Industry & Advocacy News
February 9, 2018
Our round-up of key news affecting authors. In this week’s edition: Typesetting your own book, the publishing industry’s #metoo movement, and more…
“This Milestone Feels Great”: A Chat with the First African-American Woman on Our Print Masthead
The New York Times
Veteran editor, Monica Drake, has been named assistant managing editor of The New York Times and will oversee special digital projects across the newsroom.
Re:Creating the World Through Sleight of Hand: ALI Restatement on Copyright Re:Visited
Medium
Intellectual property policy expert Neil Turkewitz scrutinizes the highly controversial “Copyright Restatement,” arguing that reform should take place through an open legislative process instead of backdoor approaches.
Can You (Should You) Typeset Your Own Book?
Janefriedman.com
Why is typesetting important? What typesetting software is available? This and tips for hiring a professional typesetter for your book.
A Call to Action for Publishers in the #MeToo Moment
Publishers Weekly
“I believe that members of the publishing community have a responsibility to continue to push the industry to better reflect who they are and the values that they hold,” said Jane Kinney-Denning, executive director of Pace University’s publishing program and president of the Women’s National Book Association. “I am only one person, and I don’t have all of the answers, but I do believe that we have strength in numbers and that being organized allows us to push doors open even farther. Sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace are a collective problem, and we need the strength of all of us to fight against it.”
Scribd’s Quest to Be “The Netflix of Reading” Is Finally Paying Off
Fast Company
Scribd, a digital book subscription service, is offering magazines and newspapers in addition to books in its unlimited monthly program. But in order for the company to be successful and follow the footsteps of Netflix and Spotify, there’s a catch: Scribd’s unlimited service isn’t truly unlimited. Readers who read a high volume of books will have their access restricted to a smaller selection of titles until the next billing cycle begins.
AAP Reports Publisher Revenues Flat Through September 2017
The Digital Reader
The Association of American Publishers announced that revenues dropped in the first three quarters of 2017 compared to 2016. Among the decreased revenues, paperback fell 3% and ebook revenues by 5.5%.
Tech Giants Are the Robber Barons of Our Time
The New York Post
“The only way to tame America’s tech goliaths is to see them for what they are—monopolies—and go after them using antitrust law.”
