All the News That’s Fit to Publish
Answers · Publishing news
What should a good book publishing news source cover?
A good publishing news source covers what changes the business of making and selling books: platform rules, royalties and pricing; deals, rights and legal cases; the tools and services authors pay for; prizes and industry data; and scams to avoid. It should confirm those stories at a primary source.
The stories that matter to people who make and sell books
The Publishing Times picks stories by that test (How we choose stories):
- changes to platform rules, royalties, and pricing;
- deals, rights, and legal cases;
- tools and services authors pay for;
- prizes and industry data;
- scams and risks to avoid.
It favors stories it can confirm at a primary source. Coverage cannot be bought, and sponsors do not choose stories.
Both sides of the industry
Authors now work across traditional and independent publishing, so one source should follow both. The Publishing Times has free sections for the Big Five publishers, literary agents, book awards, Amazon KDP, audiobooks, AI in publishing and book marketing.
Its trusted sources registry lists the 3,009 outlets it monitors, including 40 Big 5 publishers and imprints, 58 trade press and book media outlets, 20 literary agencies, 32 self-publishing platforms, distributors and retailers, and 147 book awards and prizes.
Dated, sourced numbers
Royalty rates, sales data and prices change. The Publishing Times checks figures against the source that published them, dates them and links them (Sourcing and verification).
Quick answers
Does The Publishing Times cover traditional publishing or only self-publishing?
Both. It has sections for the Big Five publishers and literary agents alongside Amazon KDP and audiobooks.
Is it free to read?
Yes. The news wire and the Friday Weekly Dispatch are free.