We are all well aware that the pandemic has affected all sectors and everyone’s lives in unprecedented ways. Despite the fact that cuddling up with a good book is a quarantine go-to for many, the publishing industry as a whole has had to scramble to adapt to changes brought about because of the pandemic. Here are some of the major ways that the publishing industry has grappled with these changes, as well as some questions about our uncertain future as we struggle to return to normalcy.
Independent Publishing
The Importance of Independent Bookstores
By Anna M. Stein
Independent bookstores have historically served as community landmarks and valuable resources throughout the world. The experience of shopping at a bookstore that is genuine, individualistic, and an asset to the local community cannot be matched by shopping at chain stores or online. Moreover, a book is no ordinary item to shop for. Whether it is a picture book for preschoolers, a fantasy series for dreamers, a biography for devoted fans, or a nonlinear peregrination for intrepid readers, a book has a singular ability to illuminate one’s intellect and imagination.
Too Many Cooks? Management at Ooligan Press
By Hazel Wright
Ooligan has several department managers who most closely correlate to positions you would find in a standard press, including a digital department lead, a design lead, a social media lead, a marketing lead, a copy chief, a managing editor, two acquisitions leads, and two publisher’s assistants. For anyone keeping track, that’s ten department managers. There are independent presses all over the country that operate with an entire staff of fewer than ten people, let alone ten managers. But the truth is, Ooligan doesn’t operate with ten managers: it operates with seventeen.
The Taste of Victory
By Dan Meyers word_worm
The award season has ended, everybody! We’ve got the Oscars and the Grammys, and let’s not forget our local award celebration, the Literary Arts Oregon Book Awards. As we all know, what’s a good trophy season without some juicy scandal or an incitement for institutionalized social change? The recent Oscars itself received a barrage of […]
A Big, Fat Knee-Jerk
By Ooligan PressIn November of last year, I came across a blog entry on the Huffington Post that filled me with a familiar weariness. In it, best-selling author Tucker Max (I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell; Assholes Finish First) details the process by which he was able to circumvent the Big 6 publishers for his third […]