Diversity in publishing – still hideously middle-class and white?

Two years ago, we called publishers to account for the glaring lack of diversity in the industry. Pledges were made and initiatives set up. Have things improved?Find out about the new projects to encourage inclusivity in the book businessIn December 2015, British publishing stood accused of woeful blindness to diversity, and not for the first time, after World Book Night (WBN) announced its titles, and none of the 15 books was by a writer of colour. An apology was issued by organisers but a wider malaise had already set in, and along with it, the troubling feeling that WBN’s oversight was less an isolated incident and more a recurring pattern of exclusion that stretched across the literary establishment.A report on the state of the books industry had been published earlier that year by the development agency Spread the Word, which drew attention to how intransigently white, middle-class (and further up the ladder, male) it remained, from literary festivals and prizes to publications and personnel. Then, last autumn, there was more embarrassing exposure when World Book Day – which focuses on children’s titles – issued its own all-white book list and an independent publisher flagged up the fact that only one black, British male debut novelist had been published in 2016. Earlier this year, there was talk of a boycott when the Carnegie medal for children’s literature revealed its all-white longlist. Related: Only 4.8% of TV writers are black. As one of them, I know the system... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]

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FAB Prize winners celebrated

Faber Children’s and the Andlyn Agency celebrated the winners of the inaugural FAB Prize for BAME writers and illustrators last night (26th June) and revealed it will run again next year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Stand-up comedian Agalawatta among inaugural FAB Prize winners

Stand-up comedian Rohan Agalawatta and freelance illustrator Lucy Farfort have won the Faber Children’s and Andlyn Agency’s inaugural FAB Prize for BAME writers and illustrators. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors called David more likely to be on bestseller lists than BAME writers

The Bookseller magazine has published analysis finding a ‘shockingly low’ number of BAME authors in the UK top 500 titles of the yearA writer has more chance of making it into the bestseller charts if their name is David than if they are from an ethnic minority, according to new analysis from... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Speaking Volumes secures grant for BAME writers

Literary agency Speaking Volumes has secured an international grant to showcase British black, Asian and minority ethnic writers to European audiences. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Apathy leads to BAME writers being excluded in the UK'

Yogesh Patel on why he thinks there is no constructive rejection of BAME writers by the UK publishing industry. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bare Lit to publish anthology

Bare Lit, a UK literature festival devoted to BAME writers, is bringing out an anthology to allow "writers of colour to shine on their own terms". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Crossan scoops Ireland's Children's Book of the Year Award

Carnegie Medal and YA Book Prize-shortlisted author Sarah Crossan has won the 26th CBI Book of the Year Award - making her the fourth author ever to win both the Book of the Year Award and the Children’s Choice award with her title One (Bloomsbury Childrens). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Influx on hunt for BAME novelists

London indie Influx Press has opened its submission window for three months, looking in particular for novels from BAME writers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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World Book Night defends lack of BAME writers on 2016 list

The Reading Agency has responded to criticism about the lack of ethnic diversity among authors chosen for the World Book Night 2016 list, saying it is a “great shame” that there are no Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) writers included. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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European and Arabic Literary Stars Shine Bright in New York

Three literary festivals took place this November in New York City: Editions/Artists’ Book Fair, New Literature from Europe Festival and the Festival Albertine. The post European and Arabic Literary Stars Shine Bright in New York appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This Week's Bestsellers: September 7, 2015

Bryan Stevenson’s Carnegie Medal–winning ‘Just Mercy’ get a big bump this week, landing at #8 overall. Plus Sue Grafton knocks Harper Lee from the #1 spot in hardcover fiction, Brené Brown debuts strong in hardcover nonfiction, and much more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Is This the Greatest Book Award Acceptance Speech Ever?

Bryan Stevenson took home the Carnegie Medal for 'Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption' and gave a riveting speech that left the audience buzzing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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CNL makes a stand on event fees

The French National Book Centre (Centre National du Livre, CNL) will cut subsidies for the 90-plus book fairs and literary festivals it supports next year if organisers do not agree to pay authors for giving talks and participating in debates.  Meetings are being held with organisers, none of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Blackwell’s to increase its focus on festivals

Literary festivals are growing in importance for retailer Blackwell’s, with the company actively seeking to establish partnerships with the sector. Zool Verjee, Blackwell’s sales development manager, told The Bookseller the chain had enjoyed sales growth of 15% year on year after partnering... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tinder shortlisted for Carnegie and Greenaway Prize

Tinder by Sally Gardner and David Roberts (Orion Children’s Books) is in the running for a double CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway win after appearing on both shortlists, announced today (17th March). The book, which is a reworking of the Tinderbox fairytale, could also be Gardner’s second... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mal Peet dies

Author Mal Peet has died, his agent Peter Cox has announced. Peet died last night (2nd March), after being diagnosed with cancer just last Christmas. The writer, whose latest novel The Murdstone Trilogy came out in 2014, won a number of awards during his career, including the Carnegie Medal,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Four Questions for...Andrew Karre

Carolrhoda Lab is releasing in spring 2015 "The Bunker Diary" by Kevin Brooks, a YA novel that ignited a firestorm of controversy in the U.K. recently, when it was awarded the Carnegie Medal. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Bunker Diary’s Carnegie Medal: The Debate Continues

The debate over Kevin Brooks winning Carnegie Medal for his dark YA novel The Bunker Diary continues, with many calling the book "sickening." Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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