Bookstores are just one of the many businesses that have been profoundly impacted by the shutdowns happening throughout the country. Shelf Awareness and Publisher’s Weekly have both made it a point to offer regular reports and updates on the current status of bookstores and the publishing industry; while some of this news is good, some of it is surprising, and some of it is down-right depressing.
covid-19
Independent Bookstores Aren’t Dead, but Here’s How You Can Help Them Survive
By Rachel Lantz
Without a doubt, 2020 was a difficult year, and these difficulties have extended to our neighborhood independent bookstores. These independent bookstores have had to close, shift their business models, and more to survive during the pandemic, but they are not dead yet. Here’s why and how you can help these stores survive.
What We’ve Learned from a Year of Hosting Virtual Book Launch Events
By Stephanie Johnson Lawson
I reached out to graduating project managers Grace Hansen, Cole Bowman, and Bailey Potter who oversaw the successful launch events for LAUREL EVERYWHERE, FAULTLAND, and FINDING THE VEIN, respectively. I asked each of them about advice for planning future virtual events. Within a few hours, I had struck gold. Synthesized below are their replies and some guidance to get started when it is time to plan a celebration of your new book.
Proofreading in a Pandemic: How the Editorial Process is Carrying On in Corona
By Emma Wolf
While many aspects of the publishing industry are still adapting to these evolving circumstances, the way editors utilize programs such as Track Changes and Google Docs has set them up to not just survive during a pandemic, but thrive.
Books and COVID-19
By Sydnee Chesley
There have been a lot of changes to consumers’ buying habits since COVID-19 hit the United States in March. It’s too soon to tell how things will pan out in the long run for our buying and selling habits, but it is clear that things will probably never be the same as before the pandemic hit. Here’s an overview of how the publishing industry has transformed over the last few months.
Black-Owned Bookstores Can Handle It
By Alix Martinez
Not getting your books on time? Putting the blame on Black-owned bookstores does more harm than good. Take some time to understand where the problem starts and why, during a global pandemic, we should aim to be more understanding.