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

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Big French publishing houses to return to Paris Book Fair

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 09:03 The new-look Paris Book Fair will open on Friday [18th March] for four days as five of the leading French publishers ponder the raids by the European Commission competition officials a fortnight ago. Hachette Livre, Bayard... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publisher Steps Down

Barry O'Callaghan, the chief executive of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, resigned on Tuesday after less than two years on the job. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media decoder


Publishers Debate Pricing, Marketing Models For Apps

Simplifying (and clarifying) the purchasing process—regardless of newsstand--and finding new ways to effectively market among the crush of new apps being launched is critical for publishers to succeed, according to speakers at MPA’s Digital E-Reading conference today. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple May Release Publishing Tool

It looks as if Apple will be in the digital mag game with more than just subscription apps. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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French authors happier with publishers

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 13:30 French authors are increasingly satisfied with their publishers, according to the third annual survey conducted by the Civil Society for Multimedia Authors (Scam). The latest results show that 71% of respondents are... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mulholland Books acquires debut by "Saw" writers

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 09:04 Hodder thriller imprint Mulholland Books has acquired a fiction debut by "Saw" writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, and author, screenwriter and illustrator Stephen Romano. Editor Ruth Tross bought British... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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French government says publishers should collaborate over ebook negotiations

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Tue, 15/03/2011 - 09:23 French culture minister Frédéric Mitterrand has urged French publishers to speak with one voice in forthcoming negotiations with Amazon over supplying their ebooks for the Kindle. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As Library E-Books Live Long, Publisher Sets Expiration Date

While librarians are pushing for access to more ebooks to satisfy demand, publishers are reconsidering how much that access should be worth. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New iBooks update opens door to fully illustrated publishing

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 15/03/2011 - 15:45 Apple's latest version of its iBooks app, which allows ebooks to have a pictorial layout similar to printed books and supports full page illustrations, has been hailed by one publisher as being "the beginning of a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst Magazines is 2010 Group Publisher's Ad-Page Champ

With the explosion of magazine apps, social media and the resurgence of print advertising, magazine brands are showing a prominent face to their loyal and new readers and advertisers. A top 5 chart pulled together by FOLIO: sister publication min looks at the group publisher vanguards that had... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's Books Publishing in Asia

In most parts of Asia, wizardry and fantastical plots have lost much of their magic after dominating the bestseller list for so long. The subsequent vampire and werewolf fever is, by comparison, not as rabidly welcomed in certain territories. As for that wimpy kid, well, his popularity suffers... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Historical Writers Association launches

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Fri, 11/03/2011 - 15:47 Transworld/Bantam novelist Manda Scott has formed the Historical Writers’ Association as a forum for writers and to promote the genre. The internet-based group, which already boasts around 100 members including authors Simon... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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IPG: Publisher and retailer relationships must change

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 11/03/2011 - 09:02 The relationship between publishers and retailers needs to change if physical bookshops are not to face a "bleak" future, the c.e.o. of Blackwell has warned. Andrew Hutchings was speaking during the Retailers Question Time... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Continuum crowned indie publisher of the year

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 11/03/2011 - 09:04 Continuum has been crowned the Independent Publishers Guild's Independent Publisher of the Year at the IPG awards, in a night when it and Faber won two awards. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Association Publishing: Hot Button Topics for 2011

Association publishers face some unique challenges—namely their role as an ancillary operation within a broader organization. However, the operative word is “publisher” and associations share many of the same concerns as their peers on the consumer and b-to-b sides. Folio: spoke with several... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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McClure to set up publishing company

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Wed, 09/03/2011 - 08:43 Picture book author and illustrator Gillian McClure is setting up publishing company Plaister Press rather than conform to the "hugely cautious" picture book market. McClure hopes the company will eventually expand to include... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Walter Zacharius, 87, Romance Publisher, Dies

Walter Zacharius emerged from the world of true-confession magazines and paperback genre fiction to found Kensington. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Transworld to publish Shaun Ryder memoir

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 08/03/2011 - 13:45 Transworld is to publish the autobiography of Happy Mondays star Shaun Ryder. Editorial director Sarah Emsley acquired UK and Commonwealth rights through Matthew Hamilton at Aitken Alexander Associates. Emsley said:... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harvill Secker to publish Nanjing Heroes

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 08/03/2011 - 08:20 Harvill Secker is to publish Nanjing Heroes, a novella by Chinese author Yan Geling, which is currently being made into a film starring Christian Bale. Editor-at-large Rebecca Carter acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Adobe Ships Tablet Publishing Suite

Adobe Digital Publishing Suite supports tablets running Android as well as RIM PlayBook and iOS tablet devices. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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