By Chad W. Post One of the key buzzwords of this BEA is “discovery.” In an age of abundance (as reported last week, more than 3.2 million books were published last year), getting your book to cut through the noise is a very complicated, yet essential, matter. This is especially difficult in the digital marketplace, where there are no bookstore …
What is the Future of “Social Bookselling”?
Do you only buy the books your friends suggest? Perhaps not. By Edward Nawotka It has long been a maxim in book marketing that “word-of-mouth” is the best. The same can be said for “handselling” in bookstores. So what happens when both move online? Book oriented social networking, nee bookselling, sites are proliferating. Copia and Bookish, in the US, and …
Can Niche Bookstores Survive in the Age of Digital?
By Edward Nawotka Niche bookstores are being squeezed on both side: first from the chains which offer an increasingly broad range of products and second from digital, which offers virtually all products. To survive, niche bookstores — whether focusing on mysteries, travel, or mind-body-spirit (such as Watkin’s Books, discussed in today’s feature story) — will need to be offer to …
Why Bogus Flap Copy Erodes Readers’ Trust
Using platitudes like “remarkable” and “dazzling” in flap copy is forgivable, but calling a book “funny” when it is anything but is a much worse crime. Editorial by Nico Vreeland Flap copy always lies. It’s sickly understandable, considering the competitive marketplace for books. But, as a reader, it’s intensely frustrating to wade through book descriptions where the truth is more …
“Publishers Are Right to Be Afraid,” says Publishing Technology’s Randy Petway
A leading publishing technology service provider believes too many publishers may have their “head in the sand” when it comes to the impact of technology on the future of the industry. By Daniel Kalder As Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at Publishing Technology, a digital publishing services company, Randy Petway leads the firm in its strategic development to ensure continued …
Reading in the Age of Screens
Editorial by Chad W. Post Contemporary life is lived through screens. Initially, it was the TV that invaded our families and took over our free time. Now it’s computers, smartphones, tablets; it’s email, digital files, the cloud. For better or worse, the past quarter-century (or more) has powered a move away from the physical and into cyberspace — especially in …