What Book Publishing Needs to Consider in 2025

A Jam-Packed List of the Issues at Hand for the Industry in the Coming Year.

I didn’t do badly with book publishing predictions for 2024, which you can read here. This year, instead of predictions, I’ve decided to list major issues publishers will face in 2025 and provide insight into how they might be handled. I can’t lie—I am worried about how the industry will fare over the next four years. I’m sure I’m not alone. I didn’t want to write about “book” trends because so many others are doing a good job of it. This list is not meant to scare anyone, but it should (I hope) spark discussion. Settle in, because this is a long read.

The Media is Obeying in Advance

Billionaire owners of The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times are causing turbulence in their newsrooms because the edict has been made to back off on criticism of Donald Trump and his cabinet picks. Additionally, ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit with the President-Elect this week that stunned the media world. Now, Trump is suing the Des Moines Register for releasing a poll in which he was predicted to lose the election. He has made no secret that he will use every tool at his disposal to litigate media that doesn’t align with the portrayal of him and his administration that he wants.

If I were a publisher, I would be cautious about which political books are acquired for publication over the next four years. Not because free speech should be suppressed but because you might find the media less willing to cover anything critical of Trump and his cronies. This is a reality. I’d love to say the freedom of the press will prevail, but it’s clear that the head honchos of media companies are heading to Mar-a-Lago early and often to kiss the proverbial ring. Be warned.

Something to watch: As you know, Trump is litigious. He filed suit against Simon & Schuster regarding the public release of tapes for Bob Woodward’s 2020 book, Rage. Yesterday, a judge denied Trump's request to move forward with the suit, but that doesn’t mean he won’t attempt to sue other publishers who release books that portray him negatively. ABC’s settlement has only emboldened the president-elect.

The Public’s Trust (and Interest) in Mainstream Media is Fractured

If you’re publishing conservative books, the media looks fine from your angle. Fox News, News Nation, OAN, Newsmax, and more have retained and grown their respective audiences. Conversely, MSNBC and CNN are seeing historically low ratings. The Washington Post has shed over 250K subscriptions. The Los Angeles Times is losing subscribers at a slower pace, but the public discourse around their billionaire owner isn’t helping matters. Don’t even get me started on The New York Times opinion section.

Linear television (non-streaming TV) is struggling, with morning show viewership at its lowest since I started in PR (that would be the late 1990s). There are bright spots like the Drew Barrymore Show, the Jennifer Hudson Show, and the Kelly Clarkson Show, but more people view clips on TikTok rather than watch full episodes. Additionally, daytime talk shows are looking for celebrity bookings, which means most authors won’t get booked.

Assuming a morning show appearance will boost a book’s Amazon ranking into the top 50 is no longer realistic. Sure, GMA and Today have book clubs, but they are highly competitive and, if I’m being honest, getting stale. The publishing industry must adapt to this new reality and deprioritize TV for most books. Viewers aren’t there, and sales won’t pop meaningfully.

Layoffs are Still Decimating Traditional Media—Which Will Continue

I read that Refinery 29 laid off most of its staff this morning. Recent layoffs also include staff at Hearst, Vox Media, Conde Nast, Associated Press, Dotdash Meredith, Variety, BBC, NBC News, ABC News, Scripps, Daily Mail, Gannett, Time, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Public Radio, Axios, Tampa Bay Times, CNN, The Daily Beast, Reader’s Digest, Deadspin, WAMU, Vice, Buzzfeed, The Intercept, Now This, CBS News, Bustle Digital Group, and more. 2025 will be no different: I expect more cost-cutting measures from the media due to declining subscriptions and the digital advertising business that will not improve.

What does this mean for book publishing? First, it means there are fewer people for publicists to pitch. Book coverage will continue to shrink in mainstream media, so publishers must adapt their marketing and publicity plans accordingly. Moreover, the cookie-cutter documents floating around forever must undergo an overhaul. Additionally, agents, editors, and publicists must be honest with authors. The chances of a New York Times review are slim, so let’s pivot away from that as the pinnacle of validation for authors. Besides, as I have written, reviews don’t sell many books. As traditional media continues to shrink, publishers need a new plan of attack.

Digital Advertising

As you’ve probably noticed, I am pretty blunt. Let me say this clearly: Digital advertising wastes money and publishers should stop pretending it can work. I often see marketing plans from publishers that include lengthy bullet points about digital ads on social media, Goodreads, Lithub, and more. I’ve seen the results of some campaigns, and while there are clicks, there is no sales conversion. Why does the industry keep wasting money on such things? Publishers want to show authors what they are doing to support their books, but are you supporting a book in the best way if you keep buying digital ads that don’t lead to sales? Media entities are happy to take people’s money because they need the ad revenue, but come on. You can’t see ad campaign results and repeat the drill when no one benefits.

Granted, sometimes Amazon ads are the exception, but even they are hit-or-miss. Consider how brands approach advertising these days—they mostly rely on influencers who connect directly with consumers. When you see certain brands advertised in your social media feeds, it is algorithm-driven, based on your conversations and browser history. This should tell publishers why digital ads for books don’t perform: because there isn’t enough conversation or browsing by consumers to warrant the ads consistently showing up on their phones.

It'll be interesting to see what happens when more Substack newsletters accept advertising. It’s something to keep an eye on.

The State of Social Media for Book Publishing

Social media is more fractured than ever, so I understand why authors worry about what platforms they should use and why. The “why” is easy to explain. Conventional publishing wisdom is that authors need a platform to connect with readers. While true, I’d like to clarify why author platforms are essential for publicity. More often than not, when I pitch authors for podcasts and other media, I am asked to send links to their social media. If I am not asked, you can bet hosts, producers, and editors are looking at authors’ social media. In other words, they want you to have an audience before they allow you access to theirs.

The question then becomes, what social media platform will be worth it in 2025? The answer depends on the author and the book. Statistically, Instagram leads the pack in how consumers discover and interact with brands. We could apply that to book publishing, but publishers must act more like brands and experiment with Reels (longer-form videos) on the platform. For authors, it means finding creative ways to discuss their books and explore various themes. Believe it or not, Facebook is a close second, with TikTok third. It doesn’t mean you should all run to these platforms and perform a song-and-dance routine! It does, however, mean that authors and publishers should reassess their social media strategies. Check out the chart below from Sprout Social’s 2024 Social Media Content Strategy Report:

What about Bluesky and Threads? I like each platform for different reasons. Threads is more conversational with non-media people, but it’s filled with political chatter, and that can be a lot. If you’re looking for a more bookish community, Bluesky is where you can find publishing people. It’s still somewhat siloed but quieter than most other platforms. Neither platform has an addictive quality like Twitter/X does.

Does Twitter/X matter anymore? In the scheme of social media platforms, X is still the best place to follow events in real-time, but it is quickly becoming a right-wing echo chamber due to Elon Musk’s heavy support of Donald Trump. In truth, Twitter was never a good place to promote books and experience sales conversion. It was a decent platform for literary discourse, finding publishing friends, and following authors. I don’t know if we will see a platform with all three qualities again. Publishers should consider pulling away from Twitter and investing more time in audience development elsewhere.

A platform to watch: I want to explore Pinterest for book promotion in 2025. When the platform was launched, I enjoyed creating boards. When searching for decorating ideas for my new house, I revisited Pinterest and was amazed at how much it has evolved. Brands are employing strategies to reach Gen Z there, and it’s working. Watch this space for more.

We Have a TikTok Problem

A new development: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments against the impending TikTok ban. The hearing is set for January 10, and the ban will take effect on January 19. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think the Supreme Court will save TikTok. Granted, a lot can happen when Trump takes office in January, but I don’t know that Elon Musk having the president-elect’s ear on this is a good thing. Additionally, if TikTok finds a US-based buyer, who is to say it won’t be an oligarch like Musk who will drive it into the ground?

Book publishing has become over-reliant on BookTok, and it is unhealthy. When you depend so profoundly on a platform owned by someone else, you are at their mercy (and the mercy of government policy). I’d hope publishers have alternative plans outside of promoting books on TikTok—not only because the platform might get banned but because BookTok has become oversaturated. That’s not to say it isn’t effective for some books. It’s that much like every other platform that shows a glimmer of promotional hope, book publishing has likely overstayed its welcome on BookTok, and it needs to be more selective about what they do there and how.

There is political discourse on BookTok, where Harris supporters tell Trump supporters to unfollow them. I don’t blame anyone for feeling like they cannot engage with Trump supporters—many of my relatives fall into that category (we have a stringent “no political discussion” rule for holidays). I guess my question is, where does it stop? I don’t think anyone has an answer. I’m not bringing this up to argue. Instead, the publishing industry must be aware that BookTok is currently a minefield and reassess its strategy.

Tariffs Will Harm the Industry

I will write about this at more length as the situation unfolds, but anyone remotely involved in publishing should know that high tariffs on goods from China will harm the industry. It is expensive to print certain books domestically, so cookbooks, children’s books, coffee table books, and many others are printed in China. During the pandemic, when the supply chain was disrupted entirely, book shipments from China were the most difficult to get. Often, I felt like I was hearing a pirate story: the books made it into the containers and onto the ship; the ship is stuck at the port; there are so many containers to unload that ours is delayed; the containers made it onto the train…and so forth.

You may not realize this, but in addition to paying for the (now expensive) paper books printed in China, publishers must pay for the costly shipping containers. Shipping costs are astronomical. Book prices haven’t increased enough to absorb those costs, which is one reason why publishers have become more selective in publishing specific categories. Imagine a 10-15% tariff ON TOP OF what publishers must pay for imported books from China. The trickle-down effect will look like this: Cookbooks, children’s illustrated/board books, coffee table books, or any book with four color photo inserts will have a much more difficult path to publication. Publishers will not want to take risks on new authors in those categories because it will be too expensive. When books are published in those categories, they will be more expensive, and consumers will balk. This is a serious problem looming for the industry, and authors must be aware of it.

AI

I cannot tell a lie: I love AI. Specifically, I love Claude AI. Why? Because it saves me a lot of time on administrative tasks. AI-created software can also match authors/books to podcasts, saving me about 30 hours weekly. Of course, The downside to AI is that “publishing” companies are popping up that will take money from authors and allow AI to manage the publishing process. If you are paying $5000 (or any amount) for this, you are wasting money. You will not recoup that $5000. People will not discover your book just because it is listed on Amazon. There are many different paths to publishing, and the AI route is not it.

AI can help short-staffed departments publish by writing first drafts of marketing copy and creating email subject lines and headlines for press releases. I view AI as my helper, not my replacement. However, I caution authors against searching for media outlets on ChatGPT because the service is limited to 2021 and does not provide information about the audience, most recent articles/podcast episodes, submission guidelines, and more. PR is a whole lot more than just finding media outlets.

Publishing Salaries Must Improve

It is not lost on me that freelance PR rates have barely changed in the 30 years I have worked in book publishing. I have discussed this with colleagues, and the conundrum is that authors are not paid significant advances, so they usually can’t afford a $30K campaign (bless those who can). I work with all budgets, but it is also stressful not to be able to charge more. For that exact reason, I broke out in hives this week.

Publishing salaries are much the same. They’ve improved, but not at a rate where junior employees can comfortably live in NYC. Penguin Random House just raised its entry-level salary to $51K. Once you subtract taxes, healthcare, social security, commuting costs, food, rent, clothes…it’s not a lot. It’s pitiful. It is beyond time to pay publishing employees for their work, often the work of two or three people. It doesn’t make sense to keep the pay low, which does nothing for morale, keep departments understaffed, and expect great results. Publishing is a for-profit business (with few exceptions), and employees who help increase revenue should receive better salaries.

Try Non-Monogamy with Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Publishers have long been beholden to what Amazon and Barnes & Noble want. Amazon is hard to avoid because it represents a large percentage of book sales. Barnes & Noble is a little different. Many categories have taken a hit since they’ve changed their buying process and left the ordering to store managers. It’s much harder to get a debut author’s book into B&N than when they took coop money for publishers (coop is money publishers pay to retailers for book placement in stores). I’m not naïve. I know arranging an exclusive release with one retailer would ruffle many feathers, but I also think it must be done.

Remove the Stigma Around Paperback Originals

Publishing paperback originals is not a sin. It does not mean a book is a lost cause or of lesser value than a hardcover. Paperbacks are a great way to launch debut authors in specific genres because the price point is more appealing to consumers. The format does not—and should not—prohibit the book from being reviewed. If you build a big enough audience for an author in paperback, you can publish deluxe hardcover editions.

Take Substack and Other Newsletter Platforms Seriously

When I started this newsletter almost two years ago, I had no idea what Substack was about. I learned as I went along, networked on the platform, created a community, and I love it. I’ve seen explosive growth on the platform. While book coverage is shrinking in mainstream media, it is increasing on Substack. This is not to say that every author should create a Substack; authors, agents, editors, and publishers must pay attention to the platform. Prominent journalists, critics, culture writers, and all-around smart people are there, and they want to read. That is valuable.

Additionally, there are platforms like Beehiiv where journalists are building media companies. Oliver Darcy’s excellent newsletter, Status News, is available on that platform, and I expect more like it to appear. There is also Ghost, which is another Substack alternative. The most challenging aspect of building a newsletter is developing an audience, but once you get into the groove of it, it’s pretty great.

Yes, Podcasts are Important

Public radio and satellite radio, such as Sirius XM and iHeart, have been hit by layoffs. While Fresh Air can’t be diminished as a great avenue to promote books, its effects aren’t as far-reaching as before. Enter podcasts. I wasn’t surprised that Call Her Daddy and Joe Rogan were in the mix for the 2024 presidential election. Both podcasts meet their respective audiences where they are. That’s the thing with podcasts: no matter the topic, they meet audiences where they are, which is essential when promoting books. The trick is to create angles to pitch that aren’t solely “please book my author to discuss their book.” Listen to previous episodes, research the hosts, and make podcasts a centerpiece of PR campaigns (along with newsletters).

Hybrid Publishing is Legit

The more I work with clients with hybrid publishing deals, the more I see what traditional publishing is missing. Some authors with great books couldn’t get traditional deals, have the funds, and choose hybrid publishing. This does not mean their books are worth less than a traditionally published book. Some of them are fantastic. What bugs me is that others tend to look down upon hybrid publishing. I say, stop being elitist. When done well, hybrid publishing is a legitimate avenue for some authors. Research hybrid publishers, find references, and explore what they can offer.

Self-publishing is Here to Stay

I know, I know. Too many books are published, and self-published authors add to the pile. However, I’d argue that there are quite a few diamonds in the rough in the self-publishing realm. They’re primarily in the romance or romantacy categories, but there are also gems in wellness, self-help, and thrillers. If you scroll TikTok enough, you will find self-published self-help books…that do incredibly well via TikTok Shop. Don’t say I didn’t give you a tip!

Author Advances

I describe author advances to people like this: they are based on magical publishing math. No one knows what the right advance is for authors. Celebrities get money thrown at them for books because it is assumed publishers will make a profit and recoup the advance. When bestselling authors switch publishers, they usually get a high advance for multiple books. When there is a lot of buzz about a debut manuscript among publishers, there will be a bidding war (where they almost always overpay). Everyone else’s advances are anyone’s guess. This is the most imperfect system, making being a full-time writer nearly impossible for most people. There must be reform in the industry for fair author advances and a better system for figuring them out besides creating a meaningless P&L (profit + loss) report because you don’t know how a book will sell.

Bestseller Lists

What more is there to say about The New York Times bestseller list than it makes no sense. The Bookscan numbers rarely match the order of the books on the list, the Tims won’t tell anyone how they calculate sales, and the whole exercise is inequitable. What is the point of adding bestseller clauses to contracts when there is no transparency from the people compiling the lists? USA Today is slightly better, but they’ve severely reduced the number of self-published books on their list, which hurts those authors.

The mark of a book’s success isn’t restricted to it becoming a bestseller. Tape that over your desk. Sales are a long game, and too often, publishers forget that.

Pre-Orders…Please Stop Forcing Authors to Get Them

Pre-orders rarely work as a harbinger of how a book will sell. That’s because most consumers don’t want to wait for products. They want what they want when they want it. We live in a “drop” culture: When brands offer a new product, it is usually unavailable for pre-order. They build excitement around it on social media, hyping the “drop” date. Sometimes, they use countdown clocks on Instagram. Other times, the posts are more cryptic, which further intrigues consumers. Then, on the “drop” date, the product is available for order and, more often than not, sells out. This is consumer psychology: people compete for products and want them even more when they can’t get them. Book preorders go against this theory, but publishers continue to put the onus on authors to drum up preorders as some way to predict how many copies they should print and how many copies retailers should order. It. Does. Not. Work. Getting people to buy books when available is hard enough, but never mind preordering one six months in advance. It’s almost 2025; figure out a better way.

Publishers Doing Interesting Things

Here’s who I’m keeping an eye on in 2025:

Sourcebooks: They’ve done great work for their authors and books. I am continually impressed with Dominique Raccah’s leadership there.

Author’s Equity: They came out of the gate very strong this fall with Seth Godin’s This is Strategy and Joseph Nguyen’s Don’t Believe Everything You Think (Interesting aside: I knew about this book because the author self-published it, and it was ALL OVER TikTok. So much so that my 16yo daughter made me buy her a copy). I’m excited to see what else from Madeline McIntosh and Co. is coming.

Zando Publishing: Molly Stern’s start-up has established itself well in the marketplace. It helps that Sarah Jessica Parker is so involved in promoting books from her SJP Lit imprint. I’m watching how Zando handles 8^th Note Press, TikTok’s (ByteDance) publishing arm.

I hope this gives you an idea of what’s happening and what publishing must work on in the coming year. My feeling is that a lot has to change. Books aren’t going away, but the processes behind producing and promoting them sure need to change.

END NOTES:

What I’m Reading: I just finished Claire Keegan’s wonderful book, Small Things Like These. I bought it before it was an Oprah pick because I kept seeing people post about it online. I will not soon forget it. The best summary is that it’s about an Irish man who never forgets where he came from and always does the right thing, even when the choice is hard. Read it, and buy an extra copy for someone you love. It’s an excellent book for the holidays.

What I’m Watching: Here’s the deal: Getting to the end of the year is a slog that makes me cranky, so I put on The Family Stone, The Holiday, The Family Man, and Elf in the background as I work. When my 16-year-old daughter comes home from school, we put on Friends. We are also currently watching the new season of Sex Lives of College Girls. Oh, and I’m watching the current season of Shrinking. Liz is my hero. I want to collect rocks like she does.

What I’m Listening to: The TV in the background!