Articles from April 2007

It’s Not The Book, It’s The Front

April 28th, 2007 · 7 Comments

Books are funny things. You’d think, after centuries of printing and selling them, industry professionals would understand how the business works. They would get that buzz doesn’t necessarily translate to sales — especially when that buzz is inherently incestuous in nature — and that the buying public is completely overwhelmed by choice. Publishers need to […]

File Under: Non-Traditional Publishing

Class and the American Novelist

April 25th, 2007 · 4 Comments

There is no doubt that judging literary merit takes on an eye of the beholder quality. One judge’s treasure is another’s muddled mess. Art, by nature, is subjective. Selecting the best of something often comes down to judgment calls and aesthetic choices that seem to defy reason. Thus we consider Granta’s “Best of Young American […]

File Under: Square Pegs

Amazon, Web 2.0, and Missing The Point of Community

April 23rd, 2007 · 2 Comments

If you’ve been paying attention for the past year or so, you’ve noticed that Amazon.com has embraced Web 2.0 technology with something approaching religious fervor. You name the buzzword, they’ve implemented the technology. Wiki (now known as the, uh, Amapedia), Ajax, blogging, tagging (and tag clouding), free shipping (okay, not a Web 2.0 technology, but […]

File Under: Square Pegs

Moving Beyond the Book: Character Blogs, As We See Them

April 18th, 2007 · 6 Comments

As you might have noticed, we have been thinking more than a little about how publishers can transition from the old model to the new model without sacrificing the old model. For those who haven’t been paying attention, the old model can be neatly summed up as “good stuff to read”. In many ways, a […]

File Under: Marketing For Introverts

Essay Question: Thinking About Mobile Media

April 13th, 2007 · 7 Comments

During this incredibly busy week, we have come to rely on the magical powers of our cell phone more than ever. So much so that we had a panicky dream where the cute little thing was broken and required major surgery. Not a happy time sleeping. We’ve also been talking to friends about the wonders […]

File Under: Non-Traditional Publishing

Looking Inside HarperCollins’ Online Marketing Initiatives

April 9th, 2007 · 9 Comments

Though we are often (very) harsh on the publishing industry, we secretly understand the trials, tribulations, and, yes, challenges they face. When we rage about the industry’s inability to move into the late 20th century, it is with love that we rant, not anger. Okay, sometimes anger. It’s 2007. There are many topics that we […]

File Under: Marketing For Introverts

EMI, Apple, DRM and…Books!

April 4th, 2007 · 5 Comments

BS Headquarters (also home to Medialoper HQ) has been buzzing with the news that EMI has struck a deal with Apple to sell DRM-free music via the iTunes store. While this is not the unprecedented move some media would have you think — Kirk notes that labels have being doing this via eMusic for many […]

File Under: The Future of Publishing

Netflix For Books: Follow The Money Trail

April 2nd, 2007 · 24 Comments

Every now and then, the tides of thought turn to the age-old question: why isn’t there a Netflix for books? Invariably thoughts will turn to one of the many so-called “swapping” services and someone will say, “Look, I found one!” Swapping services help readers but also cut into author compensation. Oh no, dears, not even […]

File Under: The Business of Publishing