When the COVID-19 pandemic hit earlier this year and stay-at-home orders went into effect in cities worldwide, it left people with more time read, but it also created a slew of dilemmas for the publishing industry.
Release dates for new books were rescheduled. Restrictions on travel and large gatherings lead to the cancellation of in-store events and book festivals. Bookstores closed, their existence hanging in a precarious state as weeks passed as they waited to re-open.
For independent publishers, with smaller budgets and fewer marketing resources at their disposal, it also presented a quandary: How do you let people know your books exist when so much promotion is reliant on in-person events?
Read more about how we are handling COVID-19 here!