Exactly a year ago today, with barely 600 subscribers (thank you to our
many friends and families for signing up early and often), we began
publishing Shelf Awareness. Now, 236 issues later (the official
numbering is off by one because of an editorial mishap on the first
day), we have 10 times as many subscribers, a number that continues to
grow daily.
At BEA in New York last year, we had told many people what we intended to do, using the words "planning to" and "hope to" and "if" a lot. We thought the newsletter would work editorially, since there was nothing quite like it and many people said they wanted a newsletter with an emphasis on information of interest to booksellers and librarians. As for the business model, we spent many a restless night pondering the future. But things are going very well in that area, too, in large part because of the amazing outpouring of industry support--and Jenn's amazing business abilities.
Shelf Awareness began in essence at the end of March last year, when John, to borrow Jimmy Carter's phrase about the 1980 election, was involuntarily retired from Publishers Weekly after nearly 24 years there. The company had shut down PW Daily for Booksellers, which, in its first incarnation, had drawn tens of thousands of subscribers and lots of advertising.
From the first moments after being let go, John wanted to put out something like the old PW Daily for Booksellers again. Several booksellers encouraged him without knowing he had the same thought, and when he considered finding a different corporate home for such a venture, his dear wife said her now-immortal words: "You should just do it on your own."
But he needed a partner to handle sales and the business side of things, and within days of being fired, his longtime friend Jenn called to find out what was happening. He explained about the changes at PW, the firings, leads he'd gotten for regular jobs, and then told her what he really wanted to do. Jenn who was taking a sabbatical from sales and marketing in the publishing world after giving birth to her lovely daughter, paused and then in an atypically shy voice responded, "If you're really serious about that, I'd be very interested in working with you."
Here we are a year later, and even though we joke about changing the name to Shelf Awakeness, it's been a truly great experience.
We have so many friends and others who have been there from the beginning to thank:
We also have a special spot in our hearts for bookstores that opened within days of our first issue, all of whom we featured in the first few weeks: Voices & Visions: Books, Arts and Community in Philadelphia, Pa., Salty Dog Books & Music in St. Michaels, Md., Bridge Street Bookshop in Phoenixville, Pa.--and for a store that around the same time was sold and began to be reinvented, Good Yarns, Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. May they prosper, too!
We plan to add more features and services to continue to ensure that Shelf Awareness remains an important part of your workday. We'd love to hear your comments, suggestions, potshots--and maybe birthday greetings at info@shelf-awareness.com.
At BEA in New York last year, we had told many people what we intended to do, using the words "planning to" and "hope to" and "if" a lot. We thought the newsletter would work editorially, since there was nothing quite like it and many people said they wanted a newsletter with an emphasis on information of interest to booksellers and librarians. As for the business model, we spent many a restless night pondering the future. But things are going very well in that area, too, in large part because of the amazing outpouring of industry support--and Jenn's amazing business abilities.
Shelf Awareness began in essence at the end of March last year, when John, to borrow Jimmy Carter's phrase about the 1980 election, was involuntarily retired from Publishers Weekly after nearly 24 years there. The company had shut down PW Daily for Booksellers, which, in its first incarnation, had drawn tens of thousands of subscribers and lots of advertising.
From the first moments after being let go, John wanted to put out something like the old PW Daily for Booksellers again. Several booksellers encouraged him without knowing he had the same thought, and when he considered finding a different corporate home for such a venture, his dear wife said her now-immortal words: "You should just do it on your own."
But he needed a partner to handle sales and the business side of things, and within days of being fired, his longtime friend Jenn called to find out what was happening. He explained about the changes at PW, the firings, leads he'd gotten for regular jobs, and then told her what he really wanted to do. Jenn who was taking a sabbatical from sales and marketing in the publishing world after giving birth to her lovely daughter, paused and then in an atypically shy voice responded, "If you're really serious about that, I'd be very interested in working with you."
Here we are a year later, and even though we joke about changing the name to Shelf Awakeness, it's been a truly great experience.
We have so many friends and others who have been there from the beginning to thank:
- Braden Vinroe for his technical support and drawing the first images of Vik, our book-reading Buddha.
- Alex Baker for bringing Vik to life with his wonderful design eye and sense of humor in "dressing" him up.
- Richard Jobes, our ever-watchful and sly CFO, who has given a great idea solid business planning and measurements--and some very amusing comments.
- Marilyn Dahl, who has singlehandedly built up a solid, witty, elegant book review section.
- Larry Portzline, founder of Bookstore Tourism, who bravely took out our first ad.
- The regional booksellers associations, the American Booksellers Association, the National Association of College Stores, the Association of Booksellers for Children, all of whom mentioned us to their members and were supportive in many other ways.
- And so many friends in the industry and former colleagues, including Mark Suchomel, Cris Cooke, Nora Rawlinson, Fred Ciporen, Joe Tessitore, Roger Williams, Chris Kerr, Sean Concannon, Don Sturtz, Mary Bisbee-Beek, Ann Merchant, Brian Heller, Lisa Gallagher, Kuo-Yu Liang, Carl Lennertz, Richard Hunt, Jamey Bennett, Donna Paz, Mark Kaufman, Miriam Sontz, Gary Lothian, George Carroll, Gloria Genee, Howard Wall, Diana Van Vleck, Jan Nathan, Ron Rice, Jessica Dyer, Mike Dyer, Robin Pinnel, Ruth Liebmann, Jim DiMiero and so many supportive booksellers, librarians, wholesalers, publishers and others.
We also have a special spot in our hearts for bookstores that opened within days of our first issue, all of whom we featured in the first few weeks: Voices & Visions: Books, Arts and Community in Philadelphia, Pa., Salty Dog Books & Music in St. Michaels, Md., Bridge Street Bookshop in Phoenixville, Pa.--and for a store that around the same time was sold and began to be reinvented, Good Yarns, Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. May they prosper, too!
We plan to add more features and services to continue to ensure that Shelf Awareness remains an important part of your workday. We'd love to hear your comments, suggestions, potshots--and maybe birthday greetings at info@shelf-awareness.com.