On eve of Costa awards, experts warn that top books prizes are harming fiction

The dominance of three honours in the UK can be prohibitively expensive for small publishers, and end up discouraging risk-taking on ‘difficult’ authorsCutting-edge British literary fiction risks being undermined by its growing reliance on a handful of powerful book prizes, a leading literary agent has warned. But the associated costs of entering the biggest awards mean independent publishers willing to take risks on “difficult” works without obvious marketing potential are being shut out of contention.The warnings, from Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown, come as the Costa book of the year judges prepare to announce the shortlist for the £30,000 award. He said: “Literary fiction is under threat in this country due to a combination of factors – reluctance by major houses to take risks; a bottleneck in the distribution chain [and] diverse voices being ignored by a predominantly white, middle-class industry.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]

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How the New York Public Library Brought Novels to Instagram With Unexpectedly Huge Results

The idea makes practically no sense at all. Full works of long-form literary fiction uploaded to ... Instagram? And specifically to Instagram Stories, a format known for its fast and fleeting posts about nights on the town and outfits of the day? But the New York Public Library pulled it off,... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2019-06-14 20:20:07 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2019: Literary Fiction Gets the Buzz

Indie booksellers raved about both fall/winter fiction and nonfiction offerings at BookExpo, but literary fiction with plots inspired by today's news headlines is what they were most excited about. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2019: Polis Debuts Diverse Imprint, Agora Books

Last December, Polis Books founder and publisher Jason Pinter announced that the press would add a new imprint devoted to crime writers with diverse voices, Agora Books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2019: Amazon Publishing Marks Its First 10 Years

Almost exactly 10 years ago, in May 2009, Amazon expanded from selling books to publishing them as well with the launch of Amazon Encore, a publishing program for promising self-published books and out-of-print works from major houses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Creative writing graduates will 'never make a living as novelists', says Self

Will Self has declared literature to be "morphing into a giant quilting exercise", suggesting that no current creative writing graduates will make a living from literary fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Primadonna Festival: yes, not why

Kit de Waal introduces the newly launched Primadonna Festival, a celebration of brilliant writing by brilliant women and diverse voices. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Costa Book of the Year: Jewish rescue story The Cut Out Girl wins

Bart van Es wrote about a Jewish girl who was sheltered by his grandparents during World War Two. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2019-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bart van Es’ Biography ‘The Cut Out Girl’ Named Costa Book of the Year

The Costa Book of the Year prize goes to its biography category winner, a tale of the Dutch Nazi resistance by Bart van Es. The post Bart van Es’ Biography ‘The Cut Out Girl’ Named Costa Book of the Year appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown celebrates 120th birthday with novel-writing prize

Curtis Brown is to celebrate its 120th birthday with a series of events spearheaded by a team of young agents, culminating in the Curtis Brown 120 Novel Writing Prize.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ireland’s Sally Rooney Leads Costa Prize Category Winners

The acclaimed young Irish author Sally Rooney is the winner of the 2018 Costa Book Prize in the novel category. The overall Costa Book of the Year is to be named January 29. The post Ireland’s Sally Rooney Leads Costa Prize Category Winners appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Late-Night TV Hosts Give Publicity-Starved Novelists the Star Treatment

TV coverage of literary fiction has dwindled, but Trevor Noah and Seth Meyers are exceptions. “Who would have guessed that a 700-page novel would be on national TV?” one publishing executive said. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2018-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Adam Kay for Christmas 2019

Paul Baggaley at Picador has acquired world rights and audio from Cathryn Summerhayes at Curtis Brown for a new book by Adam Kay, author of hit bestseller This is Going to Hurt. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Century signs two-book deal with Emma Kennedy

Century has signed a two-book deal with actress and writer Emma Kennedy, including a "moving, multi-generational" novel called The Box of Dreams. Launching Kennedy's career as a novelist, Arrow deputy publisher Emily Griffin acquired world rights in all languages in two books from Kennedy... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Graham Norton: ‘In a world going to hell in a handcart, Ireland is a wonderful beacon’

The chatshow host’s new novel centres on Irish lives dominated by shame and repression. Yet, after ‘decades of darkness’, the country’s legalisation of abortion and gay marriage have made him hopefulGraham Norton’s second novel, A Keeper, had not gone to press before this interview, so his... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown launches Heritage division

Curtis Brown, which celebrates its 120th anniversary next year, is launching a new division to manage literary estates. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nurturing the literary landscape

Benedicte Page reflects on the current status of literary fiction and the role of independent publishers in the book industry. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary fiction and Michelle Obama top Super Thursday picks

Super Thursday will fall on 4th October this year, The Bookseller can reveal, when a whopping 544 new hardbacks will be hitting shelves—40 more than on last year’s equivalent day—all vying for a slice of the lucrative Christmas book market. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marian Keyes to fund Curtis Brown scholarship for budding author

Bestselling author Marian Keyes is funding a £2,600 place on Curtis Brown’s online six-month writing course for one “talented writer with limited financial means”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Rebel Writers' explored by Brayfield for I B Tauris

Independent I B Tauris has signed novelist Celia Brayfield’s new book Rebel Writers in a deal made with Curtis Brown. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown's Purdy sets up own company

Former Curtis Brown Creative editor Rufus Purdy has launched a new company offering a range of editorial services for novelists. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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