Booksology It’s truly amazing to see millions publish previews of the most anticipated books for 20 years. The first book had about 15 titles, most of which were by well-known authors. Since then, the list has evolved more thoroughly, and may not enjoy the same marketing muscles as big names in the big houses, highlighting the books of emerging authors and small presses. I joined millions as an assistant editor in early 2022 and within months I became the editor of the site. At that point, we took over the most predicted preview. We released our first preview in early 2023.
I have a sense of what it takes to pull these things together. What is the first step when assembling a new preview?
All year round, I’m always looking for books to include in previews. And I come across titles that interest me in all sorts of ways. From publisher catalogues, social media, public relations, and wriensfriends of coffee. Whenever you hear about a book that stimulates excitement or just curiosity, add it to the huge Google sheets with the most anticipated lists together. So when it was time to sit down and put together the preview properly, I already got a huge list of titles I had accumulated over months. At that point, it’s probably pretty cumbersome, so the first step is usually just whipping it.
Who else is involved in investigating releases, choosing titles, and creating descriptions?
As it’s a million-man editorial tactics, I’m ultimately responsible for all my research and title selection. That being said, I have always asked to flag notable titles I missed, in publishers that own millions and where I am also a news editor. Once you’ve confirmed your list, send it to some of your colleagues as an invitation to promote the book you’re particularly excited about. Screams to Dani Fishman, Natalie Op de Beck, Claire Kirch and John Maher! Millions of contributors, including the gorgeous Jonathan Frey and Zachary Issenberg, also volunteered generously to help promote past previews. This list literally could not have happened without them, so I am endlessly grateful for their help. I think this means I’m always looking for a volunteer blur!
Are there targets for the number of books included? And for genres and other types of classification?
Last year, I changed my preview schedule every six months. This of course changed the target number for the title. At the 200 title ballpark, they noticed that they tend to miss out on a great book that fell towards the end of the six-month window, so they hadn’t announced much yet, so the six-month preview was a bit cumbersome. Since going quarterly, I’ve been playing around with finding the perfect numbers, and to be honest, I tend to land between 90-100 titles (30 times a month). With the lists being assembled, I’m definitely curious about the press and genre. I always aim to prioritize indie, small presses and university presses.
What are your favorite parts of the process? Even a little?
My favorite part of the process is discovery! I don’t feel any better than stumbling over my future books. It is also very pleasing to hear from the author how much the screams in these previews mean to them. Nowadays, advertising for books is like crap. I don’t know what moves the needle, what makes you realize, but I think knowing someone makes you know you’re excited about your book and want to tell other people about it. The most enjoyable part of the process is actually creating a list in a CMS. This is very boring and time consuming. Luckily, the brave tick fishman helps me in the area!
Would they be surprised at creating a list for people who just saw the final product?
Perhaps how many books have landed because I stumbled organically on them? In society, conversation, in PW bookrooms. The book won’t be on the list as a spokesperson says it will be a seasonal book. For some reason, I have to really intrigue it. Nor do we see these lists as authoritative or definitive at all. I know I don’t always get them right. Also, I’m kicking myself when the book I’m expecting is DUD, but these previews are meant as a “Best Of” list, not as a “This book looks really cool and I think it’s worth checking out” list.
Do you receive feedback on inclusion/exclusion from the wider book world (authors, readers, etc.)?
I love seeing authors and editors celebrating the inclusion of books in social media previews. It brings me so much joy. And of course, seeing the “Millions of Most Predicted Books” printed on the book is still thrilling for me. It’s nice to know that millions of screams are a point of pride for so many authors, editors and publishers. So far, I have not received feedback on books I have not yet cut, so I hope that my research and curation will be appropriately thorough and thoughtful.
If you have more (infinite?) time, attention, or resources, what do you do about what you can’t do now?
Ah, that’s right So There’s a lot I need to do. I know that a particular book will be reviewed brilliantly by critics I know. Give the queue to the writers I admire most. Host Virtual and In-person Programming – Author lectures, panel discussions, writing workshops. Work with other publications and literary organizations. Hire a team. We will release a quarterly printing edition. Pay competitive fees worthy of contributors. The possibilities are endless and thrilling, and I have a lot to think about them. Until then, I’m trying my best with what I have.
