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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Apps For Everyone: 29th Street Publishing Helps Writers Get Paid

29th Street Publishing sees no reason why selling subscriptions shouldn’t be as easy as blogging. At a time when print magazines such as Newsweek and tablet publications like The Daily are shuttering, the team at 29th Street Publishing is betting on the future of magazines for iPad and... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishing Personalities Advise on Designing the Bookshop of the Future

Foyles asked for advice on designing the bookshop of the future and several notable publishing personalities shared their ideas with Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bonus for Fifty Shades US publisher

Random House publishers are to reward employees with a $5,000 (£3,103) bonus partly owing to the success of EL James's erotic trilogy, Fifty Shades of Grey. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Magazines ramp up publishing in 2012

Magazine publishers are still tightening their belts three years after the nightmare of the advertising recession shook the industry to its toes. But the itch to launch new magazines shows no sign of going away. In 2012, veteran publishers and novice entrepreneurs launched a total of 195 print... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2012-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst Puts a Toe Back in Trade Publishing

Ever since Hearst Corp. sold William Morrow to News Corp. in 1999, its book publishing activities have focused on partnering with different houses to publish books based on content from its magazines. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon publishes vague numbers surrounding Appstore performance, but they're sure looking good

At this point, expecting Amazon to actually divulge genuine numbers surrounding its Kindle business would be akin to expecting that so-called "fiscal cliff" to just vanish overnight. That said, the company's playing a little less coy than usual in a new press release that announces A/B testing... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown's self-publishing list 'exciting', say authors

Authors Tony Parsons and Jane Fallon have said Curtis Brown’s new digital self-publishing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers, Agents Turn to Latin America Amid Crisis in Spain

Spain’s financial crisis and slump in book sales has led Spanish-language publishers to focus on Latin America, with agents bypassing Spain to sell rights directly in the region. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cuban Publishers Eager to Embrace Ebooks, Open US Market

Ebooks will bring Cuba's isolated publishing industry and authors to a wider audience across the Spanish-speaking world, but also the US, under the radar of the trade embargo. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Over 1,000 library jobs will go next year, says CILIP

More than 1,000 library staff will lose their jobs in the next 12 months, according to a new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Frankfurt is Helping to Create a Magreb Publishing Community

Nacéra Khiat of Algeria's Editions Sedia discusses how training in Casablanca by the Frankfurt Book Fair has brought together disparate publishers from across the Magreb. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown launches digital programme with Kindle Direct Publishing

Agency Curtis Brown has launched a digital self-publishing programme through Kindle Direct... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Futurebook: publishers must look outward

Leading publishing figures stressed the importance of becoming more outward looking and consumer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mobile Self-publishing Platform XinXii Launches in Russia

German self-publishing platform XinXii, which allows indie authors to sell their titles through mobile ebook shops, has gone live in Russia. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-Serials as the “Third Layer” in the Publishing World

Plympton—a startup publisher of serialized digital fiction—was created as 'a nimble alternative to the major publishers and online markets,' as the founders explain. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Thomson named as News Corp publishing head

Robert Thomson has been named as the head of the separated publishing business soon to be formed... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers in 'dream' position, FutureBook hears

Publishers have "done a lot right" and are standing in a much stronger position in the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Can Bricks-and Mortar Bookstores Beat Last Year?

Even though Thanksgiving came early this year, big box retailers, national chains, and online sellers began the Christmas season even earlier. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomberg's Licencing Chief on How to Sell Your Content to Other Publishers and Partners

If you've got content you think other publishers want to buy, what do you need to do to to make it an attractive proposition?   A good example of a successful licencing operations is Bloomberg, which provides content to more than 600 publish ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing to Open European Division

Amazon's Jeff Belle announced in a letter to literary agents that Amazon Publishing will begin building a European publishing division in 2013. Hiring will begin in January. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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