Exploring Publishers Marketplace

I'm just going to say it. I think Publishers Marketplace could have a much better design. It looks like it hasn't been updated since 2008. Maybe its just because I don't know how to navigate the website since I don't know much about publishing, but its a bit overwhelming. It seems to be working for those in the industry, so I guess if it isn't broke, don't fix it.

Moving past the fact that I don't like the website's design, I think it's really cool. One of the first things that drew my attention was the section in the right column, "This week's most visited pages." It's like a trending page for agents, writers, and bloggers. I clicked on the number 1 agent just to see where it brought me, so I got to see Writer House agent Daniel Lazar's page. It just had general information about who he is, his specialty, and what he's worked on. Not sure why he's trending, but he's published some books I recognize.

The first article on the top of the home page was about a new edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which will retail for a whopping $38 and is set to be released in October. After a quick Barnes and Noble search, I found multiple editions of the novel, the cheapest being $8.87 and the most expensive $35.99. The more expensive edition is the illustrated edition. What makes the new $38 edition special? Apparently it one-ups the original illustrated version, as not only does it have illustrations, but it "also includes eight interactive special paper craft features. Readers can open the beautifully designed, elaborately folded Hogwarts letter and Diagon Alley shopping list..." etc. The description here is a bit dramatic, however I think this is something to think about. Personally, I've never heard of a popular novel going in this direction. While yes, at the end of the day Harry Potter is technically children's fiction, it has a huge young adult/adult audience. Could this be a new trend, putting in interactive crafts or activities in popular, illustrated novels?

When I went to the Barnes and Noble website to look up the prices of the Harry Potter book, can you guess the first thing I saw? Our dear friend Jeanine Cummins and American Dirt! We cannot escape her!

This is a pretty bold move I think, to openly have American Dirt the first thing people see when they go to the Barnes and Noble website. It's one thing to have a tiny box at the bottom of the webpage, but it's front and center. American Dirt is also one of the headlines on Publishers Marketplace, under Lunch Deluxe News. There is an article from Publishers Lunch, titled "Continuing Strong Sales for American Dirt, A Very Stable Genius." Apparently, Cummins' novel has sold another 36,000 hardcovers during its second week of sale. This has granted Cummins' novel the No. 1 spot in adult fiction. Despite all the controversy, it still appears to be doing well which is very interesting. Any press is good press I suppose.

I plan to continue to explore Publishers Marketplace over the next few weeks, but from this initial dive in I think it will be a great resource to continue to learn about the publishing industry.