Smart speakers are becoming a staple in the average household and changing the way we interact with technology. Publishing companies are taking note and looking at their use of the digital space in order to attract a more tech-savvy crowd. The industry is no stranger to surviving a digital upset, but the question is how they will respond to it. Looking closer, we can already see what challenges publishers face and the innovative ideas they have brought to the table in response.
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Self-Published Authors’ Ebook Success
By Courtney Young @courtlbunny
More and more writers are becoming published authors. Some start with blogs, writers’ groups, and lifelong dreams. Traditional publishing can be difficult to break into, especially if you’re not already an established author. So how are new authors getting their books into the competitive market without an agent or a supportive publishing house?
Preorder Gifts As a Marketing Strategy
By Faith Muñoz @FaithAMunoz
Have you ever fallen prey to a beautiful book and bought it simply because it was pretty? Cover designers work hard, and well-made covers are usually responsible for someone stopping to browse. A similar phenomenon happens with preorder gifts, which leave readers desiring more than just the story.
Demystifying Book Metadata
By Stephen Hyde
The scene opens on a classroom. The students’ eyes are glazed over from the glow of the computer screens, half of them open to D2L, the other to some Instagrammer’s latest post. The professor asks the question, “What is metadata?” and one person, with a fox-like grin on their face, raises their hand and calls out, “It’s data about data.” Everyone breaks out in applause, confetti rains from the ceiling and cupcakes are served. This has happened to me more times than I can count, and yes, a quick hand raise asking for clarification could have solved all my problems but then I wouldn’t have had a blog post idea. So come with me as we take a journey on self-education and find out what all the fuss is about metadata and why you should actually care about it.
Book Cover Design Tools for the Self-Published Author
By Meagan Nolan
As a self-published author, it may be intimidating to start with all of the online outlets claiming they can make your book the next bestseller. After all, you’re a writer, not a designer. To help make the process a little less intimidating, here is a brief list of options that can give your book the beautiful face it deserves.
Romance Readers’ Embrace of Ebooks
By Elise Hitchings
Out of Amazon’s ebook paid sales, 45 percent were romance. And out of all romance sales, an estimated 89 percent are digital copies. So why do romance readers buy so many ebooks?