Kamila Shamsie: let’s have a year of publishing only women – a provocation

It is clear that there is a gender bias in publishing houses and the world of books. Well, enough. Why not try something radical? Make 2018 the Year of Publishing Women, in which no new titles should be by menSeveral years ago, Martin Amis chaired a literary festival panel on “The Crisis of American Fiction” with Richard Ford, Jay McInerney and Junot Díaz. I was in the audience, and halfway through the discussion leaned over to the person sitting next to me and said: “Clearly the crisis of American fiction is that there are no women in it.” It’s not just that there weren’t any women on the stage. In the entire discussion, which lasted nearly an hour, there was no mention of Toni Morrison, Marilynne Robinson, Annie Proulx, Anne Tyler, Donna Tartt, Jhumpa Lahiri or any other contemporary female writer. A single reference to Eudora Welty was the only acknowledgment that women in the US have ever had anything to do with the world of letters. Díaz, near the end of the hour, made the point that the conversation had centred on white American males, but it was too little, too late.I think of this panel when reading yet another article or survey about the gender imbalance that exists in publishing houses, in terms of reviews, top positions in publishing houses, literary prizes etc. The issue can’t of course be broken down into a story of fair-minded women versus bigoted men. Like any effective system of power – and patriarchy is, over time and space, the world’s most effective... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #anne tyler #donna tartt #jhumpa lahiri #gender imbalance #top positions #literary prizes #effective system #win prizes

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How Digital Publishers Can Impress Media Buyers

Digital publishers are in trouble. There is incredible competition for direct buys from agencies. This is the cash cow, and if publishers had their preference, this is where 90% of their sales would go. Ad sales is a people- and creative-driven busin ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Genre Fiction and Digital Publishing: A Marriage Made in Heaven

The continuing growth of digital publishing has put even more energy into the flourishing genres of SF, fantasy, mystery and romance publishing, says Wired. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Williams' Book Store in San Pedro to close after 104 years

Williams' Book Store is considered by some to be the oldest continuously operating bookstore in Los Angeles. It stands to be the latest casualty in a business that has been moving increasingly online.As a little girl, Anne Gusha walked into and was charmed by Williams' Book Store in San Pedro.... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Kindle tops yearly Japan e-reader sales five months after launch

Amazon.com's Kindle e-reader has dominated the competition in Japan since its launch last year, according to new research, showing the company's low pricing and powerful brand may have overcome its late entrance into the market. The Kindle accounted for 38.3 percent of the e-reader market in... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2013-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Paula Deen publisher cancels book deal. Now what? (+video)

Paula Deen was supposed to release "Paula Deen's New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up" in October. But Ballantine Books canceled the release, even though it was already No. 1 in pre-orders on Amazon. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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These Digital Publishers Aren't Freaking Out Over Mozilla's Move

Mozilla was thrust back into the spotlight last week when the tech company again made clear it intends to block third-party cookies on Firefox. This week the Interactve Advertising Bureau fired back with another angry missive. But how are digital publishers taking the news? Doug Weaver, CEO of... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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News Corp. Spinoff Forces Publishing Arm to Prove Growth

Rupert Murdoch bowed to investor pressure to split his six-decade-old publishing business from the rest of News Corp. (NWSA)’s media empire. Now it’s time for the newspaper unit to prove it can make it on its own. The publishing ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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European publishers united in Google challenge

In what is being called "an unprecedented show of solidarity," hundreds of Europe's leading publishers have joined forces to call on European Commission Vice President Joaquín Almunia to reject outright the draft measures offered by Google to end their abusive practices. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2013-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why Big Publishers Think Genre Fiction Like Sci-Fi Is the Future of E-Books

The future of book publishing is increasingly digital -- and increasingly tilted towards genre fiction.     Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2013-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst to test Dr. Oz magazine next year

Hearst Magazines plans to publish two test issues of a new lifestyle magazine with celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz in the first quarter of 2014, the company said today.The company plans to distribute about 350,000 copies of the first issue to newsstands and another 450,000 to certain... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Does Lack of English-language Publishers Leave Seoul’s Book Fair 2nd Class?

The "Korea Times" compares the Seoul International Book Fair to Tokyo's International Book Fair, and finds it sorely lacking. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google News opt-in is not good enough, German publishers say

German publishers will disappear from Google News on Aug. 1 unless they opt in to the service as Google seeks to comply with a new German law. But the publishers said on Monday that this is not good enough, they want a share in Google's revenue.The law will come into effect on Aug. 1 and gives... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2013-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google News Becomes Opt-In For German Publishers After Copyright Law Change

Since Google News began, publishers have complained that it scrapes their content and offers little in return, letting readers get vital parts of stories as short snippets. In late 2012, the site settled with Belgian publishers after a six-year-long ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Southern Newspaper Publishers Association Launches Revamped Website

June 21, 2013, ATLANTA, GA – Southern Newspaper Publishers Association launched a re-designed website this week designed to serve the needs of newspaper executives by providing a new source of ideas, solutions, resources and information. ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google News in Germany asks publishers to opt-in for indexing, sidesteps copyright fees

Despite its "Defend Your Net" campaign last year, Google was unable to fully put the brakes on changes to German copyright law that may mean it has to pay up for news excerpts it indexes. As a result, the company announced that unlike the other 60 countries where Google News operates by relying... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HCB to publish posthumous Diana Wynne Jones tale

HarperCollins Childrens Books fiction publishing director Ruth Alltimes has bought a posthumous... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Column: It's Hard Out There For a Publisher

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[ AdWeek | 2013-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More publisher offers for IBW

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK leads in global publishing

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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News Corp. Spinoff Pegs Value of Publishing at $9.1 Billion (2)

News Corp. (NWSA)’s publishing spinoff began trading today at a market value of about $9.1 billion, one-seventh the size of the entertainment side of the media empire, underscoring the business’s growth challenges. The &ldqu ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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