A major UK research project finds that the industry is “already very good at publishing books for the heavy book-buyers … and so the way to grow is to sell more to light and non-buyers.” (But does that mean turning Urban Outfitters into bookstores, or the opposite?) [thebookseller.com]
USA Today examines the “four major ways books become hugely popular”: “the big splash,” “the Hollywood connection,” “the echo effect,” and “slow but steady.” (Meanwhile, GC examines the several ways articles comes to suck: “over-generalization,” “the echo effect,” and “the USA Today connection.”) [USA Today]
“The U.K. and U.S. book markets will be dominated by just three or four giant publishing groups in 10 years’ time,” predicts Hachette UK Book Group chief executive Tim Hely Hutchinson. According to Hutchinson, that’s a good thing; “It will increase publishers’ strength with retailers and redress the power balance.” [thebookstandard.com]
As James Patterson replaces his agent for attorney Bob Barnett, PW takes a look at the current NY Times hardcover list and finds “a surprising number of unorthodox negotiations.” [PW]
Harper’s Jane Friedman calls three-for-two bookselling specials the epitome of Publishing—, or something like that. [thebookstandard.com]
