In most areas, the cold weather has moved on. Although tornados and thunderstorms may be headed our way, in between, the weather is warming and it encourages us to step outside and be inspired.
This is the time of year publishers ask for fall manuscripts to be able to offer pre-orders and give authors time to promote before the book/anthology/collection/story is available. Many writers think they don’t have to promote – their job is to write. Keep in mind, if the publisher doesn’t make money (and share through royalties), they won’t keep publishing at a loss. Want to write more? Spread the word about what’s published.
Take a beverage and snack of your choice, a big hat or umbrella, sit in the yard with a notebook and pen nearby. Ideas will come to you once your mind relaxes. It’s a good way to justify getting a bit of a tan and look like you’re not working. Noting the ideas shows this is a hard job!
Be prolific this year!
Sandy, Editor of the WPN newsletter
What Draft2Digital Fees Mean for You (And What to Do About It)
https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/d2d-new-fees-explained/
The article clarifies a $20 one-time activation fee for new accounts, and a $12 annual maintenance fee for accounts earning less than $100 per year in net royalties.
Pew Survey Finds Readers Still Prefer Print Books
www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/
Book Industry Coalition Opposes Federal Book Banning Effort
HR 7661 is designed to prohibit federal education funding in public classrooms and school libraries “alleged to possess sexually oriented materials.” In March, it moved out of committee in the House. The next step is a floor vote. Call/write your representative about this book banning.
April 6th - ALA President Sam Helmick said, “Today’s action finally lays to rest President Trump’s executive order that threatened countless library services available to anyone who walks into one of our nation’s 115,000 public, school, academic and other libraries."
www.ala.org/news/2026/04/trump-administration-withdraws-appeal-securing-historic-victory-libraries
Bookstore News
New York Bookshop to Shutter: Page and Petals in Wappingers Falls will close its doors next month after two years in business.
New Bookshop to Land in Pennsylvania: The woman-owned Fable & Craft will open in Beaver this summer.
Michigan Gets Bookish: Oliver & Co. Bookstore will be downtown Howell’s first bookshop in nearly two decades when it opens next month.
Dark Romance Comes to San Diego: Forbidden Fiction Bookshop recently opened in Oceanside.
Appeals Court Rules for Iowa in Book Banning Fight
The decision came in Iowa Safe Schools v. Kim Reynolds, filed by the ACLU on behalf of LGBTQ+ allies in 2023, requires school officials to report to parents if their child requests to use a different name or pronouns and bans books with depictions of sex for students through sixth grade. www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/100107
Captain Underpants Book-Sharing Boxes Pop Up Across U.S.
Dav Pilkey is partnering with Scholastic and Little Free Library on a literacy initiative for underserved communities.
www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/100106
If you’d like to write a guest post for the newsletter, send an email to editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com with ideas for articles. Don’t send the full article – we want to avoid duplicates.
If you are not a member yet, join at www.writersandpublishersnetwork.com/join
