For decades, I sat in meetings with all-white teams. The industry needs an independent body to advise on equalityI’m a literary agent and at the height of last year’s Black Lives Matter protests I was sent a list, with accompanying photographs, of the top editors working across the major publishing houses in the UK. When I read it I burst into tears. It showed a sea of almost totally white faces, some of whom had been approaching retirement when I started out as an editorial assistant 20 years earlier. The stagnation in the industry was stark and filled me with despair.Analysis of the industry since then, partly led by pressure from BLM and an open letter from the Black Writers Guild, has only further highlighted this imbalance. Two of the biggest global publishers, Penguin Random House and Hachette, revealed that just 2.7% of their staff – in both cases – are black; and the Guardian reported that you are eight times more likely to see an animal as lead character in a children’s book than a person of colour.Natalie Jerome is a literary agent, deputy chair of Literature Wales, and a former publisher Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2022-01-01 10:00:46 UTC ]
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Novelist Kerry Hudson is setting out ‘a provocation’ calling for wholesale change to encourage and reflect broader spectrum of voicesThe award-winning novelist Kerry Hudson is set to make a bold call for change in UK publishing, which she believes is failing “to reflect the extraordinary... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Contrary to Sam Leith’s complaints last week, commercial publishers continue to take risks, and put out great and original workIn his article last week, Sam Leith deplored the state of mainstream trade publishing, saying it was “getting dumber by the day”, in contrast to the university presses... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A keen business mind and real commitment to the publishing industry are vital for a job that is all about selling – shy and retiring types need not apply Gordon Wise has been a literary agent at Curtis Brown for 10 years, and has a wide range of clients, from celebrities like Miranda Hart to... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette UK has acquired Nicholas Brealey Publishing in a deal that includes the company’s U.S. imprints Davies L. Black and Intercultural Press. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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I spent this past weekend in Philadelphia at the Local Independent Online News Publishers conference with local journalists and publishers from around the United States. Speakers discussed everything from online audience trends, revenue generation id ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers should “be braver, be too brave” when it comes to taking on new writing if they want to become more diverse, poet and writer Salena Godden told the Stoke Newington Literary Festival. Godden was joined on yesterday’s (7th June) panel, focussing on diversity in the industry, by writer... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One of the few literary agents focusing on Arabic, Yasmina Jraissati, discusses the non-existent role of the literary agent in the Middle East. The post Why Are There No Literary Agents in the Middle East? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has started booking sales made to customers in the UK through the UK branch, instead of diverting sales through Luxembourg. The company’s new arrangements came into force on 1st May. Previously retail sales have been recorded in Luxembourg, where Amazon has its European headquarters,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After running Black Classic Press for nearly 40 years, founder W. Paul Coates said he is proud of his work as an independent publisher. But he said his work running BCD Digital Printing, a short-run printing operation, may be more significant: “I don’t know of any other full-time... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard Mollet, CEO of the Publishers Association, reports that 2014 UK publishing revenues were £4.3 billion, with 44% coming from export markets. The post UK Publishing is “In A Good Place,” says PA CEO appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Publishers Association released statistics about the UK book publishing industry that show a stable market and increased digital and export sales. The post Latest UK Book Publishing Statistics Show Stable Market appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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High court backs Hachette against Hesperus Press, British publisher of Jonas Jonasson’s The 100-Year-Old Man, after claims of missing royalty paymentsThe high court has ordered the British publisher of Jonas Jonasson’s smash-hit novel The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Poet Roger McGough has criticised the lack of submissions for the 2015 Children's Poetry Award, for which he is chair of the judges, saying "so few publishers are producing poetry books for children and young people." McGough was speaking as the shortlist for the £1,000 award, made by The... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Society of Authors has said that a “publishing industry which does not reflect society fails writers, readers and itself”. Nicola Solomon, the organisation’s chief executive, and HarperCollins’ director of people John Athanasiou have backed a new report calling for improved diversity across... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A memorial service for Random House UK’s Simon Master, who died in January, provided a fitting PS to the London Book Fair which wrapped up last week. The post UK Publishing Giant Simon Master Remembered appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Traditional vs. self-publishing has become a Civil War, says Philip Gwyn Jones, who will the topic at today's London Book Fair. The post Publishing Has Become a Civil War, says Prominent UK Editor appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Russian ebook subscription service Bookmate has agreed a deal with Bloomsbury, Faber Factory and Harlequin, which will add more than 15,000 backlist titles to its library. Faber Factory will provide Bookmate’s users with access to books from publishers including Atlantic Books, Allison &... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Isobel Dixon of the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency has helped bring a wide array of authors to a global audience, including many from South Africa. The post Literary Agent Isobel Dixon’s Passions Span Africa and Beyond appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers and agents have agreed a set of guidelines for negotiating author contracts, following concerns author payments were being delayed. The Publishers Association (PA) and Association of Authors’ Agents (AAA) said the guidelines were designed to “speed up the process for the benefit of... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Greek literary agent Evangelia Avloniti on how publishers in the economically embattled country are faring, fears of "Grexit" and why nonfiction has become so popular among Greeks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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