The publishing world has developed a reputation as a small, tight-knit community of professional individuals who share a passion for books. It is also home to two very successful women with vast knowledge of and experience in the industry. It just so happens, that they also share the same name- Jane Friedman. One is the the CEO of a digital only publisher and the other a very popular, publishing blogger and former editor. Keep reading to learn more about their stories and companies!
Jane Friedman, Open Road Media
Jane Friedman is the Cofounder and CEO of Open Road Media. Open Road Integrated Media is a digital publisher and multimedia content company that markets its ebooks using video content and social media. Click here to visit Open Road Media’s Blog. Friedman served as President and Chief Executive Officer of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide for 11 years and oversaw operations in the United States and in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and India. She also held many positions at Random House including the Executive Vice President of Random House Inc. Friedman currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Entertainment, Media and Communications Division of the UJA, and is on the boards of many organizations. Her many awards and honors include being chosen as one of New York’s 50 Most Powerful Women by the New York Post, the 2006 Person of the Year by Publishers Weekly, one of The Wall Street Journal’s 50 Women to Watch, named one of New York’s 100 Most Influential Business Leaders by Crain’s New York Business, and included on Vanity Fair’s list of 200 Women Legends, Leaders and Trailblazers.
Jane Friedman, Author of Jane Friedman Blog
Our second Jane Friedman is an editor at the national award-winning magazine, the Virginia Quarterly Review, as well as a very well known publishing blog writer. Visit her blog titled, Jane Friedman: Writing, Reading, and Publishing in the Digital Age, here. Some of her most popular posts include “Start Here: How to Get Your Book Published” and “A Definition of Author Platform.” The blog won the Alliance of Indepdendent Authors for Top Website for Self-Publishers and was one of Writer’s Digests Top 101 Websites for Writers in 2013. “I wear many hats,” Friedman says,”but most people know me as a trusted resource for writers, someone who is clued into the future of the publishing and media industry.” She also teaches in the Media Studies program at the University of Virginia. Friedman was also the former publisher of Writer’s Digest, where she worked for over 10 years. Connect with Friedman on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, as well!
Written By: Diana Cavallo