Wednesday 5 August 2009

curious

Is MNW still publishing a new title each month? I notice on the Web site that there's nothing new in August. Then there's Faye's book in September, but nothing after that until January. Has there been a change of strategy or business model?

drw

6 comments:

Tim Stretton said...

Doug, I know from Will that the one-a-month, standard format model has been set aside. So Faye's next book is a paperback original, as was Maggie's.

I didn't realise that there were quite such large gaps coming up, though!

RDJ said...

I don't think there's an August book, but I don't think the stretch is from September to January either.

My novel Acts of Violence should be out in November (although it looks like Goldsboro Books will be releasing the limited edition on October 19), so that's at least one month filled in.

But, yeah, as Tim said, the book-a-month thing has been set aside. All to the good of the books that are being released, I imagine, as it allows fewer titles to get more attention.

Ellie said...

'Limited edition'? Oooh, that sounds very enticing!

Perhaps some of the gaps are down to website folk being on holiday?

RDJ said...

I don't know if "limited edition" is really the correct phrase. But Goldsboro selected AoV as the "book of the month" for October, and there will be 250 numbered and signed copies available through them.

http://goldsborobooks.com/bookdetail.asp?bid=2548

Also, as an addition to my last comment: I guess, though, that MNW skipping months here and there also means those are months in which deserving novels won't see print, which is too bad. Maybe after the economic pinch, they'll go back to the book a month thing?

Ann Weisgarber said...

RDJ, congratulations on David and Daniel highlighting your novel at Goldsboro during October/November. Numbered editions sound like the real deal. Exciting!

What's not so exciting is this news that MNW seems to be slowing down its publication schedule. I'm guessing it makes business sense, but I'm sorry to hear it. All the more important, then, that we continue to support one another. Buy a MNW novel today!

David Isaak said...

Actually, the last time I spoke with him (some time back), Will said that the publication rate won't necessarily be slowing down. MNW may actually publish more than a dozen a year. Some months might see two or even more titles published.

What has happened, I gather, is that now that the flag has been planted and MNW is an established imprint, they will moving to a more traditional model of releasing their books. This includes, as we've seen, releasing some books in paperback originals; and, now, aiming at particular sales seasons rather than filling a strict book-a-month quota.

Of course, that's going to knock our "Publication of the Month" process on this blog a little out of whack. We may have to switch to calling it "The Latest from MNW" or something. (Suggestions?)