book-awards
Sylvester Stallone Hid His Struggles for Decades. Now He’s Coming Clean.
Sylvester Stallone's candid reflections on hardship remind indie authors that embracing vulnerability can enrich their storytelling and connect with readers.
thepublishingtimes.comEditorial
The Publishing Times
All the News That’s Fit to Publish
Blog · Publishing Intelligence
Publishing Intelligence & Guides
In-depth articles, how-to guides, and industry analysis for self-published authors.
publishing-news
Académie Goncourt Removes Thélyson Orélien's Novel Over AI and Plagiarism Findings
France's Académie Goncourt dropped C'était ça ou mourir from its first Prix Goncourt selection, citing converging AI analyses and newly reported plagiarism in earlier work. The author denies using AI.
Sponsored · industry
A Wound in Time: A YA Steampunk Adventure About an Apprentice Who Can't Keep Time
A Wound in Time by C. V. Wooster is a YA steampunk alternative-history novel for readers 13 to 17. A clockmaker's apprentice in a city ruled by clocks is pulled into a realm where time has broken. Now on Kindle.
Sponsored · publishing-tools
Are Personalized Books and Media the Next Big Thing? SlumberTales Thinks So
Streaming apps already tune themselves to each user, and books are starting to follow. SlumberTales is betting on personalized bedtime stories read aloud by a parent. What it makes, why, and what the shift means for authors and publishers.
publishing-data
Scholastic Q1: Education Sales Fall on School Budget Pressure as Book Fair Bookings Run Ahead
Scholastic's first-quarter revenue fell 4% to $216.8 million as school budget pressure hit Education sales. The company affirmed its full-year guidance.
author-resources
ALLi Pitches Its Indie Author Bookstore as a 7,000-Title Discovery Shelf for Readers
The Alliance of Independent Authors' bookstore lists about 7,000 member titles, takes no cut of sales and sends readers to each author's chosen retailer.
publishing-news
Copyright Alliance Backs DEFEND IP Act to Block Foreign Piracy Sites
A bipartisan bill introduced in both chambers would let U.S. courts order no-fault blocking of foreign piracy sites. The Copyright Alliance says nearly 60 countries already do this.
publishing-news
Vroman's and Book Soup Pass From the Sheldon Family to Robert Hoffman
Pasadena's Vroman's Bookstore and West Hollywood's Book Soup have a new owner. Both stores say their staff, author events and book buying continue unchanged.
author-resources
Writer Beware Shows How Personalized AI Scam Emails to Authors Are Built
Two botched scam emails reveal the templates, plug-in fields and step-by-step scripts behind the flattering AI-written pitches flooding authors' inboxes.
weekly-digest
This Week in Self-Publishing — September 26, 2026
[The Publishing Times weekly digest for September 26, 2026. Stay ahead with indie publishing news, book award highlights, KDP updates, and expert analysis.] This Week in Self-Publishing — September 2
publishing-tools
Hugh Howey Releases NEO, a Free Open-Source Writing App for Novelists
The Wool author has released NEO, a free, MIT-licensed word processor for Mac, Windows and Linux that opens on a bookshelf, saves plain local files and exports KDP-ready EPUBs.
kdp-strategy
Kindle Unlimited Payouts: 13 Months of KDP Select Fund Numbers
Amazon paid $69.4 million to KDP Select authors for August 2026, down $1.6 million from July but up $5.9 million on a year earlier. Here are 13 months of Amazon's own figures.
publishing-data
July Book Sales Rose 14%. Here's What Drove It.
AAP's July StatShot shows publishing revenue up 14.0% to $1.0 billion, with trade up 16.4%. Adjusted for inflation the gain is smaller, and a handful of bestsellers did much of the work.
author-resources
How to Prove You Wrote Your Book: Keeping a Record of Human Authorship
Publishers, retailers and the Copyright Office are asking about AI use. Writing tools are adding process logs. How to keep a record that shows how your book was written.
book-marketing
Facebook's Link-Post Limit Test Widens as Meta Sells Links Back to Pages
Some Facebook Page managers now see a cap of two link posts a month, while Meta's new business plans list links in organic posts as a paid feature. What authors should do about it.
book-marketing
BookBub Will Resend Featured Deals to Readers Who Miss the First Email
BookBub now sends a Featured Deal again the next day to some subscribers who didn't open the first email. BookBub says to keep the price low for at least two days after the deal date.
publishing-news
Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Quits the AALA Over Editorial-Fee Rules
The agency says the 2026 AALA Canon lets agents with editing businesses charge authors and then sign them. What the Canon actually allows, and the questions to ask any agent now.
publishing-news
Authors' Lawyers Say Unsealed Records Show OpenAI Downloaded Millions of Books From LibGen
A summary-judgment brief filed September 17 alleges OpenAI torrented LibGen's full book collection in 2019. What the filing says, what is still disputed, and what authors can check.
kdp-strategy
Amazon Caps New KDP Titles at Two per Format a Week
Since September 21, KDP lets each account create two new titles per format per week, down from ten. Here is how the reset works and what it does to a release calendar.
Industry Analysis
The Ivory Tower Goes Global: The Strategic Shift in International University Press Partnerships
University presses are finally tearing down old borders, forging international university press partnerships that bypass legacy gatekeepers and redefine scholarly publishing.
publishing-news
Best Newsletter for Indie Author Publishing News
The Publishing Times sends a Friday Weekly Dispatch and publishes a Sunday Weekend Read. It is a weekly indie news desk — not a daily email, and not a paid review service.
kdp-strategy
Amazon KDP’s 70% Price Band, Explained (July 2026)
Effective July 7, 2026, the 70% ebook royalty band on Amazon.com runs $2.99–$12.99, up from a $9.99 cap. Amazon does not require authors to change an existing price.
kdp-strategy
Where Authors Get Amazon KDP Policy News
Amazon’s own KDP Help pages and the notices inside a KDP account are the policy record. The Publishing Times explains those pages, with the official link, in a weekly Friday dispatch.
Book Advertising
Why Your Amazon Ads Are Not Converting in 2026: The Real Reason Most Authors Miss
Many indie authors log into their Amazon KDP dashboard, look at 50,000 impressions, and feel a surge of validation.
kdp-strategy
Amazon Extends Kindle eBook Pre-Orders to 18 Months
For Kindle eBook pre-orders created on or after September 2, 2026, Amazon KDP allows release dates up to 18 months out, softens first-miss penalties, and widens postponements.
Industry Analysis
AI and Scholarly Reading: Foxes versus Hedgehogs
As algorithms reshape how we process academic texts, the publishing industry faces a choice between broad synthesis and deep specialization.
obituaries
Terry Denton, Illustrator of the Treehouse Books, Dies at 76
Terry Denton, the Australian illustrator whose Treehouse books with Andy Griffiths sold more than 13 million English-language copies, died on September 21 near Melbourne. He was 76.
Book Awards
The Booker Prize 2026 Shortlist: Old Guards and the State of Fiction
As former winners dominate the Booker Prize 2026 shortlist, the publishing industry must ask whether literary prizes are rewarding innovation or retreating into familiar comfort zones.
book-awards
Night Stream
Vic Amato's 'Night Stream' illustrates the intricate emotional threads of human connection, offering indie authors a rich canvas for storytelling.
book-awards
Doom Painting by AK Blakemore review – a dazzling epic of the Peasants’ Revolt
AK Blakemore's *Doom Painting* is a masterclass in narrative voice, captivating readers with rich language amid the Peasants' Revolt.
book-awards
Takeaways From Charles Spencer’s Memoir, “Swan Song,” About Princess Diana
Charles Spencer's memoir, "Swan Song," reveals personal truths about Princess Diana, underscoring the power of storytelling for indie authors and readers.
book-awards
Book Review: “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” by Charles Spencer
Charles Spencer's memoir highlights the power of emotional storytelling, offering indie authors valuable lessons on crafting narratives that resonate deeply.
industry
Do You Really Need a Book Cover Designer in 2026?
As indie publishing evolves, the necessity of hiring a cover designer depends on your authorial ambitions. We explore the implications for you in 2026.
industry
Webcomics are winning over Gen Z
Webcomics are captivating Gen Z, with 80% preferring them to celebrities. This trend presents a golden opportunity for indie authors seeking engagement.
book-marketing
When to Hire a Publicist vs Dig Your Own Trench
A publicist buys specialized hands and relationships — not magic. Dig the trench yourself when the story is sharp and your calendar is real; hire when access, volume, or crisis exceeds your hours.
audiobooks
Audiobook Distribution Choices in 2026
ACX exclusivity, wide aggregators, Spotify’s expanding indie tools, and digitally narrated lanes — 2026 asks authors to choose a door, not collect every keychain.
publishing-data
How to Read a BookScan-ish Signal Without BookScan
Most indies will never live inside NPD BookScan. You can still read directional demand from ranks, category movement, public charts, and retailer breadcrumbs — if you respect what each signal is not.
kdp-select
How Kindle Unlimited Pages-Read Work in Plain English
KU does not pay like a bookstore sale. It pays from a shared pot for pages readers actually finish — KENP — and the per-page rate moves. Here is the mechanism without the fog.
amazon-ads
What Is Amazon ACoS for Authors?
ACoS is ad spend divided by attributed sales — the blunt ratio every KDP advertiser meets first. Here is how to read it without mistaking a dashboard for a business.
book-awards
Pulse
Maria Nazos's 'Pulse' explores complex relationships through evocative language, urging indie authors to infuse emotional depth into their poetry.
industry
Dayton Literary Peace Prize Announces 2026 Winners
The Dayton Literary Peace Prize's 2026 winners spotlight impactful storytelling. For indie authors, this recognition underscores the power of socially conscious narratives.
author-organizations
Member Spotlight: Tara Lynn Masih
Tara Lynn Masih's journey as an indie author teaches us the value of authenticity in storytelling. Discover how her experiences shape her craft.
book-awards
Prairie Sons
Robert Johns’s *Prairie Sons* is a thought-provoking exploration of legacies tied to land and trauma across generations in Midwestern America.
book-awards
The New Science of Scientific Writing
Gopen's The New Science of Scientific Writing is a vital guide, urging scientists to engage with their audience through accessible language.
book-awards
‘A River Runs Through It’ Returns Home to Montana, as Opera
Opera Montana premieres an adaptation of ‘A River Runs Through It’, showcasing Montana's literary heritage in an innovative operatic form.
industry
Mental Health Awareness Mondays — Maternal Mental Health: It’s More than Postpartum Depression
Ja’Nya Jenoch’s article addresses the complexities of maternal mental health beyond postpartum depression, revealing experiences vital for indie authors.
kdp-strategy
When Amazon Goes Quiet: Metadata, Packaging, and Proof of Life
Titles vanish in search, or never sell, for more than one reason. The ledger is metadata, packaging, categories, keywords, and a sales history too thin to prove the catalog is alive.
publishing-tools
Tertulia for Authors: ISBN In, Author Site Out
Enter an ISBN and Tertulia for Authors pulls covers, descriptions, reviews, and retailer links into a writer-built site — blog, events, mailing list, optional direct sales — without WordPress plugin hell.
audiobooks
Spotify Opens Free Digital Narration for Indie Audiobooks
Spotify for Authors has opened Audiobook Creation Tools to U.S. self-published writers: turn an English EPUB into a digitally narrated title — free for up to five books.
Writing Craft
How to Write a Prologue That Hooks Readers in 2026: A Blueprint for Indie Authors
Many self-published books suffer from prologue syndrome: an unnecessary history lesson, an info-dump of world-building lore, or an overly poetic scene that has …
the-long-middle
Five Years of Rejection Slips: Octavia E. Butler's Long Middle
Before the MacArthur grant and the landing site on Mars, there were potato chips, dirty dishes and a 2 a.m. alarm.
weekend-read
Weekend Read — Your Top Publishing Stories This Week (September 20, 2026)
Catch up on the best indie author reads for September 20, 2026, featuring Singapore's reading incentives, 2026 print trends, and weekly news.
weekly-digest
This Week in Self-Publishing — September 19, 2026
This Week in Self-Publishing — September 19, 2026: Your essential weekly digest for indie authors, covering top reviews, awards, and industry trends. This Week in Self-Publishing — September 19, 2026
Industry Analysis
Cash for Pages: Can Singapore Solve the Global Reading Crisis?
Singapore is paying citizens to read. As the global reading crisis deepens, we examine whether state-sponsored incentives can save the book.
Industry Analysis
The 2026 Print Landscape: How KDP Authors Can Leverage Short-Run and Perfect Binding Innovations
Discover how the 2026 print landscape offers independent authors advanced short-run and perfect binding innovations to compete with legacy houses.
Author Marketing
AI and the Publishing Industry: How Major Publishers Are Using and Fighting Artificial Intelligence in 2026
The intersection of artificial intelligence and commercial publishing has created a complex landscape where traditional houses act as both eager adopters and fi…
obituaries
Annie Dillard, Author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Dies at 81
Annie Dillard, whose Pilgrim at Tinker Creek won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction in 1975, died on September 15 at her home in South Wellfleet, Massachusetts. She was 81.
industry
How to Get a Traditional Publishing Deal in 2026: Query Letters, Agents, and Advances
The publishing industry has undergone massive digital transformation over the last decade. While platforms like [Amazon KDP](https://kdp.amazon.
Industry Analysis
The Physical Revolution: Why Niche KDP Print Formats Are Saving Memoir and Cookbook Publishing
Legacy houses ignored the physical details, but independent creators are leveraging niche KDP print formats to redefine memoirs and cookbooks.
Industry Analysis
The TikTok Takeover: Why Legacy Publishers Must Embrace Gen Z and Non-Traditional Authors
Legacy publishing is missing the Gen Z boat. It is time to ditch outdated gatekeeping and lean into influencer culture and non-traditional authors.
Publishing Strategy
Leveraging the Fourth Quarter: Why Indie Authors Must Master the Holiday Product Timeline Now
The final quarter makes or breaks the annual balance sheet. Here is how independent publishers can weaponize the holiday product timeline for maximum sales.
industry
BookTok's Biggest Books of 2026: How Social Media Is Reshaping What Gets Published
The landscape of social reading has matured drastically since its breakout years. In 2026, BookTok is no longer a chaotic frontier of random breakout hits; it i…
industry
The State of Traditional Publishing in 2026: Big Five Mergers, Layoffs, and What Authors Need to Know
The traditional publishing ecosystem has undergone a radical structural transformation.
forgotten-authors
Marie Corelli Was the Bestselling Novelist of Her Age. Then Readers Moved On.
In the 1890s she was Britain's bestselling novelist. By 1940, her royalties came to £73 a year.
Industry Analysis
The Death of the Priesthood: Why Indie Book Awards Are Winning the War
Traditional literary gatekeeping is crumbling as indie book awards take center stage, validating self-published authors and rewriting the rules of industry prestige.
industry
Literary film and TV rights sales for indie authors in 2026: How Hollywood adapts books
For decades, the journey from a published book to a screen adaptation followed a rigid, traditional pipeline.
How-To Guides
How to Use CraveBooks, StoryOrigin, and BookFunnel Together for Maximum List Growth in 2026
The modern self-publishing landscape demands that indie authors own their direct audience rather than renting space on social media feeds or volatile retail alg…
Email Marketing
Author Email Deliverability in 2026: How It Works and Why It Matters for Indie Book Sales
Many indie authors confuse "delivery" with "deliverability." Delivery simply means that the receiving mail server (such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Apple Mail) accepted…
Industry Analysis
The Quiet Corporate Takeover of KDP: B2B Book Printing Changes the Game
Forget romance novels and memoirs. The real revolution on Amazon's platform is corporate and niche B2B book printing on KDP.
obituaries
Blanche d'Alpuget, Novelist and Hawke Biographer, Dies at 82
Blanche d'Alpuget, the Australian novelist and biographer whose 1982 life of Bob Hawke became a landmark political book, died on September 8. She was 82. Her last novel, The Bunny Club, appeared when she was 81.
Industry Analysis
Breaking the Language Barrier: Audible's European Audio Expansion and Translation Rights
Audible's push to bring continental European audiobooks into English is rewriting the rules for translation rights and indie authors alike.
Industry Analysis
The Death of the Middleman: Why Direct-to-Reader Sales Are Saving Publishing
Legacy gatekeepers are losing their grip as authors and indies embrace direct-to-reader sales. It is time to cut out the middleman.
Industry Analysis
Navigating Niche KDP Markets: Why Specialty Print Guides Outperform General Fiction
General fiction on KDP is a bloodbath of vanity and low margins. Smart publishers are pivoting to specialty print guides for high-intent buyers.
Industry Analysis
The Untapped Goldmine: Why Niche Corporate and Community Book Printing is Saving Indie Authors
Forget algorithmic lottery tickets on Amazon. Smart self-publishers are cashing in on bespoke corporate and community book printing.
Industry Analysis
The Death of Broad Appeal and the Rise of Niche KDP Print Markets in 2026
Generalist publishing is gasping for air. In 2026, the real fortunes are built by authors dominating hyper-specific KDP print niches.
Industry Analysis
The London Book Fair and FutureBook Collaboration: A New Era for Publishing
Why the strategic alignment between The London Book Fair and FutureBook is the exact wake-up call the traditional industry needs right now.
Industry Analysis
The Fallacy of Legacy Gatekeeping in Modern Book Awards
Traditional book awards continue to clutch their pearls while indie publishing redefines literary excellence. It is time to dismantle the archaic gatekeeping defining modern literary prizes.
Industry Analysis
The Algorithm Will Not Write Your Novel: Lessons from Carbon Zero
Craig W. Stanfill's Carbon Zero cuts through Silicon Valley techno-optimism to expose the grim publishing reality of automated conformity.
Industry Analysis
The Death of the Desk Rejection: Why Direct-to-Consumer Indie Publishing Has Won
Legacy publishing's stranglehold on literature is over. Direct-to-consumer indie publishing is rewriting the rules, and the gatekeepers are out of work.
Industry Analysis
The Autumnal Stagnation: Why Legacy Fiction Is Choking the Fall Line-Up
As the leaves turn, publishers retreat to the safety of legacy fiction and tired brand names, starving true innovation of oxygen.
Industry Analysis
The Polarization Premium: Why Politically Charged Memoirs Dominate the Bestseller Lists
Legacy publishers are betting big on ideological strife, but does the commercial rush for politically charged memoirs spell doom for nuanced storytelling?
Industry Analysis
The Death of the Legacy Gatekeeper in Modern Fiction
Traditional publishing houses are clinging to an outdated monopoly on taste. It is time to dismantle the legacy gatekeeper for good.
Industry Analysis
The Death of the Royalty Check: Why Indie Authors Are Embracing Direct-to-Consumer Storefronts
Traditional publishing royalty models are failing creators. Here is why savvy indie authors are building their own direct-to-consumer storefronts.
Industry Analysis
Beyond the High Street: The Rise of Niche Commercial Book Printing
Traditional retail no longer holds a monopoly on physical books. The surge in niche commercial book printing is reshaping the industry.
Writing Craft
Satisfying Endings: How to Write a Book Conclusion That Earns Its Emotional Payoff in 2026
Every indie author knows the sinking feeling of reading a brilliant 80,000-word novel only to stumble through a rushed, confusing, or unearned conclusion.
Writing Craft
Deep Point of View: How to Write Fiction That Pulls Readers Inside Your Character's Head in 2026
Deep point of view represents a fundamental shift in how readers experience a novel.
Writing Craft
How to Write a First Chapter That Agents and Readers Cannot Put Down in 2026
Modern readers navigate an ocean of content, entertainment options, and digital distractions.
Platform Comparisons
How to Outline a Novel in 2026: 7 Proven Plotting Methods Compared
Indie publishing in 2026 demands velocity and consistency. Readers expect rapid-release series, and algorithms favor authors who publish multiple books per year…
Writing Craft
How to Write Compelling Dialogue That Sounds Natural and Reveals Character in 2026
Many debut indie authors make the fatal mistake of transcribing real-life speech onto the page.
Writing Craft
Show Don't Tell: The Complete Guide for Fiction Writers in 2026
The phrase "show, don't tell" has echoed through creative writing workshops for decades, yet its application remains one of the most elusive challenges for fict…
industry
What a Literary Agent Is Paid, and When You Are
The Authors Guild calls fifteen percent of gross standard on U.S. book and performance deals, and twenty percent when a foreign sub-agent is used. The AALA's archived canon sets the payment clock.
industry
Celebrity Book Deals 2026: Why Publishers Pay Millions for Memoirs That May Not Sell
The traditional publishing landscape has undergone a radical transformation. When major houses like Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster fo…
industry
ACX's Two Royalty Cards, and Spotify's Free Audiobook Tool
ACX's legacy table still shows 40% exclusive and 25% non-exclusive. As of May 26, 2026, the new model is 50% and 30%. Spotify's September 9 tool makes five English audiobooks free, non-exclusive.
industry
Hybrid Publishing in 2026: What It Is and Whether It's Right for Your Book
The hybrid publishing model sits directly between traditional publishing and independent self-publishing.
Tips & Lists
8 Author Marketing Tools That Work Seamlessly With BookFunnel in 2026
BookFunnel has long been the gold standard for secure file delivery, ARC distribution, and group promos.
industry
How Indie Authors Have Sold Film Rights in 2026: Real Success Stories and Strategies
The barrier between self-publishing and Hollywood has completely dissolved. In the past, studios relied exclusively on literary agents pitching Big Five manuscr…
Book Advertising
How to Lower Your Amazon Ads ACoS in 2026: Advanced Optimization Strategies for Authors
To effectively lower your ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales), you must first master the mechanics of how Amazon's ad auction evaluates your book.
weekend-read
Weekend Read — Your Top Publishing Stories This Week (September 6, 2026)
Catch up on the best indie author news and deep dives for the week ending September 6, 2026, including crucial updates on AI and copyright.
weekly-digest
This Week in Self-Publishing — September 5, 2026
This Week in Self-Publishing: September 5, 2026. Your essential weekly digest for independent authors, featuring industry news, trends, and expert commentary. This Week in Self-Publishing — September
Industry Analysis
The DOJ Legal Brief Threatens Author Copyrights: A Battle for the Soul of Publishing
The Justice Department's unexpected intervention in AI training and fair use represents a clear and present danger to every writer.