Richmond Noir: A River City Reading

Back in the late nineties, I found myself sitting in what was widely regarded as one of the easiest courses in college: Cinema as Art Form. We called the class a "gut" because everyone said it was cake. Show up, get a B. What I enjoyed most about the class began with a viewing of Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train. We spent our time on a few directors, including Scorcese, Welles, and the Master of Suspense. The riveting train flick sparked, should we say, an affair with all things "noir" -- the twists, the turns, and the femme fatale were all fun for me.

Well, the concept arrived in Richmond with Akashic Books' 2010 publication of Richmond Noir, a collection of short stories taking place in a variety of River City's most loved neighborhoods. The anthology includes stories by a number of authors, including a personal friend, Conrad Ashley Persons. The editors have truly collected a remarkable assortment of stories.

This week, the Richmond Noir book tour returns home from Manhattan with a reading this Wednesday, May 12 at Gallery Five, 200 West Marshall Street at 7pm. I heard terrific compliments from those in attendance at the latest NYC reading, so I am excited to make the trip from Charlottesville this week. If you're in the Richmond area, I would encourage you to head downtown for this literary treat.

And now, the nuts and bolts publishing commentary... Akashic Books, an independent publisher of urban literary fiction and political nonfiction (as described by their website), launched a series of compilations dedicated to urban "noir," and I would guess that Richmond's editors, Andrew Blossom, Brian Castleberry, and Tom De Haven, have done a great deal of work with the promotion of this publication.

As I've followed its release, I have dedicated myself to keeping tabs on the Facebook page and the blog, both excellent resources on tour events, happenings, and discourse. The Facebook page allows the book's marketers to share news of upcoming reading sessions and also relevant reviews and critiques. This kind of continuous feed enhances the relationship between the book and its potential buyers in the online space, thus ensuring the product is literally streaming through the Facebook conscious and growing exponentially (hopefully). The blog collects important links for purchasing, contributors, editors, and related sites. Each entry gives a short update or recap on items followers and buyers may find interesting or helpful.

The use of these tools reminds me that today, a book does not have to appear on the shelves of every bookstore in town to gain visibility. It also drives home the point that even the small publisher can compete with the marketing of a larger organization in the online space. A blog is a blog is a blog, and if used correctly, can reach a target audience pretty effectively, especially when the target audience likes to read. The Facebook touch organizes consumers' internet lives around the product for sale, all for nothing. This serves as an example of a publishing business effectively employing social media in the modern book age. Nice work.

Hope to see you all on Wednesday night in Jackson Ward. Richmond Noir. Read all about it. Or let the talented writers read to you...

The High Stakes of Publishing and Huckleberry Finn

An April article published in The New Yorker entitled "Publish or Perish: Can the iPad topple the Kindle and save the book business?" brilliantly aggregates a host of issues facing the publishing industry. While much of the article addresses the changes driven by the e-book revolution, author Ken Auletta identifies specific business problems that publishers now encounter based on industry data and market research. An accompanying interview with Mr. Auletta on NPR's Fresh Air complements the article nicely, giving voice (literally) to the author's research. I encourage you to read and listen to these two pieces.

Mr. Auletta's 7-page article discusses a range of topics. I have pulled out several items that I find interesting as we explore the modern publishing arena. Here are some highlights:

1. 40% of people in the U.S.A. read one book or less last year (Steve Jobs, circa 2008);
2. Big publishers consider bookstores their primary customers (Tim O'Reilly, founder and C.E.O of O'Reilly Media);
3. Nearly 40% of hardcovers bought by bookstores are returned to publishers unsold;
4. Royalty advances account for publishers' largest expense, second only to returns (70% of the books produced in a given year will not earn back author advances);
5. Backlist books allow major publishers to take chances on new books and authors;
6. Consumers want both brick-and-mortar and online bookstores, with reliable availability;
7. Google is entering the game with Google Editions, and 12 new e-reading devices debuted at Las Vegas' Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Aside from the fact that people don't really read books anymore, the highlights gleaned from the article illustrate that the basic publishing business model will not continue to work in the future, competition is heating up, and customers will desire everything they have today and more. The numbers identify some key areas for business analysis as well. Oversimplified? Yes. Understated? No.

Why does all this matter to you? Well, let's take a quick look....

Searching for that last minute Mother's Day gift? Why not take care of Dad, too? Better hit up Amazon's 2-day free shipping. You know they have what you want in stock. But wait, maybe you're looking for a real deal, or you just need the tranquility that is a labrinth of bookshelves, a book nook, so to speak....

Writing a novel, a textbook, a biography? You have some new publishing options these days. What kind of marketing do you need? How do students learn in the 21st century?

Into technology? No explanation necessary. Is printing your name of the game? Better get used to quick turns. Work in a warehouse? See inventory challenges above. Are you an illustrator? Think fast about graphic design. Want to be a lawyer? The battle over e-book rights may sizzle soon, especially with the classics.

My point is that there is relevance for all of us, in pursuits of both business and pleasure. In this blog, I challenge readers to think about the unique value of a book or magazine and how it will translate in tomorrow's industry. Now think of all the places this business touches your life. I tried to name a couple.

Video games can teach us to solve technical problems. Facebook can melt an entire day away. Our favorite programs can be enjoyed at the click of a button. You can even manage a virtual life online, if you like. There are too many options.

In the end, Mr. Jobs can tell us that we don't read anymore, but he is now in the business of making major publishing deals. When it comes time to introduce Huck Finn to your son or daughter, where will you find the Twain classic? Will you read along? Will you want to inscribe it, or will you desire cool, interactive functionality?

You'll want choices. Choices with differing value, probably. Readers know this. Buyers know this. Bookmakers know this. Publishers know this. And sellers know this. Because it just matters.

The iPad Column

How could I claim publishing expertise without some acknowledgement of Apple's recent release of the much anticipated iPad?

Well, here it is. The iPad column.

While I want to avoid this site becoming a virtual Colloseum for the battle between Kindle and iPad, or e-book and print, a tribute should be offered upon entry of the innovation-kings at Apple, Inc. In fact, I believe every reputable news outlet can claim a daily article on Steve Jobs, the iPad, or something Apple-related. For those of you who restrict yourselves to reading this blog and this blog only, I figured you might want to know about this.

I suppose my goal here will be to highlight some publishing issues relevant to the iPad release, provide a little context, and offer my initial opinion. Much like the advent of e-readers, the iPad signifies the imminence of changes to the publishing industry. For one, I believe its presence may catalyze the overhaul of newspapers (read Rupert Murdoch's thoughts) and other subscription-based publications, such as magazines. The graphical and visual dominance of the iPad over competitors like the Kindle will surely deliver digital value to customers.

(This blog steers clear of the newspaper discussion -- the business model is its own beast. Here is an interesting site on the topic.)

I think a plausible benefit of the iPad will be Apple's ability to create and leverage relationships with publishers and all content owners. During the music revolution, sites like Napster delighted customers but drew the ire of large music labels. Large labels responded with clunky subscription based downloading services that failed to appease customers who were weary of the industry dominance. Apple responded with the well-received iTunes service; my sense is that iTunes now satisfies both customers and artists/labels (rendering huge revenues for Apple, mind you).

Apple has already ruffled the feathers of Amazon, who initially irritated publishers with low e-book pricing. Apple, it seems, is negotiating terms that are fairer in the eyes of publishers. Apple will continue to develop profitable relationships with content owners, but I would not discount competitors, as new e-reading computer applications will inevitably hit the market.

In my opinion, the most exciting development for authors and non-traditional content owners is the potential for self-publishers to reach a mass market through Apple. Two good articles outlining this phenomenon are here and here. I hope to offer some stand-alone columns on the self-publishing trend, but it should be noted that innovative business models devoted to this practice are worth exploring. Good marketing is probably the key ingredient here, as large publishers have always had the advantage when it comes to promotion.

Once all is said and done, I believe the iPad will serve as an experiment. The device will help computer companies determine customer demand for a product that bridges the gap between the laptop and the mobile device. It will determine the balance between portability and usefulness, lifestyle and necessity. The e-reading application will not be a top reason for purchasing an iPad, but it will solidify computers (large and small) as the primary delivery tool for digital publications. Kindle beware.

This post could go on for days, and I am certain that I have failed to address your most pressing iPad concern. I encourage you to click on the "My Articles" link under Helpful Resources for more iPad insight. Aside from all the hype, the iPad will indeed help to shape the world of publishing. In the end, though, I think it will only represent one small step in an overall industry shift. Either way, I want one...

Pretty Paper, Proper Placement

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's....book cover.

Have you ever conspicuously screened books being read by strangers on a train or spied the dazzling cover of a friend's latest pick? Might it have influenced your purchase? The answer for me is, of course, yes.

An intriguing article in today's New York Times provides some interesting perspective on an oft taken-for-granted book body part -- the cover. Among the hottest topics in the book publishing industry is the steady move to electronic reading devices, also known as "e-readers." In Ms. Rich's column, she explores the fact that this recent trend results in a net loss of free advertising for publishing companies. In essence, that girl across the aisle currently has no clue what you are reading, whether you like it or not. (For publishers, the situation is unequivocally unlikeable.)

This fun example serves to demonstrate just how much will change with the e-reading revolution. While e-books represent only a small percentage of total book sales today, this new technology will certainly overhaul the industry (it did in music).

Take, for instance, another recent piece by Ms. Rich that reports some comparative modeling for publishers between hardcover and e-book pricing. The graph breaks down, in simple terms, the average expenses incurred by publishers per book, first in print, then electronically. From a business perspective, one could be both pleased with the future of lower costs and frightened by the prospect of lower prices, leaving lots of questions when it comes to profit margins. (As an aside, there is no way authors could be happy with the graph, as royalty payments are much lower.) The pricing debate could go on for weeks, months, even years.

I think the point here is that, as publishers, large and small, we have to look at these challenges as opportunities in disguise. Personally, I will always flank my fireplace with my favorite books, but I'll also subscribe to the e-reading movement when the right piece of technology arrives. If lower book prices mean publishers have less to spend on marketing, then publishers are in a bind, especially as free cover advertising and bookstore displays become relics of the past. Placement will be a key concern for publishers in the future. Now is the time to develop an innovative marketing strategy that sends a confident message to both readers and writers that your company can promote in the digital revolution.

Otherwise, the advantage of a sleek book cover in a crowd will be a lost art, literally.

Yearbooks at Face Value

As the digital age enlightens ranks of tech-savvy Generation Y adults, a trail of wake follows its course. Gone are many publishing models and "mainstays" that were once thought untouchable. Such is the case at the University of Virginia with the decision of students to resign from publishing an annual yearbook -- yes, that timeless bound volume full of awkward pictures, candid moments, and honorable distinctions.

A recent article in Charlottesville's Hook describes the abdicated 119-year tradition of Corks & Curls. In fact, across the country, yearbook sales are on the decline, with various reasons offered for the decreasing popularity of the class record.

I am not here to advocate for the yearbook or for abandoning what one could call an outdated trunk of memories, but I do think this situation outlines some important considerations for the future of publishing. Whether you are crafting yearbooks, manuals, or novels, you must consider the value of your product as you make the decision to update, change, or disband a publication.

In the yearbook example, one must ask himself or herself, "What value does this book provide its users in its present state?" The obvious answer is that it collects memories and helps to remember fondly (or begrudgingly) a time when you were a part of something, a member of a larger body. In the Hook article, local historian Coy Barefoot identifies the yearbook as a prime resource for research, indispensable when building the historical portfolio of a class, an institution, or an organization. I had not thought of this before reading it, and I am certain that others place value on the yearbook for reasons not readily apparent to the public.

If you are running a publishing business, and the digital age pressures you to evolve, it would be wise to step back and capture the essence of your product and the reasons your customers love and need it. Make sure to build this value into your new and improved edition. Then combine it with that value that only digital publishing can offer. That way, you can still sit back and chuckle at an outrageous hairdo or a terrible moustache even if hard copy is tough to find.

Opening Day

Welcome to my new blog, Evolve: A Guide to Modern Publishing. My name is Louis Fierro, and for many years, I've harbored a keen interest in all things printed, but especially books, magazines, pamphlets, and the like. Before entering business school in Richmond, Virginia, I spent my college years in Charlottesville studying literature and history, among other courses in the humanities. Since 2003, I've been making my way in the business of legal publishing. As you can imagine, attorneys love their books, but these days, they also find great value in legal material published online.

I've enjoyed wading through the early stages of this sea change, and as technology ripens and readers are presented new options for consuming the written word, exciting (and sometimes scary) things are bound to occur in the business of publishing. Whether you're peddling code books or cookbooks or fiction, you'll need a dose of guidance to ensure that what you've got is valuable, usable, and attractive in this new age.

So where does this blog fit into your life?

That's a good question. I'll need to fit it into my life first, but here's my pitch. There is a lot of mind-blowing news out there for readers, writers, and publishers. It's coming fast and furiously across the plate, and without some knowledge, some technique, and some savvy decision-making, folks will strike out left and right. I've started this little project to collect information, to fire up an idea or two, and to have a little fun with something I like a lot.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you enjoy your time here.