Booksquare

Books are funny things. You’d think, after centuries of printing and selling them, industry professionals would understand how the business works. They would get that buzz doesn’t necessarily translate to sales — especially when that buzz is inherently incestuous in nature — and that the buying public is completely overwhelmed by choice.

Publishers need to remember […]

There is no doubt that judging literary merit takes on an eye of the beholder quality. One judge’s treasure is another’s muddled mess. Art, by nature, is subjective. Selecting the best of something often comes down to judgment calls and aesthetic choices that seem to defy reason. Thus we consider Granta’s “Best of Young American […]

If you’ve been paying attention for the past year or so, you’ve noticed that Amazon.com has embraced Web 2.0 technology with something approaching religious fervor. You name the buzzword, they’ve implemented the technology. Wiki (now known as the, uh, Amapedia), Ajax, blogging, tagging (and tag clouding), free shipping (okay, not a Web 2.0 technology, but […]

As you might have noticed, we have been thinking more than a little about how publishers can transition from the old model to the new model without sacrificing the old model. For those who haven’t been paying attention, the old model can be neatly summed up as “good stuff to read”.

In many ways, a […]

During this incredibly busy week, we have come to rely on the magical powers of our cell phone more than ever. So much so that we had a panicky dream where the cute little thing was broken and required major surgery. Not a happy time sleeping. We’ve also been talking to friends about the wonders […]

Though we are often (very) harsh on the publishing industry, we secretly understand the trials, tribulations, and, yes, challenges they face. When we rage about the industry’s inability to move into the late 20th century, it is with love that we rant, not anger. Okay, sometimes anger. It’s 2007. There are many topics that we […]

BS Headquarters (also home to Medialoper HQ) has been buzzing with the news that EMI has struck a deal with Apple to sell DRM-free music via the iTunes store. While this is not the unprecedented move some media would have you think — Kirk notes that labels have being doing this via eMusic for many […]

Every now and then, the tides of thought turn to the age-old question: why isn’t there a Netflix for books? Invariably thoughts will turn to one of the many so-called “swapping” services and someone will say, “Look, I found one!”

Swapping services help readers but also cut into author compensation.

Oh no, dears, not even close. While […]