publishing industry

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For Debut Authors, Busting Out Is Harder Than Ever

Esquire's Kate Dwyer looks at media's changing landscape for authors

(Newser) - Kate Dwyer at Esquire argues that today's media landscape has made captivating an audience near impossible for debut authors. And given the importance of a first book to landing subsequent deals, this can leave many talented writers' careers dead in the water. "Getting the review on the cover...

Stephen King Testifies for Justice Department

He was star witness in publishing antitrust trial

(Newser) - Bestselling author Stephen King stepped up to the witness stand Tuesday in a federal antitrust trial . Tracing his own history, he laid out a portrait of a publishing industry that has become increasingly concentrated over the years while richly rewarding his creative endeavors, the AP reports. "My name is...

Stephen King Will Be Star Witness in Publishing Antitrust Trial

Government is trying to block merger of two of publishing's 'Big Five'

(Newser) - The government and publishing titan Penguin Random House exchanged opening salvos in a federal antitrust trial Monday as the US seeks to block the biggest US book publisher from absorbing rival Simon & Schuster. The case comes as a key test of the Biden administration’s antitrust policy, the AP...

DOJ Doesn't Want Publishing's 'Big Five' Becoming 'Big Four'

Files antitrust suit to stop major book publisher merger

(Newser) - The Justice Department is suing to block a $2.2 billion book publishing deal that would have reshaped the industry, saying consolidation would hurt authors and, ultimately, readers, the AP reports. German media giant Bertelsmann's Penguin Random House, already the largest American publisher, wants to buy New York-based Simon...

The Publishing World Has Been Battling a Truly Bizarre Thief

Someone has been working to access manuscripts for years, but not for profit

(Newser) - Reeves Wiedeman has spent years trying to unravel a literary-world mystery, and his lengthy recap of his digging for New York Magazine is confounding at times. As is the mystery. In simplest terms, for the past four years someone has been using somewhat sophisticated measures to try to steal book...

New Bible Adds Words of Constitution and Lee Greenwood

Opponents see blasphemy and Christian nationalism in the project, whose marketer says it's about unity

(Newser) - The Book of Revelation warns that anyone who takes it upon themselves to add text to the Bible will be punished. Hugh Kirkpatrick is undeterred. His new publishing project will combine the words of the Bible, the US Constitution, and Lee Greenwood. The God Bless the USA Bible is scheduled...

Pence Jumps Ahead of Trump With 2-Book Deal

Publishers have been signing administration figures slowly

(Newser) - Mike Pence has found work. The former vice president signed a deal Wednesday to write two books for Simon & Schuster, the first of which is due out in 2023, USA Today reports. The publisher said readers can look forward to "the definitive book on one of the most...

Big 5 of American Publishing Could Soon Shrink to 4

Penguin to buy Simon & Schuster

(Newser) - German media giant Bertelsmann said Wednesday that its Penguin Random House division is buying rival Simon & Schuster in a megadeal that would reshape the US publishing industry. Penguin Random House, already the largest American publisher, will buy the New York-based Simon & Schuster, whose authors include Stephen King, Hillary...

For Oprah's 20-Year-Old Magazine, a 'Natural Next Step'

No more regular print versions for 'O': It's becoming 'more digitally centric'

(Newser) - After two decades, Oprah Winfrey's namesake publication is undergoing a major shift. O, the Oprah Magazine will cease regular print editions after its December issue, reports the Business of Fashion blog via ETOnline . The brand collaboration between Hearst Magazines and Winfrey's Harpo Inc., which began production in 2000,...

Coronavirus May Have Killed Playboy Magazine

Spring 2020 issue will be last of the year, possibly forever

(Newser) - It may not be the first casualty that comes to mind in regard to the coronavirus outbreak, but the Spring 2020 issue of Playboy magazine about to hit the stands will be the last one of the year—and maybe ever. Playboy Enterprises CEO Ben Kohn made the surprise announcement...

One of the Top Gigs in Publishing Is About to Open Up

Graydon Carter is leaving 'Vanity Fair' after 25 years at the helm

(Newser) - The New York Times says it's not so much a "changing of the guard," but a "regal passage." Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair for the past quarter-century, is stepping down in December, vacating one of the most sought-after positions in publishing. "I...

Stephen King Adds His Clout to Anti-Amazon Letter

Authors think Jeff Bezos is using bully business tactics

(Newser) - Stephen King, Nora Roberts, and Robert Caro are among the hundreds of authors who have added their names to an online letter criticizing Amazon.com for restricting access to works published by Hachette Book Group. The letter, initiated by Hachette author Douglas Preston, urged Amazon to resolve its standoff with...

Amazon Might Doom Itself With Own Success

Evan Hughes: Killing traditional bookstores will harm company in long run

(Newser) - Amazon seems unstoppable right about now, thanks in part to court decisions like this one . On top of that, Barnes & Noble is reeling , as are brick-and-mortar bookstores in general. But Amazon better hold the celebration, because if it puts traditional bookstores out of business, it's only going to...

Apple Guilty of E-Book Price-Fixing: Judge

Court rules company conspired with publishers to jack up prices

(Newser) - The verdict in the Apple e-book price-fixing trial is in: the company did conspire with publishing companies to push up prices, says a federal judge. "The plaintiffs have shown that the publisher defendants conspired with each other to eliminate retail price competition in order to raise e-book prices, and...

Is This 21-Year-Old the Next Literary Superstar?

Samantha Shannon's 'Bone Season' is out this summer

(Newser) - Samantha Shannon may not be a household name, but her UK publisher thinks she will be sometime in August when her first novel, the Bone Season, comes out. It's the first in a seven-book series set in 2059 London, and Shannon scored a six-figure advance for the first three,...

Apple Faces Uphill Battle as Price-Fixing Trial Begins

Judge expects 'direct evidence' of 'conspiracy'

(Newser) - Apple's federal court battle over e-book price fixing begins today, and the company has a tough case to make, observes the Wall Street Journal . The government's claim: Apple made deals with five publishers to boost the prices of e-books before the iPad's 2010 launch. "Stripped of...

Publishers Howl as Amazon Seeks .Book Domain

Firm wants to snap up dozens of new names

(Newser) - A big expansion of Internet domain name suffixes is on the way and publishing industry groups are alarmed by Amazon.com's plans to get in on the action, the Wall Street Journal reports. The company is seeking to snap up names including ".book," ".author" and "...

Time Warner May Sell Off People, Other Magazines

It would keep Time, Sports Illustrated

(Newser) - Time Warner is contemplating a big shakeup of the marquis magazines under its Time Inc. publishing division, reports Fortune and the New York Times . The media conglomerate is expected to sell People, InStyle, and Real Simple magazines to Meredith Corporation, which already publishes Better Homes and Gardens and Ladies Home ...

Random House, Penguin to Merge

Some literary agents concerned

(Newser) - Random House, already the biggest consumer book publisher in the English-speaking world, will get even bigger next year after a planned merger with Penguin. The plans, rumored last week, were confirmed today by the media companies that own the two publishing divisions, Bertelsmann and Pearson. Bertelsmann, the Random House owner,...

Lena Dunham’s $3.7M Advance Is a Big Problem
Lena Dunham’s $3.7M Advance Is a Big Problem
OPINION
Oct 9, 2012 1:58 PM CDT

Lena Dunham’s $3.7M Advance Is a Big Problem

In fact, it explains what's wrong with the publishing industry: Rob Spillman

(Newser) - Want to know what's wrong with the corporate publishing industry? Take a look at Lena Dunham's insane book deal , which Rob Spillman pegs at $3.7 million on Salon . Random House will need to sell at least 500,000 copies to break even, which Spillman thinks is a...

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