This is from my "In the News" feature in the coming edition of my Sharing with Writers newsletter. Those who would like to subscribe may do so automatically by going to http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com to fill in the subscribe box in the left column of the home page or clicking on the "newsletter" link at the top of the page for more information.
In the News: Evidence of recession abounded at BEA. Some big publishers like Random House cut way back on their booth space and two of my favorites, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt didn't show up at all. That the show was 21% smaller is disturbing, of course, but worse is that those publishers who did show up appeared to be cutting back on marketing funds even for blockbuster authors (evidenced by fewer signs and even fewer of the usual giveaways). Even reader copies were hard to come by.
Of course, publishers who buy/rent booths have been saying for a long time that there are few book buyers on the floor and fewer librarians, who historically are the people publishers want to reach.
So, the good news? The opportunities to reinvent publishing seem to be widening. POD is becoming more and more accepted (venerable publisher Perseus put together an anthology of first lines from show attendees' contributions and published it on demand in two days) and there was that great Espresso Book Machine we've been hearing about that will produce an entire (darn good) paperback in less than four minutes right in-store at the whim of the customer-reader.
And, oh yes. New York was gorgeous. They had celebrated Fleet Week only a few days before, had just started refurbishing Times Square, and the place was alight. Maybe residents can see they are in a depression but a visitor would never, never know.
(Some facts were gleaned from David Ulin's article in the LA Times's Calendar section on Monday, June 1.)
Technorati Tags:
pod publishing, pod technology, espresso book machine, bea, book expo america, perseus, random house, houghton mifflin harcourt, farrar straus and giroux, carolyn howard-johnson, sharing with writers, state of publishing, publishing report, bea attendance,
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
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Wednesday, June 03, 2009
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Biggest shame is that they are holding it in NY again for the next two years! I'd planned to attend next year when they returned to DC but will be unable to go to NY.
ReplyDeleteWord on the street has been that NY is always the worst one to go to due to overcrowding since the local publishers & agents allow all of their people to attend...
L. Diane Wolfe
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
www.spunkonastick.net
www.thecircleoffriends.net
Can anyone just walk in and walk around at the BEA?
ReplyDeleteKaren
There are a couple ways to get in. If you're signing with a booth. If you have a booth of your own. If you apply and get a press pass. Or you can pay to go in. Not sure, but it would at least help to have a business card to show you are part of the industry.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Karen
Carolyn
Diane, unless we come out of this recession big time, I wouldn't worry about unmanagemable crowds in NY. Even in good years (I've was there in 2007 when it was in NY), it isn't that bad. Not by tradeshow standards, anyway.
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping us informed, Carolyn.
ReplyDeleteHi Carolyn:
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experience. Much appreciated.
Best wishes,
Donna
www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com
Very interesting report, Carolyn. I've been watching the industry change and I think it's for the better. Amazon has shows that there is great diversity in what people want to read. POD and in book stores or available on line might be the key to serving the needs of readers. I seriously doubt that the big publishers understand what they are.
ReplyDeletePOD certainly seems to be becoming more accepted. It only makes sense for publishers to save money using POD instead of putting it toward huge print runs.
ReplyDeleteHopefully we'll see more POD books in bookstores!
Great info, Carolyn--thanks!
Lori
www.loricalabrese.com