We have a new season and a new Book Marketing Update.
There is a lot to consider as you read through the list of blog posts I discovered this past week. Publishing is changing and it’s fascinating to watch the changes play out.
Enjoy your weekend and your writing!
Book Marketing
What Do Authors Earn from Digital Lending at Libraries? by Jane Friedman: “Of the many changes wrought by the pandemic on the publishing industry, one of the most dramatic has been on library circulation. OverDrive, the biggest US distributor of digital materials to libraries and schools, saw lending increase by 33 percent in 2020 ….”
TikTok’s Influence
BookTok Has Quickly Become a Major Force in Publishing from The Mary Sue: “Now, books discussed by readers on BookTok (book marketing on TikTok) are getting their own table at Barnes & Noble and picked up by major publishers.”
Vella
Bringing books into the TikTok era: Amazon’s Kindle Vella and the rise of the new ‘story platforms’ from GeekWire: “Some early Kindle Vella authors say the overall audience hasn’t met their expectations. Amazon says it’s just getting started. It’s supplementing royalties with bonuses in the meantime to help keep authors engaged.”
Social Media
Facebook Tests New Option to Facilitate Post Sharing to Multiple Groups at Once from Social Media Today: This new option would enable Facebook users to crosspost content to multiple groups and get more people sharing more content.
AI Audiobooks
AI audiobooks take a big step towards the audio New Normal from the Passive Voice Blog: “The service uses innovative technology that replicates the human voice to create a listening experience that is virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.”
Of Note
What is Upmarket Fiction? And Book Club Fiction? Are They New Genres? by Anne R. Allen: “You can find lots of lists of fiction genres, but you won’t see “Upmarket fiction” included. You may have seen somebody mention “Book Club” novels, but you won’t find that section in a bookstore, either.”
Can Fiction Make a Difference in the World? by Susan DeFreitas and from Jane Friedman’s blog: Think about the books by James Baldwin and the difference he made in literature and life. He was as political as he was literary.
Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen: The 60 Minutes Interview: Be sure to watch this on YouTube or Twitter.
Quote of the Week
