Why TikTok’s Publishing Program is Smart
And why Taylor Swift’s exclusive book with Target should awaken publishers.
Today, TikTok’s publishing division, 8th Note Press, announced a partnership with Molly Stern’s Zando Publishing to bring printed books to the market. Admittedly, I have not heard much about 8th Note Press, but I think that was by design: I am not a super user of BookTok, where their books are marketed. Until now, 8th Note’s books were strictly e-books, so bringing them to print is a significant decision. It’s also a positive sign that print books still sell (we knew this, yes?). I want to discuss the idea of “building backwards,” meaning you see the audience for whom you will publish and use that data to give them the content they want. This is TikTok’s strength. There isn’t a day I open that app and am greeted with content I dislike. Similarly, 8th Note has a distinct advantage in knowing what its readers want, how often they want it, and what makes it go viral. In my estimation, this is precisely why printed books by 8th Note Press will work.
I know writers' thoughts: “We write for ourselves and not the market.” Well, yes, but also, no. In today’s world, with entertainment fragmented as much as it is, you must consider writing for the market because you need to know your audience. There is nothing wrong with examining and forecasting trends and taking pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). What struck me in The New York Times article about 8th Note Press was this:
“Some authors and agents see risks in signing with a brand-new company. As a publishing start-up, 8th Note still lacks the extensive connections with booksellers and reviewers that traditional publishers have cultivated over decades.”
I’m sorry, but a lack of extensive connections with reviewers is not a problem when you can access TikTok’s algorithm. This is an old story and one that needs to be put to rest. Reviews have their place, but as I have written many times, they do not sell books. Why is it so hard for authors and agents to grasp that the old way of promoting books no longer works? It is critical to reach readers today, and that isn’t solely going to happen through legacy media. Fear of reaching your audience should bother you more than a fear of no reviews. The review landscape is sparse, and the upcoming generations aren’t reading them (sorry, book critic friends).
Additionally, I do not see a lack of extensive connections with booksellers as a factor that should prohibit an author from publishing with 8th Note Press. I support indie bookstores, but I know that 75-80% of books are bought through Amazon. I also know that Barnes & Noble skips several titles from every publisher and that indies can’t carry all published titles. It’s not a roadblock that 8th Note isn’t a darling with indie bookstores yet. Their books will sell regardless. I am not writing this to diminish the importance of physical bookstores. Instead, two things can be true: Amazon undeniably has the largest market share in bookselling, and physical bookstores are still essential. We must have the space to allow non-traditional publishers to do their thing and watch and learn, which leads me to the next.
Taylor Swift is publishing an Eras Tour book for Christmas and selling it exclusively through Target.
(Announcement from Publishers Lunch)
Some folks are mad that Ms. Swift is not making the book available to bookstores and other retailers. I can understand that, but you must look at the book for what it is: a piece of Taylor Swift merchandise priced at $39.99 and being sold alongside her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, which will be available on vinyl for the first time with bonus tracks. It wouldn’t have made sense to deal with other retailers when the one you already partner with is set up to promote your merchandise and do it well. Additionally, where there are bookstore deserts, there is Target.
I am of the unpopular mindset that some publishers should form exclusive partnerships with retailers for particular books. For one, it takes some of Amazon’s power away, and secondly, it shows that the publisher is willing to take a risk and break with what is considered traditional. Yes, I know people will comment that this is a crazy idea. Still, I was hoping you could think about brand collaborations and how exclusivity psychologically pushes consumers to buy products. Taylor Swift isn’t looking to get on a bestseller list. Instead, she is giving her fans exactly what they want. She and her team have seen the Eras tour's success and decided to…work backward and make the book successful.
Food for thought, indeed.
END NOTES:
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PLATFORM BUILDING FOR AUTHORS AT EVERY STAGE (OCT 18)
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DATE: Friday, October 18
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I went to an attorneys turned authors panel sponsored by my law school today and one of the authors was speaking directly to the idea of writing for the market in this fragmented entertainment world. He worried about the young adult population no longer reading books, but that is why BookTok has become such a revelation. My sister is an alumni advisor for our sorority and she told me how many 20 year olds have told her they read a book because they saw it on TikTok. Thank you for your insight into the publishing process as always.
Lol would ANY of us turn down a Target exclusive deal? Doubtful. I know I'd jump for joy :)