What does the next generation of book publishing companies look like?

Molly Barton Global Digital DirectorPenguin

Digital Publishing Innovation SummitJuly 19, 2013

"Ever since the eighteenth century, reading has been integral to our sense of personal and political development.

Getting reading wrong is framed as a threat to who we can become, whether as individuals or a society.

To talk about reading is always implicitly to talk about the future and the past simultaneously.”

Andrew Piper, Book Was There

Penguin learned to experiment from founder Allen Lane

Note: actual penguin.

Technology Evolves. New Market Forces.

Publishing ‘A button’

Distribution commodity

New Problems

But how do you write a good book?

And how do you get anyone to care?

Dream up a new model

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What our members say:““This site is such a wonderful resource This site is such a wonderful resource

to feel to feel connectedconnected with other writers and with other writers and it inspires motivation & self-critique. My book is it inspires motivation & self-critique. My book is

already already improvingimproving as a result of being on this site as a result of being on this site as I begin to feel that there are as I begin to feel that there are

people out there who'll actually read it.”people out there who'll actually read it.”

““Other sites are built in a way that people are Other sites are built in a way that people are afraid to give anything but positive feedback. afraid to give anything but positive feedback.

Book Country Book Country helped me revise helped me revise

several times.several times.””  

““the the communitycommunity has reshaped the way I think about my writing” has reshaped the way I think about my writing”

““I’ve sent many fellow writers I’ve sent many fellow writers to Book Country to post their to Book Country to post their manuscripts and get manuscripts and get feedback, because hey, feedback, because hey, it worked for me,it worked for me, it could work for them, too.”it could work for them, too.”

““Book Country Book Country helped me learn to helped me learn to trust my voice and trust my voice and my instincts.”my instincts.”

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Book Country: A writing & publishing community.

Original genre map New map

Now more than 60 categories of books can be workshopped on Book Country

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A place to easily discover books

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Read and Review

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Share Feedback

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Connect

Learn

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Publish

Book Country Success Stories

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The Book Country Team

Brandi LarsenDirector

Brandi LarsenDirector

Lucy SilagCommunity & Engagement

Manager

Lucy SilagCommunity & Engagement

Manager

Nevena GeorgievaCoordinator

Nevena GeorgievaCoordinator

Innovating isn’t straightforward

Thank you

@BookCountry

Facebook.com/BookCountry

Pinterest.com/Bookcountry

BookCountry.com

molly.barton@penguingroup.com@molbarton