Coronavirus has left small publishers desperately fighting for survival

A survey of indie presses shows that 60% fear they could be out of business by the autumn, writes Galley Beggar Press cofounder Sam JordisonOver the past few years, the success of independent publishers such as Fitzcarraldo, And Other Stories, Bluemooose and Influx Press has been something to behold. They have won prizes, engaged readers and published innovative and important books. Now that wonderful literary flowering is in danger. A survey on the impact of Covid-19 on small presses, carried out by the Bookseller and writer development charity Spread the Word, reveals that 60% of the small presses polled fear they could be out of business by the autumn, 75% don’t know if they will make it beyond March next year, while 85% of the publishers have seen sales drop by more than half.Small presses have been hit especially hard because they are more dependent on physical sales in bookstores, rather than online retailers or ebook sales. I know, because my publisher, Galley Beggar Press, has also seen a big chunk of its income disappear. One of the great strengths of our kind of publishing is that we have a real connection with dedicated readers who love books as physical objects, readers who have an equally strong connection with booksellers. A great deal of what we do relies on the enthusiasm and personal recommendations of those heroes of our trade whose shops Covid-19 has closed. We have lost many of our best advocates, not to mention the most practical way of getting books... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-05-15 06:00:32 UTC ]
News tagged with: #small presses #sales drop #physical sales #online retailers #ebook sales #real connection #physical objects #great deal #bookseller

Other news stories related to: "Coronavirus has left small publishers desperately fighting for survival"


Coronavirus has left small publishers desperately fighting for survival

A survey of indie presses shows that 60% fear they could be out of business by the autumn, writes Galley Beggar Press cofounder Sam JordisonOver the past few years, the success of independent publishers such as Fitzcarraldo, And Other Stories, Bluemooose and Influx Press has been something to... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-05-15 06:00:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookseller #great deal #physical objects #real connection #ebook sales #online retailers #physical sales #sales drop #small presses


Majority of small publishers fear closure in wake of coronavirus

Survey shows 60% expect the impact of the pandemic may put them out of business, prompting calls for concerted helpMore than half of the UK’s small publishers fear they could be out of business by the autumn as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to research by the Bookseller, which... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-05-07 15:02:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookshop #bookseller #sales drop #work published #coronavirus pandemic


In a tough ad climate, small publishers are finding success in small donations

Publishers are finding readers are willing to make small-dollar donations to support news operations. The post In a tough ad climate, small publishers are finding success in small donations appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'We need small presses': author launches new award to support fiction from small publishers

The Republic of Consciousness prize has been launched by novelist Neil Griffiths, who intends to ‘guilt trip’ bestselling authors into contributingThe award-winning novelist Neil Griffiths is launching a new literary prize celebrating the “small presses producing brilliant and brave literary... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Are small independent publishers doing the work for big publishers?

While the giant firms sink huge sums into fleeting fads, the commitment and passion of the smaller imprints leave a larger impression in the long termIndependent publishers pick the books they loved and wished they published in 2015Here’s an observation: it sometimes feels as though smaller... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-12-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Given a Choice: Small Press, Large Publisher, or Self Publish?

The gap between what a small press, a large publisher, and someone self-publishing is getting narrower. Do you have a preference for one over another? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Small Publishers’ Catalogue Offers Listing of African Publishers and More

The 2013 Small Publishers' Catalogue Africa offers more than just a listing of small African publishers: it's a guide to inspire small publishers from around the world. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Han Kang’s Nobel win is testament to importance of small press publishing

Literature in translation has long been reliant on indie presses to bring work such as the South Korean author’s to wider audiences• South Korea’s Han Kang wins 2024 Nobel prize in literature – as it happenedThe announcement of the South Korean writer Han Kang as the 2024 Nobel Literature... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-10-10 17:04:48 UTC ]
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AI could be an existential threat to publishers – that’s why Mumsnet is fighting back | Justine Roberts

There is nothing wrong with mining content for data, but it has to be properly regulated and creators must be compensatedJustine Roberts is the CEO of MumsnetAfter nearly 25 years as a founder of Mumsnet, I considered myself pretty unshockable when it came to the workings of big tech. But my jaw... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-09-28 07:00:09 UTC ]
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The American Booksellers Association Is Publishing a Handbook for Fighting Book Bans

The 'ABA Right to Read Handbook: Fighting Book Bans and Why It Matters' is scheduled for a September 16 release. All profits will support ABFE’s efforts against book bans. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-08-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Sweden’s Marie Tomičić: A Small Publisher Goes Green

Small publishers can contribute to the green transition, publisher Marie Tomičić says: 'Connect the change to your brand.' The post Sweden’s Marie Tomičić: A Small Publisher Goes Green appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-07-11 18:30:22 UTC ]
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Libraries struggle to afford the demand for e-books, seek new state laws in fight with publishers

Libraries across the U.S. are struggling to cover the cost of e-books, which have grown in popularity Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2024-03-12 14:54:40 UTC ]
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U.K. Publishing Spotlight: For Watkins Media, No Niche Is Too Small

Watkins Media’s head of marketing says that its unique titles, which span many categories—including the occult several countercultures—are finding success in the U.S. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-23 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Why Toni Morrison Left Publishing

Commercial book publishing was (and is) unbearably white. In 1971, when Toni Morrison became a trade editor, about 95 percent of the fiction published by the big commercial houses was by white authors. By 2018, that number dropped only to 89 percent. One of the only other black women working as... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-24 08:50:40 UTC ]
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Hanif Kureishi to publish memoir about accident that left him paralysed

Shattered, out in 2024, will expand on the material the Buddha of Suburbia author has been sharing on social media from his hospital bed since a fall in Rome last yearThe novelist and screenwriter Hanif Kureishi will publish a memoir in 2024 about the accident that left him paralysed last year.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-18 11:05:08 UTC ]
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Two Seattle Indie Publishers Unite Around Small-Press Distribution

Joshua Rothes of Sublunary Editions and Phil Bevis of Chatwin Books have formed Asterism Books, a wholesale distribution portal and bookshop for independent small presses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Small Press Distributors Survive Through Transformation

Julie Schaper, a veteran of the small press distribution world, has seen it all—and lived to tell the tale. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishing Sales Had Small Gain in January

Led by a 44.1% increase in sales of K-12 instructional materials and double-digit gains in the children’s/young adult and religious press segments, industry sales rose 3.7% in January, according to AAP’s StatShot program. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-03-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
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From a Small Nigerian Tribe to a Big American Publishing House

In Uwem Akpan’s debut novel, “New York, My Village,” a Black African editor traces tribalism at home and abroad. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-11-02 09:00:06 UTC ]
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Faith-Based Publishers on Surviving, Thriving in 2020 and Beyond

After the last traumatic 18 months, religion publishers face the future by staying nimble, flexible, and, always, hopeful. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-09-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
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