, and bad wordplay has got to stop.

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