Articles from December 2009

The Most Wonderful Post of the Year 2010

December 20th, 2009 · 2 Comments

No matter where you stand on the various issues surrrounding the future of publishing, one thing is clear: without readers, what we do doesn’t matter very much. We sometimes take the privilege of our bookish lives for granted, forgetting how many people out there would give anything to be able to pick up a book […]

File Under: Square Pegs

The Unicorn Will Not Save Publishing

December 14th, 2009 · 33 Comments

For your reading enjoyment, I have compiled a list of about a dozen things that will not save publishing. I have also created a brief list of things that will save publishing. As always, neither list is comprehensive, and I reserve the right to add items if I think of something while I’m in the […]

File Under: The Future of Publishing

A Long, Detailed Look at Distribution Windows

December 8th, 2009 · 13 Comments

Has there ever been an industry more unwilling to make its customers happy than publishing? Simon & Schuster and Hachette have (independently) decided they’re going to hold back the ebook releases of some titles. Not all of course. Most likely just the ones they paid far too much for anyway. They’re taking a stand by […]

File Under: The Future of Publishing

Responding to Nat Sobel, Cranky-Style

December 8th, 2009 · 34 Comments

Dear Mr. Sobel, While I do not know you, I am impressed by your resume and the portrait of you with what appears to be a brown tabby. I generally cut cat lovers more slack — and brown tabby owners…they get a free pass, as a rule — but I cannot do so in this […]

File Under: The Future of Publishing