Are small publishers doing all the hard work for the big ones?

These days, it is minimally staffed and funded firms who invest in new authors. The giants avoid such risk, only picking the writers once their names are madePaul McVeigh and Kirsty Logan are authors you may have heard of. Both of their debuts were published by Salt, an independent publisher. Paul McVeigh’s The Good Son was shortlisted for a bunch of awards, and won the Polari first book prize this year. Kirsty Logan’s The Rental Heart and Other Fairytales won three awards — including the Polari in 2015— and Logan had her next book published with Harvill Secker, a division of Penguin Random House. The same trajectory is likely for Paul McVeigh. It’s a familiar story.Independent publishers have existed since the 19th century; it wasn’t until the 20th and the 21st that we saw the industry dominated by a few corporations. “The Big Four” publishers – Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Hachette and HarperCollins – have grown big by buying up small publishers. Hogarth, for example, was founded by Leonard and Virginia Woolf in 1917; now it is an imprint at the Crown Publishing Group, which is in turn a part of Penguin Random House – which itself used to be Penguin and Random House before their merger in 2013. Phew. Related: 'Crazy but fantastic': Man Booker prize pitches tiny publishers into big league Related: A northern powerhouse really is coming – in publishing Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #book prize #harvill secker #19th century #simon schuster #virginia woolf #random house

Other news stories related to: "Are small publishers doing all the hard work for the big ones?"


Weldon 'sick' at lack of working class people in publishing

Penguin Random House chief executive Tom Weldon has urged the industry to respond to the "really urgent commercial imperative" of reflecting working class experiences in books. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Small indie publishers report booming sales

In a sector that has struggled elsewhere, figures for 60 of the smallest players in the UK industry show sales up 79% in the last yearIndependent publishers have unleashed a boom in sales, according to new research. Latest figures from Inpress, which works with 60 of the smallest players in the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #good immigrant #crowdfunded book #dead ink #audre lorde #good books #books industry


Big Publishers See Third-Quarter Gains

Aided by downloadable audio, HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Simon & Schuster posted higher quarterly results. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #downloadable audio #big publishers


NaNoWriMo Is Big for Writers—and It Helps Publishers, Too

Each November for the past 18 years, thousands of writers have taken the National Novel Writing Month challenge, creating a 50,000-word novel draft in 30 days. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-10-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #helps publishers


Instagram’s Kevin Systrom on publishing on platforms: ‘The big question is, what’s the business model?’

Kevin Systrom said Instagram and Facebook realize media companies are important to their ecosystems and want to make sure publishers thrive there. The post Instagram’s Kevin Systrom on publishing on platforms: ‘The big question is, what’s the business model?’ appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #publishers thrive #business model #big question #kevin systrom


Global Publishing Leaders 2017: Woongjin Think Big

Woongjin ThinkBig was established in 1980 as Woongjin Publications and focuses on educational materials for people of all ages, including study books, complete collections, single works, after-school learning materials, textbooks and online content. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #online content #single works #complete collections #educational materials #woongjin publications #woongjin thinkbig


Blink to publish Dr Marcel's Little Book of Big Love

Blink Publishing has signed Love Island’s Marcel Somerville to publish Dr Marcel’s Little Book of Big Love.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #blink publishing


Big Publishing Wants To Co-Opt The Open Textbook Revolution

As schools turn to open digital resources to cut student costs, reeling college book makers are looking for ways to monetize the free content. The digital revolution has been rocking the academic publishing applecart for years. Students bristling at the price of books—an intro biology text can... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2017-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #digital revolution #free content #big publishing


Is the big business of scientific publishing bad for science? – podcast

It is an industry like no other, with profit margins to rival Google – and it was created by one of Britain’s most notorious tycoons: Robert Maxwell• Read the text version hereSubscribe via Audioboom, iTunes, Soundcloud, Mixcloud, Acast & Sticher and join the discussion on Facebook and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #rival google #profit margins #big business


For small publishers, Facebook is often a force for good — and frustration

They love Facebook's ability to turbo-charge their audience growth, but they hate perpetually being the last to know about changes. The post For small publishers, Facebook is often a force for good — and frustration appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #audience growth #small publishers


How a Small Press Landed a Big Fish in Naomi Klein

After being tapped by the activist and author to handle the U.S. edition of her anti-Trump book 'No Is Not Enough,' Chicago's Haymarket Books collaborated with Knopf Canada and the U.K.'s Allen Lane to crash the title, which hit shelves this month. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #hit shelves #allen lane #knopf canada #anti-trump book #naomi klein #big fish


Facebook’s working with publishers on paid subscriptions

The social network has resisted subscriptions on its app, but has evolved its stance as publishers grow more vocal about needing more financial support. The post Facebook’s working with publishers on paid subscriptions appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #financial support #paid subscriptions #post facebook #publishers grow


Hard work, not ‘talent’ makes good writing | Letters

Professor Selina Todd argues that you can be taught to write well, as demonstrated by American and Australian university students. Plus letters from Christopher Dodd and Anthony OrmsonIan Jack’s wariness towards writing manuals and classes is a peculiarly British response to teaching this craft... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #modern history #labour party #women writers


Facebook Just Lost a Big Battle to Google for Publishers

Facebook hasn't lost the war against Google for publishers' content, but it looks like it's losing one fight.The company said Thursday that it's created a software extension that lets publishers easily transfer content formatted for its Instant Articles to the No. 1 competition for mobile... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #load faster #widespread adoption #mobile readers #facebook hasn #google amp


Publishers Creating Facebook Instant Articles Can Now Simultaneously Work on Google AMP (Apple News Soon)

The software-development kit for Facebook's Instant Articles media-rich, quick-loading stories from publishers now supports Google AMP, and the social network said support for Apple News is on the way. Partner engineering director Piyush Mangalick said in a Facebook Media blog post that an... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #apple news #enable publishers


Have you experienced a gender gap working in publishing?

Anecdotal evidence suggests men are more likely to hold senior positions in UK publishing, despite women making up the majority of the workforce. But what are your experiences?Are things getting worse for women in publishing? Insiders speakA 2016 survey in the US found that 78% of the workforce... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #pay gap #uk publishing #women making


Publishers welcome PRH pledge to pay work experience participants

Other publishers have welcomed Penguin Random House's new stance on paying work experience participants, after it pledged to pay the National Living Wage to 450 candidates every year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Publishers are seeing another big decline in reach on Facebook

A publisher's Medium post lamenting declining Facebook reach sparked agreement and concern from a wide range of publishers. The post Publishers are seeing another big decline in reach on Facebook appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #wide range #facebook appeared #post publishers


Surprise, small publishers screwed the most by net-neutrality rules

Independent publishers would struggle to pay for better internet speeds and large publishers would deal with onerous taxes and competitive disadvantages. The post Surprise, small publishers screwed the most by net-neutrality rules appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #large publishers #independent publishers #post surprise


Machine Learning Will Give Publishing Visual, Interactive Content on a Big Scale

Every day, digital publishers are challenged by the fragmentation of media. Third-party and social platforms appropriating content, mobile "snacking," low-quality "clickbait" competition and content recommendation services that drive visitors off-site are just some of the factors depressing... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #jeff bezos #publishing industry