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

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Publish and be branded: the new threat to literature's laboratory'


Publishers Lunch Opens “Bookateria” Book Discovery Site with Random House

Bookateria, a new book discovery and sales site, features titles that are being discussed, reviewed and recommended by those in the industry and the media. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #random house #book discovery


The War Between Publishers and Libraries Over Ebooks: An Overview

At the heart of the debate between publishers and libraries over ebook pricing and lending is a simple question: do libraries increase book sales or cannibalize them? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook pricing #simple question


3 Key Developing Book Markets for Publishers to Watch in 2013

Korea, Indonesia and Turkey are well positioned to take advantage of the growing interesting in developing book markets from Western publishers in coming years. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #western publishers #coming years


Children's publishers ready Christmas digital strategies

Children's publishers' digital Christmas strategies are already being unwrapped, with... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #print magazines #independent publishing #selling subscriptions


Amazon wins EU ebook pricing battle with Apple and major book publishers

The European Union has accepted an offer from Apple and four major publishers to reduce pricing restrictions on content offered at Amazon and other book-sellers. After being caught out by the EU, we heard that the offer was likely to be adopted last month, and the commission has now confirmed... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #european union #major publishers #most-favored nation #lagardere sca #hachette livre #striking deals #favored nation


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 ]
More news stories like this |


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fifty shades #el james


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #upscale men #du jour #american artist #martha stewart #transition period #advertising revenue #higher costs


Literature Prize secures sponsorship

The Literature Prize, the book prize founded by Aitken Alexander m.d. and agent Andrew Kidd, has... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literature prize #aitken alexander


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trade publishing #hearst corp


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #curtis brown #jane fallon #digital self-publishing


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #press release #app developers #app downloads #kindle fire #in-app purchasing


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wider audience #spanish-speaking world #trade embargo


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #financial crisis #book sales #latin america


E L James as 'Publishing Person of the Year' draws outcry from literary world

Publishers Weekly faces controversy after naming 'Fifty Shades of Grey' author E L James 'Publishing Person of the Year' for 2012. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing person #literary world #fifty shades


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #indie authors


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 ]
More news stories like this |


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 ]
More news stories like this |


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 ]
More news stories like this |