Laura Owen at PaidContent obtains some general statistics on Amazon Kindle sales over the past 14 months, which ratify our argument that–while interesting–both the form and this proprietary store are vastly overcovered. In 14 months, Amazon says sales are “over two million” units. With prices ranging from one to three dollars, that comprises gross sales of roughly $4 million, across 165 titles. The six bestselling Kindle Singles titles are in fact all non-exclusive works from established authors: Lee Child, Stephen King, David Baldacci, Dean Koontz. (Together they are likely to comprise over a quarter of those two million units by […]
Direct publishing
For Tucker Max, Self-Publishing Ensues
New on the bestseller lists this month is Tucker Max’s third–and according to the author final–book of “fratire,” HILARITY ENSUES. Overlooked so far is that with this new volume Max joins the ranks of successful authors to turn to self-publishing, issuing the book through his own company Blue Heeler Books. (A blue heeler is a type of dog, which Max owns.) Max’s agent Byrd Leavell helped shop the distribution rights, in which Simon & Schuster prevailed over one other contender as the author’s distribution partner, after the author “turned down a huge offer” from another big six house for a […]
Inkling Launches New Authoring Tools With Habitat
At Tools of Change Tuesday morning e-textbook firm Inkling announced the details of its new free cloud-based authoring tool Habitat, which will allow for the creation of interactive digital content for tablet computers and for the Web when it’s widely available later this year. Habitat will allow publishers to produce and publish content that includes guided tours, 3-D exhibits, interactive quizzes, and high definition video, in addition to text. Inkling calls Habitat the “only strictly schematic publishing platform” as part of its attempt to employ a software-based (and evidently, more rapid) model of publishing. But of course it joins a […]
eNews: Open Source Textbooks from Rice University; Author Solutions Adds eBook Distribution Service; Hocking’s Market Share, and More
Rice University has launched OpenStax College, which will offer free, open-source course materials for five common introductory classes in biology, astronomy, and physiology. OpenStax is funded by grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the 20 Million Minds Foundation and the Maxfield Foundation, and the program hopes to capture 10 percent of the textbook market that, in turn, would save students $90 million over the next five years. Inside Higher Ed reports that “In the past, open-source materials have failed to gain traction among some professors; their accuracy could be difficult to confirm […]
eNews: Bedford Square, Nelson, Book Baby and Author House
Ed Victor’s Bedford Square Books–which has been controversial for splitting proceeds with its authors rather than just taking a standard agency commission–already has its first success story. Tesco buyer Garry Blackman read about Bedford Square’s plan to publish Louise Fennell‘s debut novel DEAD RICH in the Evening Standard and asked to see the manuscript. The chain placed an order “understood to be taking tens of thousands of copies” and Victor sold the rights to Simon & Schuster UK (after reportedly having been rejected by 17 publishers in his original submission). Evening Standard In a follow-up post, agent Kristin Nelson clarified […]
eNews: Penguin Launches Mobile Platform; Self-Publishing Capabilities From Nelson Literary Agency
Penguin has launched a new digital/mobile toolkit, My Artist’s Way Toolkit & App, based on Julia Cameron’s 2 million copy-selling 1992 book The Artist’s Way. The platform, which will be offered as a $4.99 monthly subscription (or $3.99 a month for those who sign up for a one-year plan) with daily inspirations and weekly exercises and activities. Global digital director Molly Barton said in a statement that the platform is one “that we anticipate using for future Penguin works.” Add the Nelson Literary Agency to the list of agencies establishing ways to help their clients self-publish. Their Digital Liason Platform, […]