JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

News, trends, and the future of publishing
Post Reply
User avatar
dgaughran
Posts: 295
Joined: September 29th, 2010, 6:26 am
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by dgaughran » June 23rd, 2011, 6:53 am

When e-books became the #1 format in the AAP figures released in April, I predicted that a major international bestseller - a household name - would switch to self-publishing by the end of the summer.

It looks like we won't have to wait that long. Here is the article from The Bookseller:

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/j-k-r ... rmore.html

And here is analysis from a UK agent:

http://futurebook.net/content/scarred-life

Her Pottermore announcement is any moment now. More details and reaction then, I would imagine.
Image   Image Image   Image <---NEW RELEASE!!!
Download the FREE PDF version at my blog: Let's Get Digital

User avatar
dgaughran
Posts: 295
Joined: September 29th, 2010, 6:26 am
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by dgaughran » June 23rd, 2011, 7:08 am

She just made the announcement.

The e-books will be exclusively available from Pottermore.com from October.

We will have to wait and see what the rest of this "interactive reading experience" is like. Sounds interesting.
Image   Image Image   Image <---NEW RELEASE!!!
Download the FREE PDF version at my blog: Let's Get Digital

User avatar
dgaughran
Posts: 295
Joined: September 29th, 2010, 6:26 am
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by dgaughran » June 23rd, 2011, 9:25 am

There are a whole host of corporate partners involved. The website was executed with Sony, OverDrive will set-up and run the e-bookstore, and as for the e-books and audiobooks themselves, Rowling stated that she will be “publishing in partnership” with her existing publishers across the world.

What does this mean? Well, her US publishers – Scholastic – issued a statement:

“Scholastic is proud to be a key partner in the Pottermore project…providing marketing and promotion support…Scholastic will receive a royalty on sales of the U.S. editions of the ebooks.”

This sounds like Rowling is giving Scholastic a percentage in return for “marketing and promotion support”. If that’s the case, and if she has a similar deal worked out with the rest of her publishers, then we can quite clearly say that this is Rowling self-publishing the Harry Potter e-books.
Image   Image Image   Image <---NEW RELEASE!!!
Download the FREE PDF version at my blog: Let's Get Digital

longknife

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by longknife » June 23rd, 2011, 11:39 am

Gives you hope when an out-of-work single mom manages to become one of the richest women in the United Kingdom.
[It also doesn't hurt that her books appealed to a market that absolutely needed to find a reason to read fiction!]
Good for her.

Image

User avatar
Marla Warren
Posts: 43
Joined: December 7th, 2009, 9:14 pm
Location: Illinois
Contact:

Pottermore

Post by Marla Warren » June 23rd, 2011, 2:38 pm

The announcement was this morning. J.K. Rowling has created a new website http://www.pottermore.com/. In addition to offering digital editions of the Harry Potter books, it seems that the website will offer an interactive reading experience. I can't wait to see what they have planned. :D :D :D
“Good writing should be smooth, clear and short, and the art of saying little in much must be avoided at all costs.”
--Benjamin Franklin

Margo
Posts: 1712
Joined: April 5th, 2010, 11:21 am
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by Margo » June 23rd, 2011, 3:23 pm

Yeah, but we all know what self-published books are like. ;)
Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, and hot Norse elves. http://margolerwill.blogspot.com/

User avatar
dgaughran
Posts: 295
Joined: September 29th, 2010, 6:26 am
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by dgaughran » June 23rd, 2011, 4:05 pm

She is going to make a mountain of money.

(Another one.)
Image   Image Image   Image <---NEW RELEASE!!!
Download the FREE PDF version at my blog: Let's Get Digital

User avatar
maybegenius
Posts: 349
Joined: December 7th, 2009, 4:49 pm
Location: Northern California
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by maybegenius » June 24th, 2011, 12:54 pm

Based on the publishing news I've read (via Publisher's Marketplace), it actually sounds like Scholastic and Bloomsbury will still be receiving a portion of the sales. In essence, they're still the book packager, Rowling is just choosing the arena in which they sell the books (because she has the chops to do so). There's been talk about them being available for purchase on a Sony reader, and apparently she's in talks with B&N to have the books available on the NOOK as well.

So, not your usual self-publishing, but it'll be interesting to see how it shakes out nonetheless.
aka S.E. Sinkhorn, or Steph

My Blog | My Twitter | YA!Flash Tumblr

Represented by Michelle Andelman of Regal Literary

User avatar
maybegenius
Posts: 349
Joined: December 7th, 2009, 4:49 pm
Location: Northern California
Contact:

Re: Pottermore

Post by maybegenius » June 24th, 2011, 12:58 pm

I'm interested, I just wish the announcement had been a little more specific :lol: I've heard that you'll be sorted and receive a unique wand (out of over 30K possible combinations) and will be able to "experience Harry's 7 years at Hogwarts" in a "new, interactive way." I still have no idea what that means, heh.

It sounds like she's released tons of new details and backstory about Harry's world, and other people will be able to add on? Like sanctioned fan fiction? No idea!
aka S.E. Sinkhorn, or Steph

My Blog | My Twitter | YA!Flash Tumblr

Represented by Michelle Andelman of Regal Literary

User avatar
Mira
Posts: 1354
Joined: December 7th, 2009, 9:59 am
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by Mira » June 24th, 2011, 4:25 pm

I'm confused. Can I read this on my Kindle?

Do I buy at Pottermore for my e-reader? Or are they putting out their own e-reader.....?

Confused.

Also, disappointed. I don't want what is basically an on-line video game. I want a NEW BOOK.

Sigh.

User avatar
dgaughran
Posts: 295
Joined: September 29th, 2010, 6:26 am
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by dgaughran » June 24th, 2011, 4:30 pm

They will be available in all formats, just not directly from Amazon.
Image   Image Image   Image <---NEW RELEASE!!!
Download the FREE PDF version at my blog: Let's Get Digital

User avatar
Mira
Posts: 1354
Joined: December 7th, 2009, 9:59 am
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by Mira » June 24th, 2011, 4:34 pm

dgaughran wrote:They will be available in all formats, just not directly from Amazon.
Yay! I do want Harry Potter e-books, so cool. Thanks. :D

User avatar
Mira
Posts: 1354
Joined: December 7th, 2009, 9:59 am
Contact:

Re: JK Rowling to Self-Publish Harry Potter e-books?

Post by Mira » June 24th, 2011, 4:53 pm

Actually, I'm sure the on-line video game will be very, very fun, and I'll be totally addicted to it.

I just want a new book! :p

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests