PCPA

26/07/2024

PCPAAdjunct Member Brandie Herrell at Friesensl shared two announcements with me today that I thought might interest some of our members.

As you know, being a vibrant publisher or printer requires investment for the future and Friesens has been doing just that!

1. Friesens has recently upgraded their "colour proofing system to the GRACoL 2013 standard, this is the latest standard released by GRACoL. The main improvement this upgrade provides is accounting for paper whiteners used in today’s papers and an updated uncoated paper profile." You can read more about the benefits of this investment here: https://www.friesens.com/blog/colour-proofing-update/

2. They also have announced "the launch of the HP PageWide T250 HD inkjet press, a groundbreaking digital inkjet press, equipped with state-of-the-art printhead technology." In their announcement, they also note "Since efficiency is a key element in the printing world, we are pleased that this new inkjet press will be more cost effective on shorter runs. For example, this press transforms a roll of paper into a book block primed for the binding line in a mere 80 feet, managed by just one or two operators." Read more about this new asset at Friesens here: https://www.friesens.com/blog/flipping-the-switch/

Thanks, Brandie Herrell for sharing these updates with our members!

Friesens is known for its' innovative printing excellence and it's worth celebrating. So we are proud to announce the launch of our newest addition: the HP PageWide T250 HD inkjet press, a groundbreaking digital inkjet press, equipped with state-of-the-art printhead technology. Friesens has embraced...

24/07/2024

It isn't often that we see a press release related to three of our member companies! Today is just such a day!

PCPA publishing member InterVarsity Press published a press release titled, "IVP Signs Contracts That Expand Its International Reach." In it, they describe their new partnerships with Ingram Publishing Solutions, a part of PCPA adjunct member Ingram Content Group for warehousing and fulfillment services in the UK and Europe and with PCPA publishing member SPCK Publishing for sales representation in the UK.

Congratulations to our friends and colleagues in all three of these fine companies! We're proud to have each of you as PCPA members!

You can read the IVP press release here: https://www.ivpress.com/press-releases/2024/ivp-signs-contracts-that-expand-its-international-reach

22/07/2024

PCPA member company Ave Maria Press is seeking an editor to acquire and edit Catholic trade books for their general spirituality line. This role can be filled in-person at our headquarters at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, or in a fully-remote capacity.

The acquisitions editor will be expected to acquire and edit ten new titles each year to be published in Ave’s line of Catholic trade books for general spirituality. This role occupies a central place in Ave’s unique voice among Catholic publishers and is an integral part of the editorial team. Outstanding social skills, vision, and creativity are essential. The acquisitions editor takes the lead in developing ideas for new voices, projects, and partnerships that will serve the Church, reach a wide audience, and align with Ave’s strategic mission to set hearts on fire. We are seeking an acquisitions editor who can offer a critical, creative voice to sharpen and evaluate book proposals–good instincts for what our readers will respond to is crucial. This role initiates a collaboration with authors to create viable projects and, after acquisition, edits those titles through the developmental and line editing phases. The acquisitions editor drafts marketing copy and also initiates title and cover decisions.

For more information or to apply, click here: https://www.avemariapress.com/careers/acquisitions-editor-for-trade-books

19/07/2024

PCPA member company The United Methodist Publishing House has just announced the promotion of Maria Mayo to the role of Senior Editor. In this position, she will lead their general adult studies publishing program starting August 1. You can read more here. https://www.umph.org/News/ArtMID/471/ArticleID/70/MARIA-MAYO-NAMED-SENIOR-EDITOR

Please join us in congratulating Maria on this promotion!

18/07/2024

Save the dates!

Plan to attend the first joint Association of Catholic Publishers & PCPA (Protestant Church-owned Publishers Association) conference:

May 1 & 2, 2025
Chicago Marriott Naperville, IL

Plus, pre-conference events:

April 29-May 1: Catholic Writers Guild
April 30 (afternoon): ACP Board of Directors
April 30 (afternoon & dinner) & May 1 (morning): PCPA Board of Directors & Heads of Houses

More details will be available soon, but for now, be sure to put these dates on your calendar!

17/07/2024

Publishers Weekly is calling for information regarding books on faith-based family life and parenting....
a sweet spot for many of our PCPA member companies!

Needed: PW is seeking submissions for a feature on faith-based family and parenting books, including those that address our challenging social, economic, and political times. Issue-driven narratives, how-tos, reference guides, and memoirs are welcome. New titles only, please; no reprints. Include a description highlighting the book’s religious or spiritual content, the title and an author bio, pub month, ISBN, marketing/promo plans, and company contacts for interview. Also welcome are editor's comments on trends within these topics.

Pub dates: April 2024-April 2025

Submissions: Email pitches and cover art to [email protected] Please put “Call for Info: Religion Parenting in the subject line.

Deadline for submission: August 9, 2024

15/07/2024

Who do you know?

PCPA member company Liturgical Press has a new job posting for Digital Marketing Strategist.

Liturgical Press seeks an energetic team member (onsite/hybrid/remote to be determined) who will champion the social media & digital marketing growth of the Press while promoting its Catholic, Benedictine values, serving a richly diverse Church and world.

To apply click here: https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/csbsju/OSB/jobs/4564162/digital-marketing-strategist

15/07/2024

For publishers and readers, alike....an interactive map of independent bookstores across the USA! With thanks to Nate Hoffelder in "How to find an indie bookstore!"

Back when I was a blogger, I used to have a beef with the American Bookseller Association. You see, the ABA had a website called Indiebound which was supposed to promote indie bookstores, but in reality only promoted ABA members. Given that AMA membership included museum gift shops and airport books...

15/07/2024

Do you publish audio books?

If so, you'll want to read about Audible's announcement regarding new royalty arrangements, courtesy of PYMNTS.com: What's Next in Payments

Amazon-owned online audiobook and podcast service Audible is rolling out a new royalty model, enabling creators to monetize more content.

13/07/2024

PCPA member company 1517 Media has two new job postings. Who do you know who might be a good fit?

1. Marketing Communications Specialist, Congregational
Are you a marketer who wants to make a difference in the 21st Century Church? Does your skill set span precise and zingy copy writing, marketing communications knowhow across platforms, and video and audio production and editing, with the goal of delighting customers at the heart of what you do? Would you thrive as part of a team that is collaborative, passionate, and flexible in its dynamic marketing of resources that enhance congregational life in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and beyond? The Marketing Communications Specialist position on the Congregational Team at 1517 Media may be just the job for you.

2. 1517 Media is a multimedia company composed of five vital, creative imprints: Beaming Books, Fortress Press, Broadleaf Books, Augsburg Fortress, and Sparkhouse. We create resources for spiritual growth and development, for Christian worship and faith formation, and for academic study and professional development. 1517 Media strives to create an environment of inclusiveness, equity, and respect for all regardless of ability, age, ethnicity, faith, gender, gender identity, nation of origin, race, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Individuals who are committed to contributing meaningfully to diversity and inclusion in publishing are encouraged to apply, including members of groups historically underrepresented in publishing (which is - according to industry research – a traditionally white, straight, cisgender, and nondisabled field).

Broadleaf Books is an imprint of 1517 Media publishing high-quality books that are rooted in the progressive Christian tradition and reflect the diversity of human creativity. Our books engage readers in fresh, substantive, timely, and inspiring reflection on what it is to live with meaning and connection.

You can find more details about both of these open roles at 1517.media's career page. https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/All/92bd6622-6068-4ae4-9847-c2361e04784b/1517-1517 Media

06/07/2024

Ethan Mollick is one of my favorite researchers, experimenters and writers about the changes being made in many industries, including publishing, through the use of genreative AI. His July 4 article is especially helpful when trying to keep up with the rapid improvements or, as he puts it “thresholds” being crossed in rapid succession.

I hope PCPA members are paying attention and experimenting with this new technology while also being smart about setting boundaries to its use by creative talent both inside and outside our organizations until some of the copyright concerns become more clear.

Here’s a link to his excellent essay:

Trying to understand the implications of AI for work, education, and life. By Prof. Ethan Mollick. Click to read One Useful Thing, by Ethan Mollick, a Substack publication with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

17/06/2024

PCPA is excited to announce a brand new addition to our Third Thursday webinars series! If migrating from one digital platform to another makes you nervous, you'll want to pre-register for "Preparing for a migration to a new system: things you can do to help ensure success" led by Advantagecs Vice President & Chief Product Manager Dan Heffernan.

When: Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 1-2 p.m. ET

What you'll learn: What tasks can be performed before even selecting a new system that will help streamline the migration process? Prepare your data and prepare your business by identifying

* your data sources

* what data needs to be migrated, including how much history

* cleanse opportunities: customer data, duplicates, metadata alignment

* who are your SMEs

* who will be on the decision committee

* and much more!

Who should attend? It depends upon what types of systems you are migrating (ERP? Rights? Subscriptions? Royalties? Digital Asset Management? These principles will apply!
Some possibilities are: C-Suite, Subscription managers, Rights, Royalties, Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, IT, and Finance professionals.

Pre-registration is required. Go to the PCPA Third Thursday page on our website to register for this or other events....free to PCPA members & friends. https://www.pcpaonline.org/third-thursdays

05/06/2024

Is your website mobile-friendly? Most PCPAmember companies' sites are, but a few aren't! And, many church websites are very outdated and are not mobile friendly.

Did you know that effective July 5, 2024 Google will no longer index any sites that don't work on mobile devices? What does this mean? It means that if someone searches for your publishing company (or your congregation) on Google, they are unlikely to find it.

Here is an article from Search Engine Land (June 3, 2024) to provide you (or your church friends) with more information.

if your website is not accessible using a mobile device, then Google will no longer index it and rank it.

04/06/2024

Who do you know?

PCPA_Protestant Church-owned Publishers Association member company InterVarsity Press has two new job postings:

Associate Academic Editor

InterVarsity Press seeks to hire an editor to acquire and develop scholarly books for its IVP Academic imprint. The successful candidate will have academic expertise (doctoral degree preferred) in either:

· psychology or related social sciences OR

· biblical studies



We’re looking for a new colleague on our team who is passionate about books and the life of the mind, who embraces the significance of publishing for the academy and the church, and who has a high view of the good it does in our lives and our societies. Here at IVP Academic we aren’t put off by those whose ideas we may disagree with, and we appreciate the diverse range of thought and practice under the “big tent” of Christianity. If you’re motivated by effective, purposeful communication; you enjoy helping others to articulate their ideas; and you’re a networker, a bridge builder, and an encourager with gifts of discernment along with a tolerance for ambiguities, we hope you’ll apply to join us in a collegial atmosphere where good humor mingles with a strong work ethic and a shared vocation.

Learn more here: https://intervarsity.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/InterVarsity_Press_Careers/details/Associate-Academic-Editor--IVP-_R0000798

Creative Director

To advance the purpose of InterVarsity Press, the Creative Director will be responsible for bringing creative concepts to life through the design, development, and publishing of books and resources. This position manages the creative for book covers and manages graphic designers, a production assistant, and third-party vendor relationships to deliver high-quality results for resources, marketing campaigns and projects. Reporting directly to the Divisional Vice President, SMP, the Creative Director will oversee all facets of creative for IVP books and resources. The Creative Director will collaborate with leaders across the organization on driving business results from the idea phase to the ex*****on for all creative projects.

Learn more here: https://intervarsity.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/InterVarsity_Press_Careers/details/Creative-Director--IVP-_R0000797

04/06/2024

In his blog post this morning, Seth Godin points first to businesses using traditional processes to create and distribute creative works while wondering why what used to bring in big revenue no longer seems to work so well.

He then points via various industries...film, television, radio and, yes, publishing, and encourages us to really stop and think about the new business and digital distribution models that are exploding because they aren't tied to legacy models.

If I were still leading a Christian publishing company, I think I'd share his post, "Did you see it in the theater?" with my entire staff and encourage them to share their ideas for crafting content for markets we aren't reaching through channels we haven't even thought of!

We’re in the middle of a huge and unusual shift. The magazine publisher acted like the best sales were newsstand sales, even though the profit came from subscriptions and most people simply v…

03/06/2024

Congratulations to the publishers of audio books for your increasing sales! I know a number of our PCPA member companies are experimenting with this media format for books. Whether you are publishing books in audio format or just thinking about doing so, this report released today from the Audio Publishers Association is certainly worth reading!

APA SALES & CONSUMER DATA Audiobook Revenue and the Number of Listeners Continue to GrowPer 2024 consumer data, more than half of the US population 18+ has now listened to an audiobookJune 3, New York, NY – Publishers’ audiobook revenue grew 9% in 2023 to $2 billion, continuing the trend of year...

29/05/2024

A special PCPA_Protestant Church-owned Publishers Association webinar

Thursday, June 13, 2024

1-2 p.m. ET/noon-1 p.m. CT/10-11 a.m. PT

Don't Be Shelved: Get Your Books Discovered in New Places

a webinar led by

Rachel Bell, VP Marketing for Overcup Press

Description: The world of bookselling is changing! This webinar will equip publishers with innovative strategies to reach new readers and boost sales beyond traditional bookstores.

Here's what you'll learn:
Untapped Sales Channels: Discover exciting new avenues to sell your books, from online marketplaces and subscription services to schools and niche retailers.

Maximizing Backlist Sales: Reinvigorate your existing catalog by exploring alternative sales channels that can breathe new life into older titles.

Building Direct Sales Power: Develop strategies for selling directly to readers through your own website or online store

This webinar is for you if:
You're a publisher, book marketer or focus on distribution and sales - and you're looking to expand your reach and increase book sales.

You're curious about new trends in book sales.

You want to learn how to effectively market your books beyond traditional channels.

Who should attend:
heads of house, marketing staff, distribution and sales staff.

Go to the PCPA Third Thursdays webinars page to pre-register for this special webinar! https://www.pcpaonline.org/third-thursdays

27/05/2024

BISG webinar: Rights Royalty Statement Standards

If you attended the PCPA 2024 Annual Conference in April, you may have met one of our freelance members, Kris Kliemann of Kliemann & Company. She led both a workshop on rights management and the rights peer group for us.

One of the other hats she wears is serving as the Rights Committee Chair for Book Industry Study Group.

On Thursday, May 30 11 a.m.-noon ET, she and other rights management experts will lead a webinar before proposing a set of standardized fields as a suggested industry standard.

Register here for this important and informative webinar:

24/05/2024

Who do you know? Associate Publicist job posting

PCPA publishing member Church Publishing Incorporated has a new job posting for Associate Publicist. Here is an overview:

"As an integral part of the Marketing and Publishing teams, the Associate Publicist will be responsible for developing and executing publicity campaigns. They will need to be a creative self-starter with a passion for the book publishing industry and a desire to learn, grow, and be successful. This position requires a strong knowledge of social media and current trends in the industry."

Click here for more details: https://www.cpg.org/global/about-us/working-at-cpg/job-opportunities/view-careers/?p=job%2FoJWDtfwv

24/05/2024

The New Yorker published an interesting article (May 20), "Can You Read a Book in a Quarter of an Hour?" on the increase in digital summaries of books via an app on mobile devices, such as the app Blinkist. Subscribers have the option of reading brief summaries of the key points or listening to an audio version of those summaries. While on the one hand, busy people can connect with the core ideas of authors, the richness of the details and excellence in writing styles would be missed.

I wondered as I read this article how the authors and publishers who invest in publishing these books in the first place are compensated, so I did a quick search and found this statement on the Blinkist website, "We're deeply invested in growing our partnerships with publishers and authors and want you to participate in our success!" PCPA_Protestant Church-owned Publishers Association member companies and other publishers or authors can learn more about their partnership opportunities here: https://contentpartners.blinkist.com/

Here's the link to the New Yorker article:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/27/can-you-read-a-book-in-a-quarter-of-an-hour?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_Paid_052224&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_term=tny_daily_digest&bxid=642dc978ff485d35290c123c&cndid=73455069&hasha=6aa3f259e7b2ddd108bdec55fa106d50&hashb=b24f7e4d88ceb83d9e221f504908069fd0c00810&hashc=84c7e25d6efc0ec22e66d8c08ffac44eb357ecdbf51f635ff1e8c2404cb558b3&esrc=MARTECH_ORDERFORM&mbid=CRMNYR012019

Phone apps now offer to boil down entire books into micro-synopses. What they leave out is revealing.

23/05/2024

Authors Guild shared a helpful summary for authors and publishers in their article (May 20) "Supreme Court Agrees with Authors Guild on Strengthened Copyright Protections." You may read it here:

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Warner Chappell Music, Inc. v. Nealy is a significant victory for writers and other copyright holders. The court held that a copyright owner who files a timely claim for infringement is entitled to […]

22/05/2024

Who do you know?

PCPA member company InterVarsity Press has a new job posting for a MetaData Specialist. See their announcement and link to the job posting below.

We're looking to add a new Metadata Specialist to our team! Interested?

Check out this open position and others here: https://ivpr.es/hiring

22/05/2024

Congratulations to PCPA member company Concordia Publishing House on their announcement regarding their new app for their publication, The Lutheran Study Bible, available for both iOS and Android mobile devices. More information below!

Your favorite study Bible is now available in a simple, intuitive app on your iOs or Android device! Distinctively Lutheran notes on the full ESV text, helpful articles, and custom user content offer a seamless, spiritually fruitful experience in God’s Word anywhere you go.

Get it now on the App Store:https://myc.ph/4bLzEtZ

Get it now on Google Play: https://myc.ph/4bpVXFN

20/05/2024

Bookwire has published a detailed research report on the global Spanish-language eBook and audiobook market. You can find a summary of their report in Publishing Perspectives May 13 eNewsletter.

Representing Bookwire customers in Spanish-language markets, this report finds strong performance of both ebooks and audiobooks…

17/05/2024

I've been experimenting a bit with generative AI for about a year and find it helpful for creating content drafts (that always need to be rewritten or at least polished). I hadn't thought about the style as being an "accent" but I think Josh Bernoff hits on exactly what I have recognized, but hadn't named, in his blog post, "AI tools write with an 'accent.' Here's how to detect it."

AI tools like Anthropic, ChatGPT, and Perplexity generate text intended to mimic human writing. They’re pretty good writers. But they write with telltale signs that they’re not human; you might say they write with an “accent.” Any native speaker can tell when another speaker’s first langua...

16/05/2024

Who would have guessed that inside a fast-growing tech company there would be a classic looking library filled with ink-on-paper books?

The New York Times published an article about just such a gem, "The Old-Fashioned Library at the Heart of the A.I. Boom." Enjoy!

OpenAI may be changing how the world interacts with language. But inside headquarters, there is a homage to the written word: a library.

15/05/2024

A very interesting article on religious publishing trends in today’s Publishers WeeklyI’m especially pleased to see that three of our PCPA publishers were interviewed: Andrew DeYoung from 1517 Media; Tara Durheim from Liturgical Press ; and, Terumi Echols, MBA from InterVarsity Press.

While their counterparts in trade publishing struggle to increase sales, eight senior executives in the religion space discuss a banner 2023 and bright prospects for the current year.

15/05/2024

Who do you know?

Job posting for 1517 Media

Resource Developer, Congregational

Are you deeply familiar with the faith formation experiences offered by ELCA congregations—Sunday school, youth group, intergenerational gatherings, and especially confirmation?

Do you know your way around faith-based curriculum—choosing it, implementing it, tweaking it, maybe even writing it?

Have you successfully managed projects (ministry-related or otherwise) with multiple stakeholders, deadlines, and deliverables?

Would you thrive as part of a team that is collaborative, passionate, and flexible in its dynamic development of resources that enhance congregational life in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and beyond?

The Resource Developer position on the Congregational Team at 1517 Media may be just the job for you.

For more details, here is the link to the job posting:

https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/8478a41f-c6c5-46dc-bd58-be7e71d37cd7/2024%20Resource%20Developer,%20Congregational%20-%20Job%20Posting.pdf

14/05/2024

Friendship Press: Chief Executive Officer

PCPA publishing company member Friendship Press, the publishing arm of the National Council of Churches in the United States seeks a Chief Executive Officer to oversee all aspects of the program. The Chief Executive Officer also serves as the publisher of the press, leading the editorial and product development processes as well as sales and marketing efforts.

This is a 1/2 to 3/4 time role and is a remote position.

Resumes are being accepted until May 31, 2024.

Click here for the job description and application process:

https://www.pcpaonline.org/job-postings