Is literary fiction in trouble? Readers and authors respond

The Arts Council England report has set the internet ablaze – but are sales of literary fiction in decline because of snobbery, bad writing or Candy Crush?News: Literary fiction in crisis as sales drop dramaticallyArts Council England has sounded the alarm for literary fiction with a report revealing a collapse in sales, advances and book pricing that has left authors unable to support themselves through writing alone. UK sales of general fiction slumped from £216m in 2010 to £143m last year, with the market increasingly skewed towards commercial bestsellers, which was news enough set the Arts Council’s Twitter handle – @ace_national ‏ – trending on Twitter, as readers and writers stared down the barrel of cultural Armageddon.There may be only 10 days to go, but the report was enough for the author Anna Mazzola to start tearing up plans for Christmas:Wondering what to buy your writer friend for Christmas? Turns out it's a hot meal or bottle of meths.https://t.co/92eJOY6wbFSome worrying figures in here for literary fiction... Though it does highlight the need for us to keep writing, telling stories, promoting new voices, and exploring what literature means and the impact it has. https://t.co/UpyFEcbnQxThis report says in cold Christmassy daylight what writers have known for a while: https://t.co/LnxDwuOSXDThe fact that 'literary fiction' defines itself against 'commercial fiction' might explain why it isn't doing well commercially.Far too many of the books published as... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-12-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #decision making #retail chains

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Is literary fiction in trouble? Readers and authors respond

The Arts Council England report has set the internet ablaze – but are sales of literary fiction in decline because of snobbery, bad writing or Candy Crush?News: Literary fiction in crisis as sales drop dramaticallyArts Council England has sounded the alarm for literary fiction with a report... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-12-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #decision making #retail chains


Readers can’t get enough World War II fiction, and authors are happy to keep the books coming

Pamela Jenoff, Kate Quinn and other authors talk about how they find inspiration for their novels. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-05-24 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary fiction is in crisis. A new chapter of funding authors must begin | Claire Armistead

Competition from smartphones and readers sticking to well-known writers means novelists are suffering. We must find ways better ways to enable themFinally it’s official: literary fiction is in crisis, and writers across the land are burning the midnight oil in their garrets, teaching or slogging... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Combines Mobile Gaming, Fantasy Fiction to Lure Readers

Alane Adams worked for years as an accountant at her family’s business, but she always believed that one day she’d get back to her first two loves: reading and writing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors, Literary Orgs Respond to 'Hebdo' Attack in Paris

After the attack at 'Charlie Hebdo,' PEN called for renewed efforts to protect "those working on the front lines of free expression.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary Fiction Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Literary agents are gatekeepers of the publishing industry. Find literary fiction literary agents open to submissions in this post. List will be updated regularly. The post Literary Fiction Literary Agents Open to Submissions by Robert Lee Brewer appeared first on Writer's Digest. Continue reading at Writer's Digest

[ Writer's Digest | 2019-07-26 11:00:18 UTC ]
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New Climate Fiction Author Sarah Ruiz-Grossman’s Favorite Cli-Fi Books

This Earth Day, settle into "A Fire So Wild," Sarah Ruiz-Grossman's debut novel about the societal impacts of climate change. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2024-04-05 09:45:24 UTC ]
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Erica Berry on the Polyamorous Intimacy of Reader, Author, and Audiobook Narrator

I always imagined, that, given the choice, I would read my own audiobook. I had heard memoirs often sounded best in the author’s throat—something about the familiar tang of the hardship unspooled. But had I written a memoir? A bookseller acquaintance asked me that a year before the publication... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

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Science fiction awards held in China under fire for excluding authors

Concerns raised about interference or censorship after documents showed writers were barred despite receiving enough nominationsA prestigious literary award for science fiction, which was hosted in China for the first time, has come under fire for excluding several authors from the 2023 awards,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-01-24 15:53:48 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Surveys Literary Translators on Labor Conditions

The 2022 Survey of Literary Translators' Working Conditions collected data on income, royalties, copyright, and more from the responses of nearly 300 literary translators in the United States. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

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Justin Torres, Author of ‘Blackouts,’ Wins National Book Award for Fiction

Ned Blackhawk received the nonfiction award, with “The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-11-16 12:36:45 UTC ]
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On Literary Empathy and the Performative Reading of Palestinian Authors

The literary community holds onto empathy as a dear goal while navigating the complexities of the human experience through the eyes of characters from diverse backgrounds. Readers worldwide have long celebrated the promise of empathy as a conduit for profound understanding, and reading from... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-11-16 09:49:02 UTC ]
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Leading Christian Authors Look to Little Readers

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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8 Award-Winning Literary Fiction Books You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Despite winning awards, these little-known beautiful and thought-provoking literary fiction books, like Last of Her Name by Mimi Lok, remain criminally underrated. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-08-01 10:34:00 UTC ]
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An A-Z Alphabet of Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors of Color

Looking to diversify your reading list? Then this alphabet of SFF authors of color is a great place to start! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-07-19 10:37:00 UTC ]
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New Leaf Literary & Media Faces Backlash After Dropping Authors

After New Leaf "amicably" parting ways with literary agent Jordan Hamessley on May 12, authors affected by the agent's departure took to Twitter to express concern over how the transition was handled as the agency defends their actions. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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London Book Fair: New Data on UK Readers of Translated Fiction

The Booker Prize Foundation reveals a Nielsen study's data on consumers of translated fiction in the United Kingdom. The post London Book Fair: New Data on UK Readers of Translated Fiction appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-19 03:19:31 UTC ]
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Author Chuck Forester Donates $250K to Lambda Literary

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Eric Brown, science fiction author and Guardian critic, dies aged 62

Writers, publishers and agents pay tribute to a warm, generous figure, author of more than 50 books ranging from SFF to crime to children’s literatureEric Brown, a prolific, award-winning author who published more than 50 novels, children’s books and short story collections, and who was the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-03-23 13:58:10 UTC ]
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