Publish and be branded: the new threat to literature's laboratory

Increasingly fixated on the stars of today, such as Hilary Mantel and JK Rowling, publishers are neglecting the experimenters who could save their industry tomorrow: the mid-list writersThe tickets sold out months ago. Long before the admiring reviews of the stage adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novels Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies hit the press at the end of last week, theatre-goers were in no doubt they wanted to see six hours of blazing Tudor intrigue.A £7m BBC adaptation beckons, with the actor Mark Rylance teaming up with Peter Kosminsky, director of The Government Inspector.The runaway success of Mantel's story could be seen as a heartwarming tale for the book industry, but it comes at a time when many insiders worry such a tale will become increasingly rare as talented authors find it ever harder break through.Authors with middling sales – like Mantel, before she led Thomas Cromwell up the bestseller list – are getting less care and attention from large publishers, with readers ever-more fixated on fantasy blockbusters, it is said.For HarperCollins, the publishing giant behind 4th Estate, the imprint that publishes Mantel, bestselling authors have become more important than ever. Charlie Redmayne, chief executive of HarperCollins, recently described Mantel as one of several writers, along with Michael Morpurgo and JK Rowling, "who have transcended being an author and are brands in their own right".He added: "In a digital world, they are going to create a huge... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #nathan filer #costa award

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Obama advisor David Axelrod to publish Washington memoir

David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Obama, is joining the list of one-time Obama administration officials who will be penning memoirs next year, Penguin Press has announced. David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Obama, is joining the list of  one-time Obama... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Smashwords Prioritizes International Self-Publishing Markets

Facing a 30% slowdown in growth in the US, Smashwords' CEO Mark Coker says the big opportunity is abroad and the company is doing more to cater to non-English speakers. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Medium's New Collaborative Publishing Feature Encourages Authors To Create Better Things, Together

Medium's hypothesis has always been that people create better things when they work together. The publishing platform's newest tool helps its authors do just that. Biz Stone and Ev Williams' founding mantra for Medium, the publishing platform they launched last August, was, "People create... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers in the UK are Expecting Digital Revenues to Increase by 15% This Year

Digital revenue growth among online publishers in the UK is expected to grow by 15 per cent in 2013 according to the fifth annual organisation census by the Association of Online Publishers, while technology and data will play an increased role in re ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble relabels PubIt! as Nook Press, adds web-based publishing tool

Barnes & Noble's PubIt! self-publishing conduit has been active for well over two years, but you'd be forgiven for overlooking it with that somewhat forgettable (if very emphatic) name. The company might just know what you're thinking, as it's giving the service a considerably more memorable... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Ten Ways Self-Publishing Has Changed Everything

At The Guardian, Alison Baverstock, author of the guide to self-publishing, The Naked Author, listed the ways in which self-publishing has changed the world. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HCCB to publish 'newly discovered' Scarry title

HarperCollins Children's Books has acquired a previously unpublished Richard Scarry title... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Thatcher memoir to be published this week

HarperCollins imprint HarperPress will publish Margaret Thatcher’s autobiography as a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Death of Thatcher sparks publishing flurry

A flurry of publishing activity has been prompted by the death of former prime minister... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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5 Tips for Self-published Authors to Maximize Rights and Licensing Deals

Hannah Sheppard, creative director at IPR License, reminds self-publishers that getting the basics right are key when pursuing international rights deals. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Breaking Digital Ground: E-books and Small Press Literary Publishers

The Association of Writers and Writing Programs annual conference (AWP) began decades ago as a meet-up for academic creative writing departments, students, and writers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Bad News Brings the Publishing Family Together

The response of people to the sad news concerning Iain Banks, who announced he has terminal cancer, makes us realize how the book trade is like a huge, extended family. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Johannesburg’s Fourthwall: Publishing Experiments on the Periphery

Bronwyn Law-Viljoen, editor of Johannesburg’s inventive art books publisher Fourthwall, discusses how publishing on the periphery of the world can give you an edge. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Arthur Frommer takes brand back from Google, will keep guidebooks going

The tale of Google and Frommer's famed travel guides has taken another twist this evening. Associated Press writer Beth Harpaz reports Arthur Frommer confirmed over the phone that he has retaken control of the brand from Google, and plans to continue publishing them in ebook and print formats,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon and US publishers dismiss indie DRM lawsuit

Amazon and six US publishers have asked a US court to dismiss a lawsuit by three American... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German Readers Finally Embracing Ebooks, Self-Publishing

Discussions at this year's Leipzig Book Fair proved that ebooks and self publishing are gaining wider acceptance in Germany, and readers are more open to digitization. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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March/April Starred BlueInk Reviews of Self-published Books

Among the best, new self-published titles of March and April is The Beach at Herculaneum by Susan G. Muth, only the second title to win a BlueInk Best Book Award. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kathy Thomson named chief operating officer of Tribune publishing

Tribune Co. has promoted Kathy Thomson, president and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Times, to the newly created position of chief operating officer of Tribune’s publishing division. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Germany’s epubli Brings Self-publishing Expertise to UK and Beyond

Holtzbrinck's five-year-old self-publishing platform epubli is expanding to the UK amid a huge shift in attitude toward self-publishing and its potential. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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MJ to publish Union J

Penguin division Michael Joseph will publish a new book by "X Factor" band Union J this... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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