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 about. Though, in that time, I was able to enforce and oversee some steps towards sustainable change. At 4th Estate, an imprint of HarperCollins, I started the Guardian 4th Estate BAME Short Story prize (still going strong, five years later). Staggered by the lack of underrepresented voices, I knew I had to do something, anything to give those voices a way to permeate the industry.It is taken for granted that would-be writers will know what a literary agent is. But most have no idea how to structure a book proposal, or where to send it. This information is possessed by those in the know, and the people in the know often want to keep it to themselves. Let’s talk about literary agents for a second; they are, effectively, tastemakers. Editors trust them to deliver books and authors that adhere to their (sometimes limited) taste. And what happens when these arbiters continue to work within the circles of writers who they already know? The same thing that always happens: books that follow trends, that look the same, that are written by the same kinds of people. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-11 09:44:22 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Publishers want more black authors. Why have they silenced us for so long? | Candice Carty-Williams"


Fact or friction: the problem with factchecking in the book world

Recent controversies surrounding books by Sally Kohn and Amy Chozick have revealed a system that makes it hard to authenticate the claims of authorsRecent weeks have seen a flurry of conversation about factchecking in the publishing industry. Two high-profile authors have had their work’s... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Castillo Comes to Writers House

Johanna Castillo is returning to her roots, leaving her editorial job for a post as a literary agent. The v-p and executive editor of Atria will return to the deal-maker's life on June 6, joining Writers House as a senior literary agent. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


At the Abu Dhabi Book Fair: An Industry Ready for Editorial Rigor and Literary Agents

At the 2018 Abu Dhabi Book Fair, Flora Rees of the Emirates Literature Foundation talks about the editor-author relationship and the role of literary agents in publishing across the Arab world. The post At the Abu Dhabi Book Fair: An Industry Ready for Editorial Rigor and Literary Agents... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-05-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


My Job in 5: Giles Milburn

Giles Milburn tells us all about his role as managing director and literary agent at Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV and Film Agency. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Five Industry Tech Consultants Form New Firm

The members of Publishing Technology Partners are Ken Brooks, Bill Kasdorf, Thad McIlroy, Bill Rosenblatt, and Bill Trippe, all of whom have over 25 years’ experience working in the publishing industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


2018 Festival of Faith & Writing ‘Mixes It Up,' Touts Diversity

Nearly 2,000 writers, literary agents, and publishers gathered in Grand Rapids, Mich. from April 12-14 for the Calvin College Festival of Faith & Writing, which featured speakers of color and panels on racial issues. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-04-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


With Fewer Debut Novels Selling, What Do Editors Want To Tell Authors?

In a tightening market for fiction and especially for debut authors looking for that big break, editors can be choosier–and many are more dependent than ever on literary agents to find their next debuts. The post With Fewer Debut Novels Selling, What Do Editors Want To Tell Authors? appeared... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Alderman nabbed by 4th Estate

Women’s Prize for Fiction winner Naomi Alderman has been poached by 4th Estate in a four book-deal, after more than a decade with Penguin Random House. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


4th Estate takes on 'haunting' literary debut

4th Estate will publish an “exceptional” debut about survival against a dystopian, water-filled landscape from an environmental literature expert. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Manuscripts by Porter and Millwood Hargrave head to LBF

Manuscripts from Max Porter, Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Candice Carty-Williams are among those agents are taking to London Book Fair (LBF) next month. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Publishing in the Baltic Region 2018: An Introduction to Publishing in Latvia

Regardless of the market's limited size, given a national population of only 1.9 million, the standards of the publishing industry in Latvia remain very high. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Times journalist to pen money guide

The Times’ consumer champion Laura Whateley’s debut book, a guide to money management, has been signed by 4th Estate. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Freelancer's guide to parenting coming next year

4th Estate will publish a guide to parenting as a freelancer by journalist Annie Ridout. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


4th Estate swoops in on Korean thriller The Plotters

4th Estate has won a five-way auction for a literary crime thriller The Plotters by South Korean writer Un-su Kim. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


A brief history of Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time

The late physicist’s editor, Peter Guzzardi, recalls his first meetings with Hawking and how his book became a bestsellerStephen Hawking dies aged 76I first encountered Stephen Hawking on the cover of the New York Times magazine. Inside, its pages told a story we all know today, but at the time... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Hagen's response to body-shaming bought by 4th Estate

Comedian Sofie Hagen’s debut, an "intelligent, funny, provocative response to body shaming", will be published by 4th Estate. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Drag queen Glamrou's memoir goes for six figures

4th Estate has won a five-way auction for a memoir by drag troupe leader ‘Glamrou’, exploring their journey from "god-fearing Muslim boy to an influential drag queen", in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations, PRH Drops An Apologetic Dashner

Following a sexual harassment scandal that has embroiled the children's sector of the publishing industry for the past week, James Dashner, author of the bestselling Maze Runner series, has been dropped by his publisher. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Two children's authors dropped by agents amid claims of sexual harassment

In the wake of online accusations, The Maze Runner author James Dashner has lost representation, as has Thirteen Reasons Why author Jay AsherThe Maze Runner author James Dashner has been dropped by his literary agent after a series of anonymous accusations of sexual harassment were made against... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-02-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Sales Rep Legend Ted Heinecken Dies at 84

Ted Heinecken, who was regarded as a senior statesman of the publishing industry, with a career in publishing that spanned 58 years, 52 of them spent as a publisher's rep calling on stores in the Midwest, died in Chicago on Saturday. He was 84 years old. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this