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I've just finished several marvelous days at the London Book Fair and wanted to share my perspective on this brilliant event.
In the video below, I include some pictures from the event, interviews with authors and share my own perspective. You can also watch on YouTube here. There is a text post below the video if you prefer to read.
My Overall Impression
Those stalls were also full of people having meetings and no appointment meant no chat. I did feel a sense of the scale of the large publishing houses. How many authors, how many books and how many people are involved. It's no wonder an individual author can feel insignificant.
There were more interesting stands around the edges and towards the back, where smaller and more agile publishers had stalls. There was also a Digital space with a fantastic networking area where many of us had back to back meetings.
I heard a fantastic talk from Kobo's Michael Tamblyn about the data behind the hype, and the Amazon KDP & Createspace stand was permanently busy.
Amazon publishing, including thriller imprint Thomas & Mercer, had a booth at the very back of the event. That physical placement seemed to be a deliberate act by the ‘powers that be' as there was also a lot of anti-Amazon talk (from publishers) at the Fair. I went to talk to them about my own thrillers and had a great chat with the team there. More on that another time…
There was a focus on China but I didn't attend any of those events. I did talk to people about Portuguese translation for Brazil and also about other European markets, something I am definitely interested in pursuing. I enjoyed the seminars I went to and generally felt there was a good atmosphere. A lot of people are positive about the future of publishing, even with the tectonic changes currently happening (but then perhaps I only hear the glass-half-full side because that's how I feel).
Here are some points from the sessions I attended, primarily the CEO Keynote. I tried to keep notes of verbatim speech but I acknowledge any errors are my own.
- The whole point of publishing is how creativity gets to readers and winning the hearts and minds of the consumer
- Audible desperately needs more content, and audiobooks continue to expand as a market. This is great for authors but the author-focused stance was challenged in the keynote, details reported here. If you're interested in audiobooks, Audible outline their business model further here.
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Ceiling at the China pavilion The book industry is sustainable, just not in its current form. Twice as many people read now as they did in the 1930s which is fantastic. But a quarter of books printed are destroyed, 1 book in 5 doesn't earn back its advance. “The karma in publishing is bad.” But the interest in stories and ideas is very much alive.
- Publishers want to embrace all things digital, but there is hesitancy because of the difficulty of predicting the future [Authors do this too!]
- Publishing used to be based on alco-rhythms (booze and instinct) and is now based on algorithms – Richard Charkin, Bloomsbury
- Print books are handled 24 times on average from manufacture to purchase. Planes take books to Australia and come back with the returns. Tescos buys 10,000 books and returns 9000. There is no business model that can sustain this. Things have to change.
- All that really matters is the author and the reader. Everyone else is in the middle. Authors must realize that publishers can't do everything for them. Neil Gaiman shifted thousands of his audiobooks with a tweet. We're looking for more of that. Authors directly engaging with readers.
- Publishers serve authors through editorial standard. They turn something into something better. [Agreed. Which is why serious indie authors hire professional editors, many of whom work for publishing firms already.]
- “The advance is hush money” John Mitchinson, Unbound
- Any kind of artist has to do everything. There is no such thing as sitting around dreaming. Performance is important.
Rights Workshop
I learned how the author's work is “exploited”, how different books work in different markets, the attention to detail needed in contractuals and tracking rights, about translations and the excitement of the Brazilian market. Highly recommended if you're around next year.
Digital Minds Conference
This was at the same time as the Rights workshop above, but I attended virtually via the Twitter back-channel which was great. You can read a fantastic round-up of everything that went on at Publishing Talk's Live Blog Roundup. Well worth a read.
Opportunities For Independent Authors
There were a lot of self-publishing companies around the Fair, as well as a large area for Digital and also Apps, which is where independent authors mostly hung out. The usual suspects were there, and there was a positive, happening vibe with speed networking going on.There were also a number of workshops for authors who want to look at self-publishing. They were a bit basic for you lot though, but interesting to see so many sessions at a Fair so dominated by traditional publishing.
The video below contains some of the reactions to the event – you can tell everyone is excited! Watch on YouTube here.
Featuring: Joanna Penn (me), Orna Ross, Joni Rodgers, Jon Reed, Linda Gillard, Ben Galley, Marion Croslydon, Lorna Fergusson, Karen Inglis, Leda Sammarco, Harriet Smart, Alison Baverstock.
In conclusion, a marvelous event and I am considering going to the Frankfurt Book Fair in October, so may see some of you there!
[Update] Radio Litopia The Naked Book: Shiny, Happy, Publishing People
Did you go to the Book Fair? or have you attended Book Fairs or publishing industry events before? What are your impressions and have you found them useful? Please do leave a comment. Thank you!
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1 2 Next »Fantastic and fascinating stuff and impressively (quickly!) reported as usual. I had my eye on the hashtag while I was at work and kept thinking about how much I want to be there next year (I know Legend plan to push my novel at the fair, but I want to be there too!).
I hope to be there again next year and meet you in the flesh - finally!
Thanks so much for a great recap. Jetting to London wasn't possible, but it was fun being there vicariously. I have also followed various events through live Tweets. Love that.
Really informative, Joanna. I would have loved to see the JK Rowling "altar"!!! Amazing, as always!
Unfortunately, I didn't get a pic of the topless man wandering around giving out free copies of 50 Shades of Grey! I did try - honest!
Now that would have been something to see! I bet if I google it, I can have a glimpse :D
Great round up Joanna of a fair that sounded like it mirrored the changing publishing landscape well. I love the video for the Independent authors alliance, so much energy there. Looking forward to your further videos on the fair.
Thanks Alison - no more videos on this fair - but perhaps Frankfurt! and of course, I'd take sponsorship for Book Expo America :)
Would you say BEA is the American equivalent to the LBF?
Yes, definitely - although I heard from some Americans that BEA is much bigger, digital focused and not so snobby as the London publishing establishment :) I haven't been though.
That's so fascinating, Joanna. I wish I lived in London! Quick question, did you actually mean, "1 book in 5 doesn’t earn back its advance" Or did you mean 4 books in 5 don't earn out its advance. The latter is closer to what I hear, but it could very well be an urban myth as well.
I thought it was 4 out of 5 as well - but he said 1 in 5 - perhaps that is just the specific publisher. Regardless of the numbers, clearly publishing has to choose commercial books or they can't make the advance back because of the amount of handling etc. I have heard that Amazon publishing does higher profit share and no advance. That's more of a sustainable model and means the author is more invested and more of a business partner. I like that model idea.
I've been to the London Book Fair with my editor’s hat on; found it interesting but not that useful. That was in the old days at the the ExCel Centre, though. I may give it another try next year!
I think the focus on self-publishing and digital will continue, so editors wanting freelance work may find it more useful in future.
Once an independent author's book is out, s/he faces an uneven playing field: Self-published books are refused access by bookshop owners and shunned by librarians because they have not been vetted by ‘legitimate,’ known mainstream publishing channels. Up to now, this was the only guarantee they had that a book earned its right to see the light of day. They haven's been giving a place on their shelves to ‘unproven’ titles. This is why, on December 13, 2011, I founded The indiepENdents.org
Soon, the indiePENdents.org seal will give them the assurance they seek. With out standards, and peer review based on them, we seek fair play and open market for all good authors, whether mainstream of independently e.i. self-published.
Having now been voted on by the membership, these standards have become the official basis for reviews by our three member panels deciding whether to issue the indiePENdent seal to already published works.
We now need more members to volunteer as reviewers, and others willing to approach their local media to give out information, and spread the word about the work of The indiePENdents. The general reading public, your local bookstores and libraries need to know of this new validation tool on which self-published author can star relying right now.
If you are reading this, join us. Membership is free and we devoid of any commercial interests or solicitations. Whether you are an independent author or simply care about the future of literature and the new model of publishing, you will be part of publishing history in the making.
Hi Jasha,
As you can see, this article is promoting the Alliance of Independent Authors and we also have a focus on excellence and helping indies get recognized. However I would disagree that physical bookstores are so important these days. So many people order online, physical and ebooks, so most marketing is better done online, as well as reviews, and there are plenty of places reviewing indie books now.
It's good there are more places for indies to connect though. Thanks.
My comment is proof of one of indiePENdets standards which is to have your books edited.
I typed and missed seeing "With out srandards..." where I should have typed "With our standards..." and was promptly reprimanded by my editor. I had committed another one, which I corrected when copying her, so she did not have to correct me. If anyone finds one, that is it. The dog did it, honest.
How great that you could go to this, Joanna! This was my first London Book Fair happening where I had an actual book in the pipeline. Thank you for these inside details. Sounds like a majestic event--on the trad front, the indie front, maybe even for Amazon.
Wow that looks amazing. I wish I was there with you!
I've never been a to a book fair like that. It's surprising the Big 6 don't have time to talk with everyone. No wonder they are having a tough time adjusting to ebooks.
Thanks for the great post.