PUBLISHINGPERSPECTIVES Frankfurt Book Fair 2014 | Preview Edition 8–12 October 2014 | Guest of Honor: Finland | www.book-fair.com © Frankfurt Book Fair / Marc Jacquemin Frankfurt’s “Global City” Who to meet, what to see, and trends to discuss International publishing news & opinion • Read our daily coverage of the book industry and subscribe online at publishingperspectives.com LetteR FROM THE EDITOR Publishing: The Beautiful Game By Edward Nawotka goals are less frequent than one would like. digital book race—they have some intriguing innovations happening on the fringes. Spain— ith the World Cup having consumed so and the coach as the CEO or Publisher, and the which bowed out early in the Cup—is still laid Wmuch attention this summer, it’s only FrankfurtThink of the Book backfield Fair as thedefense host. as the backlist, low by its economy, which has hampered the apt to look at the book world through this lens. It’s interesting to note how much this translation market in particular and shifted fo- In general, publishers like to think of selling cus to working more with local writers. The UK books like a football—or if you’re American, a trends in publishing. For the past several years, continues to be a strong presence—in football, theyear’s Brazilians World Cup were reflected garnering some attention of the current as “the it has the top professional league in the world best team they can for the season (their cata- growth market” to beat. The economy was but nearly always disappoints in the Cup—and logsoccer—tournament. of books), and they Each compete publisher in the fields market the- booming and several of the big international as we know, a great deal of action for the UK place to see who will come out on top (through ebook players opened operations in the coun- takes place at the London Book Fair (that’s sales). As anyone who follows football knows, try. But in 2014, expectations have been dimin- not to say that the key UK players won’t be in the game itself is mostly comprised of lots of ished somewhat as the economy has begun to Frankfurt this year as always). slow. In contrast, attention has shifted to other Finally, you come to Germany, whose which is essential to setting up the hard won parts of Latin America (the topic of this year’s World Cup club managed to pull an astonish- goalspassing (bestsellers). the ball around Corner the kicks midfield and free (midlist) kicks Rights Directors Meeting at Frankfurt). Much ing and unforgettable 7-1 victory over Brazil are a bit like marketing campaigns: free shots as Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico made a on goal with a better chance of going in, though strong statement in the World Cup, they are publishing assets, many of which are not as again asserting their roles as the traditional wellin the known semi-final. outside The of thecountry nation. has Earlier amazing this Spanish-language publishing powerhouses in summer, I accompanied a group of small press the Americas. But smaller countries in Central American editors on a tour of publishing hous- America are also making their presence known es in Berlin and Frankfurt, organized by the (Central America will have a new collective stand at Frankfurt this year). both sides that there’s a strong opportunity to Elsewhere in the Americas, the United German Book Office New York. It’s clear from States went into the World Cup coached by a to exchange. Many of the German publishers German (Juergen Klinsmann) and with several wonderedget to know why one more another German better books and findwere titles not key players from Germany. How is this differ- translated into English. Maybe it’s merely a ent from the US publishing landscape, where lack of knowledge about the market or perhaps German companies dominate (Bertelsmann a lack of “romance” with the nation. owns Penguin Random House and Holtzbrinck Either way, the Frankfurt Book Fair offers owns Macmillan)? the best opportunity for everyone to interact. If When you get to Europe, France—as it did you’ve never been to Hall 3 (where the German Edward Nawotka, Editor-in-Chief, in the World Cup—is proving surprising. While exhibitors are located), make some time for a Publishing Perspectives many counted them out—in particular, of the visit this year. You might be surprised! • WHat’S INSIDE: FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR 2014 | PREVIew EDITION PUBLISHING PERspectIVES TRENDS & NEWS IN GLOBAL PUBLISHING UPDATES FROM THE FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR 72 Spring Street, 11th Floor New York, NY 10012 02 Letter from the Editor 17 Introducing the Business Club USA 05 America’s Digital Distribution Dystopia 18 Hot Spots: Digital Hubs in Frankfurt Editor-in-chief: 06 Trends in International Publishing 19 CONTEC, StoryDrive, Rights Directors Mtg. Edward Nawotka 11 Reading vs. Everything Else: Stalemate 21 Join Frankfurt’s Online Community 23 International Diversity: Halls 5 & 6 Deputy Publisher: MEET FINLAND: 2014 GUEST OF HONOR Hannah Johnson 24 DIY on the Rise: Self-Publishing in Frankfurt 09 Finnish Bestsellers of the Summer 25 Children’s Publishers Flock to Frankfurt 10 Finnish Publishers: Otava, Tammi, WSOY International publishing news & 26 Serendipity Stories from Literary Agents opinion daily at: 12 Finnish Publishers: Atena, Finn Lectura, Gaudeamus publishingperspectives.com 29 Agora: See and Be Seen FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2014 30 Education and Information: Hall 4.2 Facebook.com/pubperspectives Twitter @pubperspectives 03 Interview with FBF Director Juergen Boos 13 Preview: Indonesia 2015 Guest of Honor 2 • Frankfurt Book Fair Preview 2014 • Publishing Perspectives INTERVIew WITH JUERGEN BOOS Interview by Edward Nawotka Frankfurt’s “Global City” arlier this year, Frankfurt Book Fair Direc- Etor Juergen Boos announced wide-ranging changes for the Fair in 2015, including the move of English-language publishers out of Frankfurt Book Fair Hall 8 and to a more centralized location. The director Juergen Boos overall scheme is to shift countries into posi- discusses how the Fair tions so that they are in closer proximity and conducts a symphony better able to interact. But that doesn’t mean out of a cacophony of all the excitement is due next year. This year global voices. also has quite a lot in store for exhibitors and attendees alike. As Boos explains in this exclusive inter- view with Publishing Perspectives, the Fair’s - nationalization and globalization of the book business.top priority is to reflect the increasing inter So what new international visitors can we © Frankfurt Book Fair / Peter Hirth expect at this year’s Fair? We are seeing new exhibitors from the Americas, Africa, and Asia. A new Central focused program at the Beijing International American stand will feature Honduras, Guate- Book Fair. We are also currently involved in industries on equal terms, and to establish a mala, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Panama, negotiations in Singapore and Jakarta about a basisto meet for representatives new projects and of partnerships.the games and film program of further education. Together with pleased to see Morocco attending with its own the city of Incheon in Korea, we have just What is the Fair doing throughout the year standEl Salvador, because and we’ve Nicaragua. carried We out are a number especially of agreed on collaborative efforts to strengthen to help facilitate networking among the training courses for publishers there, with the the publishing industry there. Incheon will be international publishing community? We have developed numerous programs With regards to Asia, China isn’t the only to build international networks that facilitate growingsupport ofmarket—though the German Federal it isForeign taking Office. 10% Frankfurtthe UNESCO is fullyWorld focused Book Capital on rights in 2015. and business and open the way to exchanges of ex- more space than last year—but also Indonesia, licensing, but are there opportunities for perience between colleagues, all year round. It which will serve as Guest of Honor in 2015. other trade visitors to interact? is important for us to build ties between Frank- What also seems to be interesting is that East- - furt and the upcoming generation, and to show ern Europe is coming back—Latvia and Serbia tant trading place for the international busi- them how important the Book Fair is for their are both taking much larger spaces this year. nessYes, of licensing as ever, Frankfurtand content. remains With aboutan impor 450 business. But perhaps the biggest story from the region tables occupied and more than 630 agents Since 1999, our Fellowship Program has is Georgia, which will be Guest of Honor in present, the Literary Agents and Scouts Center annually brought together a group of 16 talent- 2018 and has doubled the size of its stand. (LitAg) is the largest rights center in the world. ed international publishers, agents, and rights On average, each literary agent holds 15 meet- experts. Today, this network includes more You’re especially excited about the ings a day there. than 250 participants and is active through- publishing markets in Asia. How do you plan But this year, we are also doing a huge out the year. This year, we are a partner in The to present the Asian countries in Frankfurt in amount to make the Fair attractive to exhibi- Bookseller’s “Rising Stars” initiative, which in- the future? tors and trade visitors. In particular, we are troduces a group of 42 young, ambitious new- This year, we have placed a special focus introducing the Frankfurt Book Fair Business comers from the UK. on Asia because the Asian market is extremely Club. The Business Club is effectively the “liv- Our Invitation Program has existed since dynamic and harbors a lot of potential, espe- ing room” of the Book Fair.