Posts Tagged ‘independent publishers’

Amazon and Freedom

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

I’ve been reading about disgruntled publishers pulling out of dealing with Amazon for months now. Upset over the percentage that Amazon is demanding. It’s head-scratching stuff.

Let’s get this out the way first: Amazon is a giant in the world of e-commerce. No, let me rephrase that, Amazon is the giant. The majority of online buyers that I know go to Amazon. They have no need for Joe Bloggs Publishing, no need to care. All Amazon wants is to continue making massive profits. Which is fair enough. For anyone who has worked in the corporate world, this comes as no surprise. (more…)

...read more»

We’re Local and Proud

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

There’s nothing wrong with being local. In today’s all-encompassing world where your best mate may well be straddled to a microphone/webcam on the other side of the world, there’s a refreshing element to calling in at your local bookshop and seeing how things are. Saying a personal hello even. We’re based in Twickenham and we’re happy to say we’re supported by our local bookshop, Langton’s Bookshop. I know it well. In fact I did a reading there a few years back when I was trying to get my poetry heard. They had wine. And applause. I remember that wine.
(more…)

...read more»

Honest Breaks Into The London Book Fair

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

We waltz through the blazing gates of the London Book Fair, longing. Shake hands with the devil. Shake hands with anything living or otherwise. We find the toilet for that all important pre-meeting piss, smoke one last cigarette, puff chest out like a soon to be slaughtered cockerel.

(more…)

...read more»

To Free, Or Not To Free?

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

I’m going to play the role of devil’s advocate here, because, in truth, I don’t really know the real motivations of chancellor George Osborne, and his half-baked, coalition government. This lot have really been vigorously swinging the axe left, right, and centre, since they grabbed the keys of number 10, haven’t they? All in the name of spending cuts, to put the ‘Great’ back into Britain again. Since the last mob were resident at Downing St, this great country of ours has ‘gone for a burton’, to borrow a well-used Cockney phrase. (more…)

...read more»

Independent Publishers: Who Needs Them?

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

On reading John Naughton‘s article ‘Publishers take note: the iPad is altering the very concept of a ‘book’‘ in the Observer last month, it occurred to me some interesting questions were being raised.

“There will always be “books”. The question now is: will there always be publishers?” was one that particularly stood out, as you can imagine. I suppose to fully answer this question we need to first fully analyse what it is exactly publishers (like ourselves) do. (more…)

...read more»

The Meaning of Independent in Independent Publishing

Monday, October 25th, 2010

The first definition of independent is:
“free from outside control; not subject to another’s authority.”

Must be a delicate subject in independent publishing today for I look at top independent names out there and they’re surrounded by backing, by influential friends, contacts at their beck and call. (more…)

...read more»

Pass it on: Independent publishing and Brooklyn’s Underground Library

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

Online publishers offer one platform for emerging writers and artists, but print remains a beguiling alternative to many readers. I think this is what appeals to me most about the Brooklyn Underground Library, an alternative publishing house created by two anonymous Williamsburg, Brooklyn artists who have struggled to find an outlet for their underground books. (more…)

...read more»