Black Writers’ Guild calls for sweeping change in UK publishing

More than 100 authors join new body calling for the industry to address deep-seated inequalities in output and personnelMore than 100 writers including Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo, Benjamin Zephaniah and Malorie Blackman have called on all major publishing houses in the UK to introduce sweeping reforms to make the overwhelmingly white industry more inclusive at all levels.As black authors top the bestseller charts in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests spurred by the killing of George Floyd, the newly formed Black Writers’ Guild (BWG), which counts among its members some of Britain’s best known authors and poets, has written an open letter airing concerns that “British publishers are raising awareness of racial inequality without significantly addressing their own”. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-15 17:08:57 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Black Writers’ Guild calls for sweeping change in UK publishing"


Transworld wins 10-way auction for His Name is George Floyd

Transworld has triumphed in a 10-way auction for His Name is George Floyd by two Washington Post reporters, Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-09 17:52:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Nigerian poet Shoneyin accuses UK publishers of hanging on to African rights

British publishers must not hang on to rights they cannot exploit, Nigerian poet and novelist Lola Shoneyin told delegates at a session on decolonisation at a publishers conference in at The Sharjah International Book Fair. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-31 15:54:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Zephaniah writes 'powerfully moving' Windrush picture book for Scholastic

Benjamin Zephaniah is writing a “powerfully moving” picture book about the voyage of "HMT Empire Windrush" to be published by Scholastic UK in April 2022.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-23 10:30:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Canada’s Kids Can Press Opens a ‘Black Write’ Incubator with Nelvana

The children's publisher Kids Can Press has partnered with Nelvana to develop content from Black writers, submissions opening now. The post Canada’s Kids Can Press Opens a ‘Black Write’ Incubator with Nelvana appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-09-16 14:11:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Instagram user accused of capitalising from Ijeoma Oluo’s anti-racist book

The white woman behind the popular Instagram account @soyouwanttotalkabout has apologised after claims that she has co-opted the black author’s brandThe white woman behind an Instagram account with almost three million followers has apologised for the “harm” she caused to bestselling black... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-08-16 16:19:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Keeping a Critical Eye on Brazil: A Conversation with Emilio Fraia, by Anderson Tepper

Interviews Emilio Fraia’s Sevastopol, out this summer from New Directions, is the sort of book that beguiles and dazzles in equal measure. Consisting of three disparate stories—of a mountain climber attempting to scale Mt. Everest, a mysterious loner... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2021-08-09 20:31:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Marcus Rashford scores in book charts with You Are a Champion

Public sympathy for the defeated England striker has sent sales rocketing for his inspirational life guide for kidsMarcus Rashford’s children’s book You Are a Champion has shot to the top of the charts in the days after England lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy.A guide for young people in which... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-07-14 16:27:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Livid Trump Wanted Person Who Leaked Bunker Story Executed, New Book Claims

Trump was taken to the White House bunker during protests last year over the police killing of George Floyd. Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2021-07-14 04:58:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Dapo Adeola | '[Malorie Blackman] is like the aunt I didn’t even know I had'

"She is literally my favourite person in the whole of children’s publishing.” Dapo Adeola is talking about Malorie Blackman, his co-creator on new picture book We’re Going to Find the Monster (published by Puffin in September). His editor Joe Marriott approached Adeola about the project in 2018,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-18 23:17:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this


London Book Fair Announces Details of Its Digital Seminars

Normally the first annual major publishing trade show of the year, London Book Fair is the last to join its sister events online. The post London Book Fair Announces Details of Its Digital Seminars appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-06-17 19:59:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Publishing Veterans Form New Conservative Publisher

Louise Burke and Kate Hartson, publishing veterans with a background in publishing conservative authors, have formed All Seasons Press, whose mission is to fill the conservative void left by major publishing houses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Malorie Blackman | 'I can only hope that my books encourage further debate and discussion'

This August, former Waterstones children's laureate Malorie Blackman will release the conclusion to her Noughts & Crosses series, Endgame (Penguin Random House Children’s UK). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-05-29 00:40:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this


U.S. Book Show: Making Publishing More Inclusive Demands Leadership

On the anniversary of the death of George Floyd, a panel at the U.S. Book Show discussed the challenges of and best practices for establishing a more inclusive publishing industry. It starts a the top, with a leadership that is willing to embrace the process of change. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-05-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


How George Floyd's death gave bite to a book called 'Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend'

Ben Philippe pitched "Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend" as a humorous guide. But as the world changed, he allowed himself to explore his own anger. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-04-26 18:53:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this


What the Black Writers’ Guild did next

One of the things that Black people know to be true is that when we lift up our voices to celebrate our joy, share our pain, or warn of the injustices levelled against our communities, we are often silenced—either by being denied the necessary platforms to elevate our voices, or by wilful... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-04-09 17:56:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this


International Book Fairs: Leipzig’s Cancellation Spotlights the Calendar

This month's cancellation of Leipziger Buchmesse points to the shifting outlook for major publishing events, professional and public-facing. The post International Book Fairs: Leipzig’s Cancellation Spotlights the Calendar appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-02-16 17:02:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Bluebird claims Facebook first for Shukla's Brown Baby campaign

Bluebird has released Nikesh Shukla's debut memoir Brown Baby with a campaign featuring innovative Facebook adverts which are said to be a first for UK publishing. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-08 03:25:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Blackman and Adeola collaborate on 'timeless' picture book

Malorie Blackman, author of the bestselling Noughts & Crosses series, and Dapo Adeola, illustrator of the Waterstones Book Prize winning picture book Look Up!, are collaborating on a picture book: We’re Going to Find the Monster.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-25 23:42:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this


My Life Is a Result of the Legacy of Colonialism

I first read Nadia Owusu’s debut memoir Aftershocks in June, as the United States—led by the white nationalist backed Republican administration—was several months into a still ongoing unchecked global pandemic which was disproportionately killing Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous Americans.... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2021-01-11 12:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


China Bestsellers: November’s Big Sales Rule the Charts

Major seasonal sales impacted the bestseller charts in China in November, as illustrated books saw strong performances from two children's book series. The post China Bestsellers: November’s Big Sales Rule the Charts appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-01-05 17:22:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this