Doug Perkul considers himself to be “fairly socially and culturally aware.” In other words, hip. A former managing director for the New York Times and associate publisher at Spin, Perkul is a sponge when it comes to entertainment. But he's always been frustrated that, while he has go-to blogs to point him toward new movies and music, he's at a loss when it comes to books. That's why he and some former colleagues founded Lit Mob.
“More and more newspapers are giving up on book reviews,” Perkul said, noting that the old standby option, the New York Times Book Review, is full of reviews too dense to get through quickly. Although there are a multitude of literary blogs and lit magazines, many, Perkul said, are labors of love. Lit Mob, which went online a few weeks ago and is still in soft launch, is aimed at readers who, like Perkul and his crew, are tastemakers.
The site, which looks like an established online magazine rather than a hastily thrown-together blog—co-founders Stefan Nadelman, an animator and filmmaker, and graphic designer Scott Wamsley built it—features a steady stream of 300—500-word reviews of books. Editor-in-chief Stephen Blackwell, who also runs the indie rock magazine Death and Taxes, is overseeing Lit Mob's content, which, in addition to reviews, includes columns that tie literature to fashion, music and film. (Currently there's a section on the site called “Artist Picks,” where indie musicians review what they're reading.)
Perkul and his team, who are looking to generate revenue from ads, have about 15 writers on board, and a marketing push for the site has already begun. In addition to press and link swaps, an ad for the site will run in the October issue of Black Book. After initially scouring bookstores for titles, Blackwell is now receiving about 150 books per week from publishers, “from the small indies to the big boys,” said Perkul.
“We're not trying to be all things to all people,” Perkul explained, when asked about who he envisions as Lit Mob's target audience. “If someone is into fashion and going to new restaurants and independent films, they fit this type of personality profile. We want to cater specifically to them.” That demographic—the informed, media-savvy, slightly entertainment-obsessed urban consumer—is, Perkul noted, also an attractive one for advertisers.
