Ebooks

Vending Machine Dreams

Something tells me that humans are sentimental beings or perhaps it is that when there is a disruption we like to hang onto something we think is undisruptable. The problem is we don’t really know what is solid enough to hold onto. Is a vending machine solid enough? The reason I am thinking this right now is thanks to an article I saw on a 100 year old butcher shop adding a vending machine so that they can serve their customers 24/7.

I began to think about the number of times I’ve passed my local bookstore in the morning on the way to the train. I stare in the window and think “I would buy that right now,” but I can’t because the store is closed.

Anthologize: Making Web-First Workflow Even Easier for Publishers

Anthologize grew out of One Week | One Tool—yes, one week—a project of the Center for History and New Media, George Mason University.

So, what’s all the fuss about? This is the extra step that’s been needed to make it extremely easy for any publisher to implement web-first workflow : all you need is WordPress and a plugin.

The Fight Over Formats: All or Nothing

Random House and the Jackal are going at it and I can’t blame them. They are fighting over some very valuable territory. We’ve all read lots about trying to claim backlist ebook rights, about the conflict of interest in becoming an agent-publisher, about single-channel exclusives being a bad idea, blah, blah, blah. This turf war has raised a bigger problem:

Does it make sense to separate ebook rights from print rights?

It doesn’t—at least not if you’re the one who only has print. Here’s why.

Ontario Publishers Collaborate for E-Book Promotion

No surprise here: publishers of all shapes and sizes are making e-books. Still, making e-books is one thing; selling them is another. While direct e-book sales may seem like a dream come true for any publisher with their eye on the margins (no discounts, distribution, or inventory), the reality is that partnerships are MUCH more beneficial than going it alone, especially on the expansive interweb. Exposure and discoverability is key. By partnering up, companies can pool their resources for the greater good of the collective, get noticed, and hopefully see some returns on their technology investments.

Midlist Authors Might Actually Be More Visible Online: A Rebuttal to HuffPo

A few weeks ago The Huffington Post posted an article by James McGrath Morris called “Will eBooks Make Midlist Authors Extinct?”, a suggestion so dramatic (a.k.a Internet-friendly) that it led to much linking and re-blogging within the publishing community.