Publishers are paying writers a pittance, say bestselling authors

Philip Pullman, Antony Beevor and Sally Gardner call for fairer share of profits, as survey shows full-time writers earn below minimum wagePhilip Pullman, Antony Beevor and Sally Gardner are calling on publishers to increase payments to authors, after a survey of more than 5,500 professional writers revealed a dramatic fall in the number able to make a living from their work. The latest report by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS), due to be published on Thursday, shows median earnings for professional writers have plummeted by 42% since 2005 to under £10,500 a year, well below the minimum annual income of £17,900 recommended by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Women fare worse, according to the survey, earning 75% of what their male counterparts do, a 3% drop since 2013 when the last ALCS survey was conducted.The word exploitation comes to mind. M​any of us are being treated badly Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #antony beevor #sally gardner #latest report #professional writers #male counterparts #3% drop

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Black Writers' Guild tells UK publishing how to get its own house in order

The Black Writers' Guild has issued an open letter, signed by writers including Dorothy Koomson, Malorie Blackman, Candice Carty-Williams, David Olusoga and Bernardine Evaristo, telling British publishers it is "deeply concerned" they are "raising awareness of racial inequality without... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-14 19:50:25 UTC ]
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Black US authors top New York Times bestseller list as protests continue

Michelle Alexander and Ijeoma Oluo among those on list, marking first time top 10 entries are primarily titles on race issuesGeorge Floyd killing – latest US updatesBlack American authors, including Michelle Alexander and Ijeoma Oluo, have surged to the top of the latest New York Times’... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-11 18:10:43 UTC ]
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Publishers want more black authors. Why have they silenced us for so long? | Candice Carty-Williams

As Black Lives Matter protests take place across the world, the publishing world is rushing to support those ‘ignored by the mainstream’. Who is the mainstream, then?The publishing industry is stilted and archaic. I worked in it for seven years, and left due to reasons I can’t legally talk... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-11 09:44:22 UTC ]
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Dorothy Koomson: 'publishing is a hostile environment for Black authors'

Author Dorothy Koomson has written an open letter to the publishing industry, in which she describes it as a “hostile environment for Black authors”.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-10 06:37:48 UTC ]
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Publishers, agents and authors continue to respond to Black Lives Matter protests

Publishers and authors have continued to share reading lists and offers of help following the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-05 10:41:41 UTC ]
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Hamish Hamilton to publish Norwegian literary writer Linn Ullmann

Hamish Hamilton will publish Unquiet, a novel by Norwegian writer Linn Ullmann, daughter of film director Ingmar Bergman and actress Liv Ullmann. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-05 01:22:58 UTC ]
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Artemis Fowl author Eoin Colfer to headline virtual Writers' Weekend

Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl series, will be the keynote speaker at the virtual Writers' Weekend, a four-day conference that will now be live streamed from 9th-12th July.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-15 23:55:15 UTC ]
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'It's a real battle': African authors fight for publishing independence

Francophone African books are still very often published by French imprints, which can make them hard to get at home. But there is a growing push for changeWhen Cameroonian author Daniel Alain Nsegbe first saw his debut novel for sale in his home city of Douala, the price was so high “you would... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-05-14 09:59:14 UTC ]
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Agents warn publishers to 'think carefully' on delaying author payments

“Many” requests have been made by publishers about the possibility of delaying payments to authors to help improve cashflow in the difficult circumstances caused by Covid-19, it has emerged. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-20 15:49:24 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Finds Writers Are Losing Significant Income

A survey by the Authors Guild of its members found a majority of authors had already lost significant income due to the ongoing pandemic, led by lost fees from appearances and writing opportunities. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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New Works by Writers with Disabilities Hit Publisher Lists

For the first time, a spate of new and forthcoming titles written by people with disabilities across the United States suggests that the publishing industry may finally be amplifying their voices and stories. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Everyone feels the pain’: Major digital publishers enact pay and benefits cuts to stanch the bleeding

Several publishers have begun announcing their pay cuts and furlough plans as ad revenue continues drying up. Seeing patterns from previous recessions, former media execs explain why these cost controls are only temporary fixes. The post ‘Everyone feels the pain’: Major digital publishers enact... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2020-03-31 04:01:00 UTC ]
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Authors and publishers get creative as book launches are moved online

In response to the coronavirus outbreak and government advice to socially distance, authors, readers and booksellers are thinking of new, exciting and creative ways to launch their books and keep readers engaged after in-person-events get cancelled.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-18 11:27:40 UTC ]
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The Ghost Writer: An Author Imagines a Letter From Her Late Grandmother

“Nobody Will Tell You This but Me,” a memoir by Bess Kalb, traces her family history from the Russian pogroms to the American dream. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-03-17 09:00:08 UTC ]
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Jessica Kingsley Publishers launches writing prize for trans and non-binary writers

Jessica Kingsley Publishers has launched a non-fiction writing prize for trans and non-binary writers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-12 09:48:12 UTC ]
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Clive Cussler, Bestselling Author And Adventurer, Dead At 88

Cussler's page-turning novels about underwater explorer Dirk Pitt sold millions of copies. Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2020-02-27 05:10:29 UTC ]
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Clive Cussler, Bestselling Adventure Author, Dies at 88

Clive Cussler, bestselling adventure novelist and a real-life maritime explorer whose life at times mirrored the seafaring escapades of his books, died February 24 at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 88. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-02-27 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestselling author and real-life Hemingway hero Clive Cussler has died.

Clive Cussler, the author of more than 85 books, written over 4 decades, died at home on Monday, February 24, at the age of 88. Cussler was a major bestseller in his lifetime, selling over 100 million copies of his thrillers and adventure novels, and hitting The New York Times‘s bestseller list... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-02-26 20:05:13 UTC ]
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Latinx in Publishing Debuts Writers Mentorship Program

Literary nonprofit Latinx in Publishing has launched a new initiative, the Writers Mentorship Program, which is aimed at providing unpublished and/or unagented writers who identify as Latinx with professional mentorship opportunities. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-02-25 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Publisher Of Controversial ‘American Dirt’ Cancels Author Tour Amid Security Concerns

The latest Oprah's Book Club pick by Jeanine Cummins, a white woman, has been widely criticized for stereotypical depictions of Mexicans and migration. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2020-01-29 21:08:32 UTC ]
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