One Foot in the Grave

One Foot in the Grave

... and the other on a banana peel is an accurate description of the current state of oldpub. Author Kristine Kathryn Rusch plumbs the exact depth of the hole. There’s a shortage of paper, because it comes from China. The two largest printers of magazines and books in the U.S.,…
April 24, 202019 Comments
Zahn Goes Indie

Zahn Goes Indie

It's been a tough month for oldpub, Editors at the Big Five publishers were already scrambling for their Xanax and Franzia over the imminent collapse of their lumber monopoly. Now their living nightmare just got worse. For the two of you who cut school the day we discussed Timothy Zahn…
April 8, 202014 Comments
PublishingInTrouble.jpg

It’s a Great Time to Be in Publishing

... If you're actually in publishing and not lumber distribution. Hat tip to author Rawle Nyanzi for documenting this frank admission from Tor Books editor Beth Meacham: For years, I've called out legacy New York publishers for being in the lumber business instead of the story business. A book isn't…
April 6, 202021 Comments
Mad at a Library

Mad at a Library

The Internet Archive's announcement of a National Emergency Library to give students access to reading material during the quarantine has run afoul of a certain Witch. Courtesy of @Dataracer117 on Twitter: Not a good look--especially since archive.org is in fact offering Wendig's books through their lending library--not via direct download.…
March 30, 202021 Comments
Big Publisher 4 Sale

Big Publisher 4 Sale

Oldpub shouldn't get too cocky about newpub authors' recent sales dip, especially since the Big Five New York publishers are about to become the Big Four. ViacomCBS is preparing to sell its venerable publishing unit, Simon & Schuster, as the company re-evaluates all its assets in a fast-changing business landscape.…
March 4, 20203 Comments
Amazon: Killing the Golden Goose

Amazon: Killing the Golden Goose

Author David Stewart recently produced an excellent video on recent shenanigans in the eBook market. Based on rumblings he's heard from readers and other authors, David sees an eBook market contraction on the way. As usual, he's done his homework, and I think he's on to something. See for yourself.…
March 2, 202011 Comments
Classical Blackface

Classical Blackface

Publishers Weekly announces a new joint initiative between Penguin Random House and Barnes and Noble that's sure to shape the future of publishing. A collection of classic books with new culturally diverse covers will make their debut at New York City’s largest bookstore. To kick off Black History Month, Penguin…
February 5, 202019 Comments
The End of an Era

The End of an Era

Jason Rennie, editor-in-chief of Superversive Press, took to Facebook to share some sad news. Jason broke onto the scene as a publisher during the Sad Puppies saga when his magazine Sci Phi Journal received a Best Semiprozine nomination. It was an honor having Jason publish my short fiction in SPJ and…
January 20, 20204 Comments
Neo-Patronage

Neo-Patronage

Lately a lot of folks have been asking me where I think the publishing industry is headed next. It's a fair question. After all, our society is undergoing runaway change, and publishing is a subset of the whole. Many of these questions are prompted by the ongoing censorship campaign sweeping…
January 7, 202016 Comments
Newpub Talk

Newpub Talk

Last night I had a lively and wide-ranging conversation with author David V. Stewart on his Newpub Talk show. The billed subject was the mecha genre, but we ended up chatting about the pulps, writing, tips, and Dino Riders, among other topics. David is always fun and interesting to talk…
January 2, 202013 Comments