Author of SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS (2022) and TOUGH LOVE (March 2027) / tajjaisen.com
@sesmith.lolReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialGreat piece from @tajjaisen.bsky.social who is one of my favorite book critics right now!!
Tajja Isen
@tajjaisen.bsky.social
@sesmith.lolReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.social@tajjaisen.bsky.socialThat means the world, s.e.; thank you!
@nikostratis.comReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialDirectly to this, I had decent Interest from other publishers on a first book, but a lot of them wanted to tell me the kind of book they thought I should write. U Texas press asked me what I wanted to do and never tried to steer me into a “marketable” lane and the book was better for it
@tajjaisen.bsky.socialThank you, Rahawa. Your piece is essential and really helped my thinking.
@rahawahaile.bsky.socialReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialOutstanding article about the nonfiction book market. This is also the biggest shoutout Scratch has received, and I’m grateful for it. www.talkscratch.com
![Screenshot from the quote posted article:
Rahawa Haile, in the newsletter Scratch, picks up on this hesitation: "This is rarely the first point mentioned with regards to sagging nonfiction sales, [but] hardcover books grew too expensive in an economic environment where people of all stripes are barely getting by."
Not only that, she continues, but publishers aren't issuing paperback versions nearly as often as they used to.
In a standard royalty structure, the publisher recoups a higher percentage of the hardcover than on paperback; if the former doesn't hit big, the latter is less attractive. In this, publishers' and writers' interests are at odds. Cancelling the paperback ruins a second chance to reach readers through a fresh marketing push, a possible new cover, and-most crucially—a more affordable format.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:mqgocqix73ii3okrzzduspjb/bafkreidp2dfrslldj675fl6az2stkhkomnq4ed5qofgfgnljniqogumonm@jpeg)
@tajjaisen.bsky.socialThank you, as always, Niko ❤️
@nikostratis.comReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.sociala lot of big, hard pieces on the state of things came out today, and I really loved and felt so much of this one from @tajjaisen.bsky.social
@kwistent.bsky.socialReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.social“It’s not that people don’t want nonfiction,” the editor says. “They cannot afford a hardcover; they wait a year for the paperback they can afford, and then [it] never comes. What are they supposed to do?” (le sigh)
@tajjaisen.bsky.socialha, too true (cc @adamm0rgan.bsky.social)
@tajjaisen.bsky.social"Dozens of junior- and senior-level staff were then “voluntold” to become “AI Champions” and were tasked with discovering use cases in monthly brainstorming sessions with staff across the company." Incredible work by @adamm0rgan.bsky.social
www.wired.com/story/book-p...
@rkambury.bsky.socialReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.social"Without nonfiction being made available in formats within people’s means...the idea that the reading public has been zapped of its political energy begins to look, at a minimum, over-indexed. Maybe people aren’t tired of facts. Maybe they simply can’t afford them."
@tajjaisen.bsky.social nails it
@tajjaisen.bsky.socialThank you, Adam—excited to read your new piece!
@tajjaisen.bsky.socialThank you, Joel—I wish I had more room to get into that in the piece. I think some of the most exciting work in NF right now, especially memoir, is happening with small presses and UPs.
@jpinckney.bsky.socialReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialReally enjoyed this piece, which implicitly suggests another good reason to support small and university presses as much as you can: many of them are the ones willing and ready to take chances on nonfiction books that big five publishers are more than ever too scared to take on.
@bakerdphd.bsky.socialReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialOh. Lol my offline friends know I'm gonna need a fresh pot of tea to read this.
@profgabriele.comReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialthis is really good. and mirrors some of the self-defeating attitude I've heard myself
@nicolechung.bsky.socialReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialLet's write together in 2027! If you're looking to jumpstart your memoir/essays project—or are already underway and want ongoing support to maintain momentum or figure out next steps—this @thewriterscenter.bsky.social workshop is for you. We'll meet twice a month starting in Feb. Learn more & apply:
@tajjaisen.bsky.socialReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialYou may have heard that nonfiction's having a rough time. I investigated for @thewalrus.ca. And it's very true, but not for the reasons you might think.
@tajjaisen.bsky.social
@drewsof.bsky.socialReposted by @tajjaisen.bsky.socialI got to talk to @tajjaisen.bsky.social for this piece! I just watched a man flinch as I told him that the price of Mark B. Smith's EXIT STALIN is $49.99! The timing is uncanny! (Here's hoping publishers are reading this and thinking about how to do something, anything, because NF *is* in trouble!)