Saturday, May 12, 2018

This Week on Books Direct - 12 May 2018


This Week on Books Direct -
12 May 2018

This Week on Books Direct - 12 May 2018

Here's a list of some great articles you may have missed this week. Enjoy!



11 best-selling writers to tell us which shops are worth a detour for book-loving travelers.


11 Authors Recommend US Bookstores Worth Traveling For by Lonely Planet




A library at the University of Texas-Austin is facing an existential quandary that’s likely to feel familiar to bookstores and libraries all over the US. In the age of speedy search and deliver, how useful is the presence of physical books?


A University Library Moved Its Books Offsite, Infuriating Visitors by Thu-Huong Ha for Quartzy



Barnes & Noble Teeters In A Post-Text World by John Biggs for Tech Crunch

Barnes & Noble, that once proud anchor to many a suburban mall, is waning.


Barnes & Noble Teeters In A Post-Text World by John Biggs for Tech Crunch




If Harry Potter has he-who-shall-not-be-named, in book community, we have what we call: reading slump.


Up Close And Personal: How Do I Get Through Reading Slumps? by Literature and Movies




The book George, a debut novel by Alex Gino for readers between the ages of 8 and 12, has set off a storm within a popular student reading competition in Oregon.


Parents Are Divided Over A Book In A Popular Student Reading Program In Oregon by Sarah Lorge Butler for The New York Times




Google Photos is making it even easier to fix photos with a new version of the app that will suggest quick fixes and other tweaks – like rotations, brightness corrections, or adding pops of color, for example – right below the photo you’re viewing.


Google Photos Will Add More AI-Powered Fixes, Including Colorization Of Black-And-White Photos by Sarah Perez for Tech Crunch



Judge Clears Path For To Kill A Mockingbird Trial In June by Eriq Gardner for The Hollywood Reporter

The Harper Lee Estate and Scott Rudin are set to do battle in New York over Aaron Sorkin's version after an Alabama judge transfers the venue of the case.


Judge Clears Path For To Kill A Mockingbird Trial In June by Eriq Gardner for The Hollywood Reported



Writing By Accident, Editing By Design by Michael Gallant for BookBaby Blog

Writing enough prose to fill a book is one thing, but weaving it all together into a story with a strong arc, purpose, and impact is another. Here are some lessons that might help you in your writing process - whether your own book is an “accident” or not.


Writing By Accident, Editing By Design by Michael Gallant for BookBaby Blog




POV. Writers can’t live without it. It influences every aspect of story, right down to word choice. But in all frankness, sometimes POV can be a little hard for us to live with as well. The vastness and the complexity of the topic makes it all too easy for authors to accidentally stumble into POV problems.


Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 64: POV Problems by K. M. Weiland



Book Promotion: Do This, Not That by Amy Collins for The Book Designer

Spend the time becoming an expert on your category and you will be in a better position than most to become a truly successful author. Stay vigilant and informed and you will be able to converse with, sell to, and negotiate with those in the publishing industry who hold the key to your success.


Book Promotion: Do This, Not That by Amy Collins for The Book Designer




In this episode Chris interviews copywriting expert and author Bryan Cohen on how to fix the most common mistakes authors make when writing a book description and how to fix them.


Episode 88 – Book Description Mistakes You’re Making And How To Fix Them by Chris Syme for Smart Marketing




Content is key for marketing, traffic, and search engine optimization. Content can convert wanna be buyers into lifelong customers if your efforts are thorough. With content being of the utmost importance, you don’t want to waste your efforts creating something that won’t actually achieve what you’ve set out to achieve.


How To Find Out What Content Your Audience Wants (Before You Produce It) by Stencil



And probably the biggest story of the week prompted numerous articles:


In the world of self-publishing, authors have to do whatever it takes to get their books in front of readers. For some authors, that means splitting their time between writing and promotion. For others, it means investing in social media managers and publicity packages. For other authors, though, the best way to become a household name is to pull a stunt so vile that it causes a firestorm of rage on author and reader sites.


SelfPubbed Romance Author Ignites Rage With Cocky Trademark by Mercy Pilkington for GoodEReader




For the last couple of years, the word “cocky” has been popping up on romance novel covers. A lot of them. Author Faleena Hopkins certainly likes to use the word in her book titles.


Don’t Do This, Ever: Faleena Hopkins Cocks The Whole Entire Fuck Up by Jenny Trout for Trout Nation



The Cocky Debacle by London Saint James for London’s Scribbles

Sometimes, something so completely preposterous happens and we need to confront the issue and bring it to the attention of others. Yes. Sometimes we need to take a stand and speak out; especially when people’s livelihoods are being threatened and they are being bullied.


The Cocky Debacle by London Saint James for London’s Scribbles




Faleena Hopkins, whose works include Cocky Romantic and Cocky Cowboy, is said to have written to other writers asserting her right to the adjective in titles.


Romantic Novelist's Trademarking Of Word 'Cocky' Sparks Outcry by Alison Flood for The Guardian



If you enjoyed this blog post, please visit the other This Week posts for links to more great articles.