Commentary on various aspects of publishing and marketing, primarily focused on books, magazines, and social media.
The truth is, we don't know any specifics about Authors Equity's model beyond a press release, a few vague interviews, and a range of hot takes. Their website has very little information, and they don't currently even meet several of IBPA's minimal Hybrid Publisher Criteria.
Meanwhile, libraries have generally proven reluctant to use their power to shape the demand curve and shift digital budgets away from expensive Big 5 bestsellers, even when it means sacrificing diversity and depth in their own digital collections.
It's an unfortunate truth about books that it's never simply been about being a good writer, but as literal thousands of new books are published every month, marketability is arguably more important — and harder to define — than it's ever been.
I don't usually buy into "blame the user" for most problems, but our collective addiction to vanity metrics ruined everything, and even those who didn't buy into them have suffered the consequences. The problem exists between keyboard and chair.
"I'd pay good money to hear the whisper networks' take on that." Five things for November 30, 2023.
"On KKR and publishing, book bans' human cost, more World Cup, and becoming a Trekkie." Five things for August 17, 2023.
"Let it die." Five things for June 8, 2023. That's it! That's the excerpt.