PUBLISHED JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Publishers are facing offset print run delays, lengthy turnaround times for print-on-demand orders, cost increases, and other obstacles—but they are drawing on their characteristic agility and ingenuity to survive. Article Synopsis: COVID-19 was a catalyst for the current supply chain issues, but the origins …

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Authors and independent publishers are successfully using serialization and subscription apps like Wattpad, Radish, Substack, and Kindle Vella to expand reader engagement and enhance their bottom line. Charles Dickens did it. So did Jack London. So did a host of well-published novelists in the …

PUBLISHED JULY/AUGUST 2021 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Book Publishers can enhance their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts by taking time to form meaningful DEI partnerships and collaborations. Synopsis: Publishers should create a plan that articulates short-term and long-term DEI goals, and a means for tracking progress. Hiring a DEI consultant might …

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — As independent publishers adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic with resourcefulness and ingenuity, some say their innovations will improve their businesses long after the crisis has waned. We can’t wait for things to get back to normal. Or can we? Everyone wants an end to …

PUBLISHED JULY/AUGUST 2020 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Independent publishers cope, adjust, and hope for a better future during COVID-19. Article Synopsis: The pandemic forced the closure and cancellation of many events independent publishers and authors rely on. Independent publishers have the flexibility, resilience, and innovative spirit needed to weather a crisis. …

PUBLISHED NOV/DEC 2019 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Publishers need to make the most of recent innovations while keeping an eye on emerging technologies to remain competitive. Article Synopsis: Publishers may see an expansion of cloud-based, internet-ready authoring systems. E-book and audiobook technologies have not been fully tapped into and continue to …

PUBLISHED JULY/AUGUST 2019 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Increasingly, consumers recognize the climate threats posed by shrinking forests and ecologically destructive practices. By making environmentally friendly choices, publishers can help mitigate these problems while also building goodwill and protecting their supply chain. After all, print publishing depends on trees, so it only …

PUBLISHED JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Publishers need to stay agile, building into their planning ways to maneuver around potential threats while also steering their companies toward new opportunities and growth. In an industry where change is the only constant, publishers need to stay ahead of the curve. But faced …

PUBLISHED JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Watch Joshua Robertson’s video recap of this article! Which developments over the past year—e-books, audiobooks, artificial intelligence, Amazon—portend opportunity, and which pose obstacles to be navigated? With the turning of the calendar to a new year, publishers take stock of industry trends. E-books versus …

PUBLISHED MAY 2017 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent When it comes to growth and opportunity, audio is the new digital. Results from the most recent Audio Publishers Association (APA) annual sales survey show a fourfold increase in the number of audiobooks published between 2011 and 2015, as well as a whopping 24 percent increase …