Larry Kirshbaum to Run Amazon NYC

For some time it’s been clear that Amazon was moving in the direction of original publication, such as its announcement of a romance line and the hiring of a science fiction editor. But no one could foresee that Amazon would jump in with both feet. That has changed with a blockbuster announcement that will undoubtedly dominate Book Expo America and create major earthquakes in the book industry landscape.

According to an Amazon source, Laurence Kirshbaum, former CEO of the Time-Warner Book Group and more recently a literary agent, “has accepted the role of Publisher for Amazon’s New York publishing office, effective July 5th.”

Kirshbaum will assemble an editorial team that will develop and manage new Amazon imprints “with a focus on acquiring the highest quality books in literary and commercial fiction, YA, business and general non-fiction,” said the source.

What will happen to Kirshbaum’s literary agency is just one of many questions that will be answered in weeks to come.

Richard Curtis

Tags: Amazon, Larry Kirshbaum
Posted in All, E-book Industry (news), E-books (business), Publishing Industry | 13 Comment »

Jack W Perry wrote on May 22, 2011 at 11:29 pm

Kirshbaum will do a tremendous job for them. This is a major move for Amazon and the entire industry.

Agent Orange wrote on May 23, 2011 at 4:26 am

This is what publishers should really be worried about: time to start paying reasonable rates on e-books?

Rosanne Dingli wrote on May 23, 2011 at 5:42 am

So will they fish in their own pool at CreateSpace for material with potential, a la Hocking?

Will they go the trad way courting submissions?

How forward-thinking is Kirshbaum?

This is very a interesting development indeed.

Futurecast wrote on May 23, 2011 at 7:01 am

It’s time for publishers to start selling books directly to consumers.

Susan wrote on May 23, 2011 at 1:10 pm

I hope Amazon pays higher royalties and sets lower prices for their own books. The Bix Six keep saying it can’t be done, but if Amazon were to be successful at it (and I think they would be) then that excuse will finally be put to rest.

herocious wrote on May 23, 2011 at 1:13 pm

Big fish.

JK wrote on May 23, 2011 at 2:51 pm

Agent Orange,

What exactly is a “reasonable rate” for an e-book? Like physical books, they require the publisher to pay advances and royalties, along with considerable production, editorial, marketing, publicity, and operations costs. Just because e-books are not printed on paper doesn’t mean they’re conjured by magic. If Amazon hopes to produce “the highest quality” books, they’ll have to incur the same costs. But then perhaps quality is not chief among their aspirations.

Richard Curtis wrote on May 23, 2011 at 7:44 pm

Amen to that @Futurecast!
RC

Patti wrote on May 23, 2011 at 9:25 pm

“It’s time for publishers to start selling books directly to consumers.”

Let ‘em. I’ll still buy them used on Amazon for pennies on the dollar, just as I do now.

Corneliu wrote on May 24, 2011 at 3:38 am

@JK

“Considerable production costs”? More like “no production costs”. The ebook is essentially the edited, proofread and prepared for printing manuscript.
(Let’s put aside the fact that some publishers, in their gigantic stupidity, created their ebooks by scanning the printed book…)

“They’ll have to incur the same costs”. That’s simply laughable. Many of the ebooks you’ll see on the market are priced (by the publisher) higher than the paperback version. I defy you to find an explanation for this.

Steve Boyett wrote on May 25, 2011 at 12:30 am

Corneliu–
Yes, it’s very fortunate for all of us that editors, copy editors, proofreaders, art directors, marketers, ad reps (oh, yeah, and writers) work for free, or else publishers would have to consider actually charging money for their products no matter what medium they are offered in. Thank goodness we have visionaries such as yourself to usher in revolutionary new business models.

Futurecast wrote on May 25, 2011 at 6:42 am

Why has Amazon stepped into publishing? Is it because they are looking to make more profits on the books they sell. I don’t think so. Amazon has shown that their goal is to increase market share. They sold many eBooks at a loss.
Amazon has entered book publishing because they are interested in one thing. Exclusivity. They want exclusive content that’s only available through them. This will ultimately limit their publishing success as most authors and consumers what books offered to all through many diverse channels.

Patti wrote on May 26, 2011 at 8:05 pm

Futurecast, what’s the difference between Amazon being the exclusive seller of an ebook at $12.99 or lots of stores carrying an Agency 6 ebook but all having to price it at $12.99? I still have to pay $12.99 if I want either ebook. An exclusive seller and multiple sellers with fixed pricing are equally non-”diverse” to me.

13 Comments - “Larry Kirshbaum to Run Amazon NYC”