Previewing books has become increasingly important in helping readers decide to buy. A recent study found that 18 percent of respondents had read a sample of a book or looked through it in person, and liked it enough to make the purchase. More anecdotally, we often see a spike in sales when titles are placed into sampling programs, and a drop in sales when titles are withdrawn.
Save the date and mark your calendars. #TwitterFiction Festival will return from May 11 through May 15, pushing the boundaries of storytelling to bring fiction to life on Twitter—and onstage during an exclusive live event in New York City.
Recent reports suggest that eBook growth has plateaued and millennials haven’t been adopting digital reading at the same rate as their parents. Are eBooks still the future?
We sat down with Liisa McCloy-Kelley, Vice President, Director, eBook Development and Innovation, to learn more about the eBook landscape and how the format is developing.
Parents who love to read want to share that passion with their children and bond over books. But busy lifestyles often get in the way of developing this connection. Enter Brightly, a new online resource that makes it a little easier, and a lot more fun, for moms and dads to raise children who love to read. Through thoughtful recommendations, expert tips, and fun ideas, Brightly inspires moms and dads to create reading lives for their families.
Social media can be a powerful tool for authors, enabling them to form meaningful connections with readers. But for many authors, trying to figure out the right approach can lead to a series of questions: What should I post about? What sort of tone should I use? How can I connect the conversations I am having online with offline events such as book tours? We caught up with Dan Blank, founder of WeGrowMedia and last month’s webinar speaker, to find out what advice he typically offers authors.
Every author’s work is unique. And yet, early in the publishing process, authors are often asked by agents or publishers to provide comparison (“comp”) titles. We asked Penguin Random House editorial, sales, and analytics teams why comp titles are important, what makes for a meaningful comp, and how to find them if you are asked.
Some books require an extra step in the publishing process: the legal vet or legal read. For many authors, news that their manuscript has been sent to the legal department can be intimidating, so we sat down with Executive Vice President and General Counsel Katherine Trager to find out more about the process and what it really means. Keep reading to learn what kind of manuscripts go to the legal department, and what issues the team looks for.
Last month, Brandi Larsen, digital publishing director for the Berkley, New American Library, and Celebra imprints, hosted a webinar to help Penguin Random House authors understand how to evaluate and improve their websites. We talked to Brandi about what authors can learn from great author websites.
Getting the first sentence on paper can be one of the most difficult challenges a writer faces. Read on for ideas from eight authors on how to kick-start the writing process. These excerpts come from Write Start, a new Biographile series that shares tips, advice, and poignant personal stories from popular fiction and non-fiction authors. (Biographile is Penguin Random House’s site dedicated to biography, memoir, and truth in fiction.)
Media appearances are an important part of many book launches and a great opportunity to spread the word about your book. But being a memorable guest on radio or television involves more than just the interview itself. Use the social media you already have to magnify the impact of your appearance and make yourself a welcome return guest.