Morality clauses: are publishers right to police writers?

Offensive opinions. Bullying. Sexual misconduct. As the literary world is rocked by scandal US publishers are asking authors to sign contracts with ‘morality clauses’. Are they really the answer?When the American Libraries Association awards its Andrew Carnegie medals in New Orleans later this month, there will be no winner for excellence in non-fiction. Sherman Alexie, the poet and novelist who was due to receive it for a memoir, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, has declined the award following allegations of sexual harassment.Last month, the novelist Junot Díaz withdrew from the Sydney writers’ festival and from chairing the Pulitzer prize board after being confronted by his own accusers. As the allegations swept through social media, another writer, Mary Karr, joined the fray, tweeting of her distress that her testimony to DT Max, the biographer of her one-time partner David Foster Wallace, about Foster Wallace’s abusive behaviour had been marginalised. “Deeply saddened by the allegations against #JunotDiaz & I support every woman brave enough to speak. The violence #DavidFosterWallace inflicted on me as a single mom was ignored by his biographer & @NewYorker as ‘alleged’ despite my having letters in his hand,” she wrote.Marina Warner warned that 'being good' should not be conflated with 'good writing'. But where is that line drawn?One UK literary agent says: 'Are [morality clauses] here? Probably not. Are they coming? Most definitely.'Will wonderful writers... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #abusive behaviour #deeply saddened #single mom

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Morality clauses: are publishers right to police writers?'


Morality clauses: are publishers right to police writers?

Offensive opinions. Bullying. Sexual misconduct. As the literary world is rocked by scandal US publishers are asking authors to sign contracts with ‘morality clauses’. Are they really the answer?When the American Libraries Association awards its Andrew Carnegie medals in New Orleans later this... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #abusive behaviour #deeply saddened #single mom


More than 300 writers and publishers sign letter opposing Policing Bill

More than 300 prominent writers and publishers including Bernardine Evaristo, Alan Hollinghurst and Malorie Blackman have signed a letter to the Times opposing the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill, which is being voted on in the House of Lords over the next two weeks.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-13 12:40:06 UTC ]
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In the #MeToo Moment, Publishers Turn to Morality Clauses

Once an anomaly in author contracts, morality clauses are becoming a standard tool for publishers looking to protect themselves against misbehaving authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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An Open Letter in Support of Adania Shibli From More Than 350 Writers, Editors, and Publishers

This letter was originally published by ArabLit. The shocking and tragic events that began on October 7th and are ongoing today have had repercussions all over the globe, including within the publishing world. Award-winning Palestinian author Adania Shibli, who was a finalist for the 2020... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-17 09:05:58 UTC ]
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How a Collective of Incarcerated Writers Published an Anthology From Prison

It would make sense that any history would begin at Stillwater Prison, where so much of the story and mythology of prison in Minnesota also begins. It is where Cole Younger of the famous James-Younger gang did their time, and where they spent their own money to start the Prison Mirror, the... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-10-16 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Yes, it can be very stressful to publish a book, and young writers need more support.

An April report by the UK-based publishing site, The Bookseller, showed that more than half of the debut authors they surveyed said the experience of publishing a book adversely affected their mental health. Further reporting from The Guardian reveals that (some) publishers have quickly... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-07-19 19:03:31 UTC ]
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Writers' Guild of Great Britain Publishes Report on AI

Sixty-five percent of those responding to a survey conducted by the U.K. union that represents writers in such professions as books, film, and said that they believed that the increased use of AI will reduce their income from writing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Hinton Publishing Honors an Unsung Writer and Boosts New Creators

Seattle’s new indie publisher, Hinton Publishing, is a partnership between 'South Seattle Emerald' founder Marcus Harrison Green and Vertvolta Press publisher Vladimir Verano. Its mission is to amplify the voices of BIPOC, LGBTQ, disabled, and low-income authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Chilling’ arrest of French publisher by UK counter-terrorism police condemned

Éditions la Fabrique says foreign rights manager Ernest Moret was held for several hours and asked ‘disturbing questions’ about his political opinionsThe French publishing house whose employee was arrested on terror charges on his way to London book fair has said it is “chilling” that he was... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-20 11:27:44 UTC ]
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French publisher asks UK police to cease investigation

A French publisher has called on British police to cease their investigation of an employee who it said was arrested on the way to the London Book Fair and questioned for hours about French President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reform schem... Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2023-04-19 14:32:29 UTC ]
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Literary Luminaries Debate Diversity, Publishing's Moral Obligations at PEN Town Hall

During a panel, "Do Publisher’s Have a Moral Obligation to Diversify American Literature?", authors Min Jin Lee, Chris Beha, Roxane Gay and publishing veteran Erroll McDonald weighed in on a central issue in the book business. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-16 05:00:00 UTC ]
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#ReadingAfrica: Five Writers and Publishers Discuss the Continent’s Boundless Literary Landscape

Africa is a continent of 54 countries and some 1.4 billion people, speaking—and sometimes writing and publishing—in hundreds of languages. The book business on the continent is diverse and eclectic. We convened a group of several top practitioners to get a sample of the triumphs and challenges... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-12-08 09:57:24 UTC ]
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Frederick Douglass Books, a new imprint, will publish nonfiction by writers of color.

Forefront Books and the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives are teaming up to form Frederick Douglass Books, a publishing imprint meant to “establish a pathway for Black and Brown authors” into the publishing industry, the two organizations announced in a press release last week. The imprint... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-16 13:04:40 UTC ]
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U.S. Book Show: Ukrainian Novelist Andrey Kurkov on Wartime Reality for Writers and Publishers

The U.S. Book Show's opening keynote featured Ukrainian novelist Andrey Kurkov, speaking from his home in Kyiv, who provided the history through a literary lens of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict that culminated in war. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Working Class Writers' Festival seeks publisher sponsorship for 2022

The Working Class Writers' Festival is urging publishers to demonstrate their commitment to diversity by investing in sponsorship for next year's event.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-10 12:00:51 UTC ]
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The newest self-publishing platform for writers? OnlyFans.

The Internet has opened up new modes of self-publishing for writers: subscription services like Substack and Patreon, online releases on platforms like Gumroad, and even NFTs. Now, we’re seeing the debut (to my knowledge) of a new self-publishing model: writer Aurora Mattia has published her... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-07-30 16:50:24 UTC ]
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New Publisher Says It Welcomes Conservative Writers Rejected Elsewhere

All Seasons Press, started by former executives from Simon & Schuster and Hachette, plans to publish books by the former Trump officials Mark Meadows and Peter Navarro. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-06-15 22:28:39 UTC ]
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Indie publishing 'crucial' for literary fiction writers, Roffey says

Independent publishers are "crucial and critical" for literary fiction writers, Costa-winning author Monique Roffey has said, enabling them to take risks no mainstream publisher would allow. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-05-11 11:27:01 UTC ]
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Writers and publishers pen open letter to show solidarity with trans and non-binary community

An open letter expressing “love and solidarity for the trans and non-binary community”, spearheaded by authors Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Daisy Johnson, has garnered support from more than 200 writers, including Malorie Blackman, Jeanette Winterson and Joanne Harris. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-30 14:25:47 UTC ]
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What black writers think about the UK's publishing industry – a survey

Limited promotion and marketing budgets reinforce false ideas about how well diverse books and writers will sell. This leads to a negative cycle for black, Asian and minority ethnic writers. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2020-07-15 09:57:53 UTC ]
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