It’s no secret that the media is image-obsessed and has a problem with whitewashing and gender stereotyping. From magazine covers doing Photoshop “touch-ups,” to fandoms having an issue with a character’s casting in a film, to debates about the term “chick flick” or just how overly pink “girl” toy shelves are. For the publishing world, book covers are a problem we have to fix.
Marketing
Did COVID Bring Certain Death or New Life to Independent Bookstores in the PNW?
By LeeAnn Rooney
Things were also changing for Rachelle Markley, the owner of Crooked House Books and Paper. She said that walk-in traffic dropped off, but luckily she had always been selling online, her biggest presence being on Etsy. During March of last year, she fully expected not to make it when people were “hoarding beans and toilet paper;” she did not think that people were going to open their wallets and start buying “weird collectible books,” yet somehow the pandemic has been really good for online book sales.
Food Blog to Cookbook: How Blogging Leads to Cookbook Success
By Rebecca Gordon @ree_reads
More often than not, the cost of producing a physical cookbook can leave you in the red or just barely breaking even, no matter how popular the book is upon release. None of that even covers the mental health, time, and energy involved in the creation. Despite the arduous process, given the right planning and dedication, publishing a cookbook can still lead to success, especially if you start with a blog.
When the Pub Date Changes: A Project Manager’s Experience
By Stephanie Johnson Lawson @sjohnsonlawson
In late December, our publisher was informed that a major portion of the shipment that was en route to our distributor was lost. She acted fast, looping in the Design Manager, Operations Manager, and me, the Project Manager, and we did some major troubleshooting. FedEx was attempting to locate the shipment, hopeful that it would be found after the holiday backlog cleared. The publisher reached out to Ingram, our distributor, to see if it was feasible to use their print-on-demand service to ensure we would have books in time to meet the industry deadline for new titles. Because of many factors (timing, holiday closures, and staffing numbers), the success of this option was not guaranteed. Ultimately, moving the publishing date forward a month was the best solution.
Best Practices for Writing Blurb Requests
By Sarah Moffatt
What’s a blurb, you might ask? Cue the booming announcer voice: “Emotionally moving, socially poignant, and expertly crafted . . . a gem of contemporary literature.” Were you picturing the front or back of a book jacket just now? Good. That’s a blurb: the pithy quote on a book’s jacket that praises it and makes you want to pick it up.
How BookTok Made Me Fall in Love with YA Fiction
By Sarah Bradley
While TikTok has been utilized by publishers, authors, and bookstores, I have found that most of my BookTok book recommendations have come from laypeople or avid readers who love books but do not have any vested interest in book sales.