Why Bogus Flap Copy Erodes Readers’ Trust

In Guest Contributors by Guest Contributor

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 …

SURVEY: Are Book Trailers an Efficient Use of Marketing Dollars?

In Discussion by Edward Nawotka

By Edward Nawotka Once was a time when book trailers were a novelty. Today, everyone has got one. Some are like mini-commercials, others are teasers, still others merely showcase the creativity of the author. Of course, these are the best case scenarios. Many book trailers, as discussed in today’s feature, are mere Ken Burns style panning still images with conventional …

Authors Find Marketing and Publicity Strength in Numbers

In Guest Contributors by Guest Contributor

Some 50 established authors jointly launched the Fiction Writers Co-Op — part support group, part self-promotion platform. Editorial by M.J. Rose “If they ever existed, the days of any novelist sitting at home letting their publicists and editors do all the work are so over!” Author Carleen Brice There’s almost no author alive who isn’t weathering the tumultuous changes in …

Do Literary Festivals Offer Sufficient ROI for Authors and Publishers?

In Discussion by Edward Nawotka

Literary festivals are increasingly popular, but the effort and expense involved in sending an author to appear at one might never pay off. By Edward Nawotka Today’s lead story discusses the Paraty International Literature Festival in Brazil. It is widely considered one of the most successful — and fun — literary festivals anywhere in the world. The piece notes that …

Will Transmedia Marketing Replace Book Trailers?

In Discussion by Edward Nawotka

By Edward Nawotka Today’s feature story discusses the art of the book trailer. It has now become common practice for authors and publishers to produce “trailers” for their works. Some garner millions of page views, while others are only ever watched by a handful of friends and/or business acquaintances. Book trailers are now commonplace, but they are likely to be …

How Can Games Be Used to Promote Literary Brands?

In Discussion by Edward Nawotka

By Edward Nawotka As discussed in our lead article today, gamification is a growing trend among marketers. In one current example from the book world, Kirkus Reviews — the venerable American book review magazine — will launch beta version of a new social network trivia game with game developer Qrank at tomorrow’s PubCamp@SXSW in Austin. The trivia game will focus on literary history, …