Is an X Factor for novelists a good idea?

A literary talent show is about to be aired in Italy, but is television the right place to nurture literary talent?Jonny Geller, agent and joint CEO, Curtis BrownAn X Factor for books is about to launch on Italian TV – it had to be Italian, didn't it? – and you can imagine the literati running for cover in horror. It's "reducing the craft to a reality freak show", "further degradation of the cultural value of the word" etc. And yes, the programme [Masterpiece, which broadcasts on Italian channel Rai 3 today, billed as "the first talent show for aspiring writers, competing to... publish their novel with Simon & Schuster"] will probably be vulgar, ill-conceived and wrong-footed. But we need it. We need to allow young people into the secret we have held too closely to our hearts for too long – that books can change your life, that what makes us human is books, that reading is not just for nerds. The National Literacy Trust recently surveyed 35,000 children from 188 schools and one in five is embarrassed to be caught with a book in their hands.On British TV at the moment, there is not one single programme about books or for book lovers. We in publishing bemoan how few people buy books and yet we do nothing to make them feel relevant. In a changing publishing scene where most purchases are made online, where independent bookshops are closing every week and where the chains all feature the same books, we desperately need an entertaining format to ignite the imaginations of... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Other Publishing stories related to: 'Is an X Factor for novelists a good idea?'

Get a call or a critique from a high-powered agent AND do good in the world.

Sound too good to be true? Well I have news for you, dear aspiring writer, you can get yourself a phone call or a manuscript critique from a fancy literary agent by bidding at this year’s Literary Agents of Change Auction.  The LAOC is an organization that believes that advancing the publishing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-06-15 17:12:39 UTC ]
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Libraries Are For Everyone: Pride in the Library Goods

Libraries are for everyone, no matter your background, identity, or experiences. These pride in the library goods highlight that. - Kelly Jensen Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-06-14 10:37:00 UTC ]
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With ‘And Then He Sang a Lullaby,’ a Young Nigerian Novelist Commits to ‘Queer Resistance’

With a first novel that chronicles a love affair between two young men, 23-year-old Ani Kayode Somtochukwu asserts a commitment to “queer resistance.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-06-05 16:02:45 UTC ]
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The Next Big Idea Is Audio

When the Next Big Idea Club launched in 2018, the centerpiece of its offerings was a box subscription. It still offers that service, but has company has shifted gears, now operating as an “audio-first company.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Presence of the Past in Good Night, Irene: A Conversation with Luis Alberto Urrea, by Renee H. Shea

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[ World Literature Today | 2023-05-26 18:30:53 UTC ]
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The Only Good Harry Potter Spinoff Could Teach a Thing or Two to J.K. Rowling

America’s second-most-popular play at high schools is a very unauthorized wizard story. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2023-05-26 09:50:00 UTC ]
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The 'Donut Dollies' of WWII: Novelist pays tribute his mother and other unsung heroes

Author Luis Alberto Urrea joins the L.A. Times Book club July 19 to discuss his new novel, "Good Night, Irene." Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-05-24 14:00:39 UTC ]
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Good news: there are more bookstores in the US this year than last.

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[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-22 15:55:36 UTC ]
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Martin Amis, acclaimed British novelist and London scenester of '80s and '90s, dies at 73

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-05-20 20:05:38 UTC ]
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Martin Amis, era-defining British novelist, dies aged 73

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[ The Guardian | 2023-05-20 18:53:35 UTC ]
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‘Beowulf is lit AF’ – could ChatGPT really write good book blurbs?

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[ The Guardian | 2023-05-16 09:00:05 UTC ]
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What happened to all the war vet novelists? They've moved on, and so have we

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-05-12 13:00:10 UTC ]
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Dulé Hill, Jazmyn Simon put their wholesome parenting goodness into a children's book

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-05-03 16:25:25 UTC ]
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Novelist Celeste Ng: ‘There was a period when I thought I’d never write again’

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[ The Guardian | 2023-04-22 17:00:15 UTC ]
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[ The Guardian | 2023-04-16 10:00:08 UTC ]
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[ The Guardian | 2023-04-16 06:00:03 UTC ]
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Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists – meet the class of 23

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[ The Guardian | 2023-04-15 08:00:36 UTC ]
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[ Literrary Hub | 2023-04-14 15:34:40 UTC ]
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[ Literrary Hub | 2023-04-13 13:57:54 UTC ]
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