The Agile Writer

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August 25, 2018

Walmart Fights Kindle with Kobo

Launching a partnership announced earlier this year, Walmart and e-book retailer Rakuten Kobo detailed plans to offer an array of e-book content, reading services and devices via Walmart stores and cobranded iOS and Android apps. The new service, Walmart eBooks by Rakuten Kobo, launches today and will deliver a newly organized digital books and services catalog to Walmart consumers based […]

Greg Smith Bookstores 0 34 sec read
August 18, 2018

50 Shades of Submission

Janet Reid writes… I’ve recently had an agent request the first 50 pages of my manuscript after being “intrigued” by my query and first 5 pages. Good news, for sure. Here’s the thing: a MAJOR plot development happens on page 60; a real WOW moment (at least I hope). I didn’t press my luck. I submitted the first 50 as […]

Greg Smith Articles 0 37 sec read
August 18, 2018

Tor (SciFi Publisher) Embargos Libraries

The announcement last month that Macmillan’s Tor division (perhaps the world’s best-known science fiction publisher) has instituted a four-month embargo on new e-book titles for libraries is an unwelcome development. Tor officials say the change is designed to test whether library lending is affecting retail e-book sales. Librarians, however, see the move as an unwarranted restriction that will needlessly impact […]

Greg Smith Publishing 0 20 sec read
August 12, 2018

More Problems for B&N

From Michael Kozlowski Major publishers have attended meetings with the founder of Barnes and Noble and have voiced their displeasure that the booksellers management team is in a constant state of disarray. They indicated that they have a strong interest in Barnes & Noble running a healthy and stable business, to counteract the clout of Amazon. Barnes and Noble has […]

Greg Smith Articles 0 32 sec read
August 10, 2018

The Price of Editing…

From BLAKE ATWOOD at The Write Life: For comparison purposes, let’s look at the editing rates and use an average page-per-hour and an average hourly rate. For instance, the EFA lists basic copyediting of 5–10 pages per hour at a cost of $30–$40 per hour, so I’ve assumed 7.5 pages per hour at a cost of $35 per hour. The other […]

Greg Smith Articles 0 49 sec read
July 26, 2018

Investment Group Acquires 5.7% Stake in B&N

According to a filing made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Schottenfeld began buying B&N shares on May 29 and made his most recent purchase July 16, accumulating 4.2 million B&N shares. Schottenfeld paid between $5.32 and $6.57 per share for his stake. B&N’s shares began the year trading at $6.70, and closed at $5.65 per share on July 23. […]

Greg Smith Articles 0 35 sec read
July 19, 2018

North American Comics Market Declined 6.5% in 2017

Combined North American sales of graphic novels and periodical comics declined about 6.5% to $1.015 billion in 2017, according to a joint estimate made by pop culture trade news sites ICv2.com and Comichron. The overall sales decline was due to a 10% drop in the comics shop channel which was somewhat offset by only a 1% decline in sales to […]

Greg Smith Articles 0 21 sec read
July 17, 2018

Practical Writing Tips

I don’t like to share promos or ads. But this advice from Writers Life is pretty good. It matches a lot of what I’ve been telling my writers at the Agile Writer Workshop. While I don’t necessarily endorse the Writers Life products, I do like their advice. Caveat emptor… Practical Writing Tips You Can Actually Use 1. Say something; Think about […]

Greg Smith Writing 0 28 sec read
July 17, 2018

Bookstore Sales Rose $741M

Bookstore sales rose from $741 million last May to $745 million in May 2018, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The $4 million rise in sales amounted to a 0.5% increase year over year. The small May gain is in keeping with the sluggish start bookstore sales have had in 2018. Through the January to May […]

Greg Smith Bookstores 0 20 sec read

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