Articles from October 2006

Fiction & Politics

October 30th, 2006 · 3 Comments

The recent antics of politicians from both sides of the aisle in regards to using their opponents’ novels (FICTION!) as a way to smear them, or point accusatory fingers at a huge “moral flaw” in them, has prompted me to write this. For those who’ve missed the fun-and-games as we hit the home-stretch to the […]

File Under: Square Pegs

Doing It The Write Way

October 30th, 2006 · 1 Comment

Today’s rant is courtesy of the husband. He casually mentioned that he was reading Copyblogger — a great post about ending your articles — and he noted something irritating in the comments section: a writing coach insisting that there was only one good way to brainstorm: hers. As he discussed writing with the ending in […]

File Under: Tools and Craft

The Value Of Readers

October 27th, 2006 · 12 Comments

We have been following recent discussions about the decline of book coverage in major newspapers with interest. As always, we remain surprised by the lack of discussion about content when it comes to reviewing and discussing books in newspapers. Is it possible that newspapers don’t value book coverage because their readers don’t value book coverage […]

File Under: Reviewing Reviewing

Why Would Anyone Go To A Publisher’s Website?

October 25th, 2006 · Comments Off on Why Would Anyone Go To A Publisher’s Website?

One of our official jobs is to watch how the various entertainment industries adapt to changing consumer habits. Though there is a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo behind this work, the key factor is that the world is changing, and the media needs to change, too. Mostly, this involves a lot of jumping on the latest […]

File Under: Square Pegs

Why Embargoes Are Silly In A Long Tail World

October 23rd, 2006 · Comments Off on Why Embargoes Are Silly In A Long Tail World

We live in a world of false gratification. We want to know that something is a success before it’s even launched. We want big shipping numbers that bear no relationship to long-term profitability. We live in a world predicated on old-fashioned mores. There was incredible buzz about Bob Woodward’s book, State of Denial: Bush at […]

File Under: Square Pegs

Digitizing Books, Again

October 18th, 2006 · Comments Off on Digitizing Books, Again

Either or, either or, either…what is it about the world we live in that every move is giant step forward with the potential to surpass the leader with just a little more effort? Or is it just that journalists spend a little too much time reprinting press releases and not enough time thinking about the […]

File Under: The Future of Publishing

Do You Remember The Jam?

October 16th, 2006 · 2 Comments

Way back when, possibly just before we were born (but more likely after), Pete Townshend wrote a phrase that roused a generation: “I hope I die before I get old.” As it turns out, Pete did not listen to his younger self, and The Who continue to tour and attempt to recreate old glory. This […]

File Under: Square Pegs

This Penguin With Snow Crash Walks Into A Second Life

October 14th, 2006 · Comments Off on This Penguin With Snow Crash Walks Into A Second Life

Because we don’t want to create the impression that we think everything is bad in the world of publishing, we’d like to joyfully highlight something good: the juxtaposition of Penguin UK, Second Life, and Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash. If it is sounds like a cool party, it is. “Wha?” you say? “You mean someone’s finally […]

File Under: Marketing For Introverts

Open Letter To Texas Voters

October 11th, 2006 · 3 Comments

While we hope beyond hope that the woefully misnamed “Fred Head”, an apparent candidate for Comptroller of Public Accounts in the State of Texas, is someone’s idea of a hoax, we can take no chances. We do believe that the fine people of Texas understand how books, specifically and generally, work, but since at least […]

File Under: Square Pegs

The Niche Rises Again

October 10th, 2006 · Comments Off on The Niche Rises Again

Yesterday’s news was all doom and gloom about the state of the independent bookstore — an entity that has been under siege since the dawn of the first superstore. We do not pretend to know the laws of economics (except to have a vague comprehension that projections always seem to be off for reasons nobody […]

File Under: Books/Mags/Blogs