AustLit

‘Giving booksellers what they want is the future.’ Or so says Hachette Australia sales director Daniel Pilkington, who spoke with Brad Jefferies about how publishers need to improve the supply of timely, accurate stock data to booksellers. Hachette has spent two years developing its Next Stock Date system to try and do just that, and, in a spirit of industry collaboration, has promised to share what it found with other publishers. The upcoming Christmas season will be the first real test for the improved algorithm.' (Sarah Farquharson, Editorial introduction)

'I have had the honour of overseeing the publication of Books+Publishing (B+P) for the past 12 years, during which time I have worked with a group of talented and passionate industry professionals, most of whom remain member and supporters of the B+P family. I am not a publisher, merely an individual who has enjoyed a wonderful professional career within the publishing community of Australia and New Zealand. The opportunity to bring B+P home to local ownership presented an irresistible challenge and is a labour of love.' (Gary Pengelly, Editorial introduction)

'It has been a tough couple of months, led by the (very abrupt) announcement of the closure of Five Mile and Bonnier Australia. What the Bonnier situation - and others - throws into sharp relief for many younger professionals in this industry is how elusive job security is, and even when those opportunities present themselves, how difficult it can be to balance early-career wages with high costs of living. In the three-and-a-half years I've been at Books + Publishing, I've seen a number of talented people leave publishing to work in adjacent fields or to start anew entirely. Burnout is real, and younger arts workers are increasingly talking openly about the viability of their careers. To this end, it was pleasing to see the ABIAs recognise the achievements of this industry's younger cohort with the launch of the Rising Star award. Recognition might not be able to fix things, but it's a start.' (Jackie Tang : Editorial introduction)

'We live in a brave new world, full of digital wonders and distractions. The internet has irrevocably changed how people consume information, but as Affirm Press’ Martin Hughes points out in his column for us, the rapid onslaught of its delivery and at times unreliable nature of its content can be exhausting and confusing. Are print books the antidote? A way to slow down the hyperactivity, cut through the incessant chatter and absorb information more deeply?

'I’m in danger of preaching to the choir here, but the sanctuary of print is something to hold on to, even as different arms of this industry look to embrace new technologies to stay competitive. You can read about how publishers and authors are navigating the Cambrian explosion in digital marketing and promotions in Danielle Binks’ article, which also features some takeaways from Louise Cornegé’s Copyright Agency Publisher’s Fellowship report on how US publishers are tackling the same subject.

'Technology is a pressing issue for booksellers too. Amazon has now launched its Australian store, and while the grand opening was more of a fizzle than a bang, many booksellers in our annual Christmas survey expressed their concern that the local supply chain would have to improve to compete with the US behemoth. But as Readings’ Tom Hoskins reports from the American Booksellers Association’s Winter Institute, booksellers can also look to the opportunities. ‘While it is impossible for individual stores to compete with Amazon’s research budget, booksellers should still endeavour to monitor these developments to predict retail trends,’ writes Hoskins. ‘By staying abreast of changes in consumer behaviour and expectations, and collaboratively embracing new platforms, independents may remain competitive.’

'Finally, this year, Books+Publishing welcomes two new faces: Sarah Farquharson takes over as news editor and Nathania Gilson as editorial assistant.' (Jackie Tang : Editorial)

'The past few months have seen our industry undergo serious changes in terms of book distribution. In August Melbourne-based distributor Dennis Jones & Associates (DJA) ceased trading and entered voluntary liquidation. The human face of this news is that, sadly, Dennis Jones - a man who book-industry professionals refer to with praise and respect - has lost his business of 27 years. For more than 800 small publishers and self-publishers in Australia, DJA provided a vital service: offering those publishers distribution into bricks-and-mortar bookshops when other distributors weren't able to take them on. A lot of stock was left in the warehouse after the liquidation, but the Australian Society of Authors and the Small Press Network stepped in to help publishers pick up the pieces, and the Weekly Book Newsletter has since been filled with agency change announcements from distributors such as Woodslane, NewSouth, TL Distribution, Beribo and Booktopia Publisher Services. (Andrew Wrathall, Editorial introduction)

The impending arrival of Amazon in Australia and the lessons that we can learn from the US and UK were hot topics at this year's Australian Bookseller's Association (ABA) conference. Both Shelf-Awareness editor-in-chief John Mutter and Waterstones' MD James Daunt delivered cautiously optimistic reports from their markets, with Mutter reporting that new bookstores were starting to open in the US (with some help from crowdfunding, tapping into their local communities) and Daunt speaking about how Waterstones' efforts to 'smarten up' - both in terms of improved retail spaces and better supported staff -  has led to a turnaround for the UK chain. The overall message was that if booksellers keep doing what they're doing well, if they connect with their local communities and provide an experience that cannot be replicated by Amazon, they will endure. (Editorial)

'Sifting through the submissions for our annual publishers’ highlights features, I was struck by the number of books coming out next year that explore the experiences of refugees. Lloyd Jones’ new novel The Cage stood out in particular, perhaps because it was put forward so passionately by Text Publishing senior editor Jane Pearson. The Cage explores the treatment of two strangers—refugees—who arrive in a small town, where a ‘wary hospitality’ quickly descends into ‘deep suspicion’ and eventually, an imprisonment that ‘gets more shocking as the days go by’. Pearson writes: ‘This novel is our world, and I’ve never felt our position in it so starkly and truthfully revealed. This is the kind of book we exist to publish.’' (Editorial introduction)

'Inefficiencies in the supply chain, the importance of data and competition for readers' leisure time were big issues raised at this year's leading Edge Books industry forum.

Hopes for an improved supply chain seem to rest of TitlePage, which the Australian Publishers Association is keen to develop, but which is likely to require substantial investment from publishers and booksellers. Changes are already afoot in distribution, with Penguin Random House consolidating its two UBD distribution centres in Melbourne and changing its freight partner from Toll Group to TNT Australia to 'improve service levels and speed to market'.' (Editorial)

'It's hard to believe we've entered another year with the potential repeal of parallel import restrictions still looming. The government now has the Productivity Commission's final report into Intellectual Property Arrangements - delivered in late December-which recommends that PIRs are repealed by the end of 2017. Whether the government is able to get the legislation through the Senate is another matter.' (Andrea Hanke, Editorial introduction :4)