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"


Carmen Giménez Looks Back at Her Year at Graywolf

The former English professor says there has been a learning curve moving from academia to the publishing industry, but she feels energized by the challenges. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


An Open Letter in Support of Adania Shibli From More Than 350 Writers, Editors, and Publishers

This letter was originally published by ArabLit. The shocking and tragic events that began on October 7th and are ongoing today have had repercussions all over the globe, including within the publishing world. Award-winning Palestinian author Adania Shibli, who was a finalist for the 2020... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-17 09:05:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Patience, Perspective, and the Power of Story: An Interview with Toni Ann Johnson, by Scott LaMascus

Patience, Perspective, and the Power of Story: An Interview with Toni Ann Johnson, by Scott LaMascus Interviews [email protected] Mon, 10/16/2023 - 13:46 Storyteller Toni Ann Johnson uses her skills as an actor, playwright, and fiction writer to... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2023-10-16 18:46:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Frankfurt-Bound Nermin Mollaoğlu Opens a Press in the UK

Istanbul's accomplished literary agent Nermin Mollaoğlu is opening a new press in London with Tasja Dorkofikis and Geraldine D'Amico. The post Frankfurt-Bound Nermin Mollaoğlu Opens a Press in the UK appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-10-12 20:29:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this


New Voices, Fresh Thinking Highlight Mountains & Plains FallCon 2023

The Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association's fall conference in Denver was filled with high energy for its 400 total participants, as publishing industry veterans met up with the next generation of booksellers inside and outside the exhibit hall. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Frankfurt’s 75th Edition: Two Agents’ ‘LitAg Moments’

Spain's Anna Soler-Pont and France's Magalie Delobelle are two of the literary agents sharing 'LitAg Moments' with us for Frankfurt's 75th. The post Frankfurt’s 75th Edition: Two Agents’ ‘LitAg Moments’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-09-29 00:30:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Lit Agent Landscape Diversifies Some as Anxieties over Book Business Grow

The results of this year's Association of American Literary Agents biannual membership survey indicate that the agency sector of the book business is diversifying, but is still predominantly white, and issues including burnout and unequal pay remain. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Generative AI vs. Copyright

Publishing attorney Lloyd J. Jassin examines what artificial intelligence will mean for the publishing industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


TikTok Cookbook Authors

A growing number of video stars are using their online clout to break into the publishing world. And they’re changing the shape of the American cookbook. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-09-18 09:01:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Publishers are using online job boards to diversify revenue streams

Globally, the publishing industry is contending with diminishing revenues. With a recent report from intelligence provider WARC finding that global advertising revenue for total print will experience a 7.7% drop-off in 2023 from last year’s number, traditional publishers are looking to shore up... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-14 15:29:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Zakiya Dalila Harris' life inspired 'The Other Black Girl.' Why she had to cut the cord

The former editor explains how she turned her acclaimed publishing world satire into a Hulu series, while learning to 'divide' herself from her heroine. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-09-13 19:57:43 UTC ]
More news stories like this


David Jacobs obituary

American screenwriter and producer behind the creation of the hugely successful soaps Dallas and Knots LandingDavid Jacobs, who has died aged 84, was an aspiring novelist when he created the show Dallas, a worldwide phenomenon and US television’s first peak-time soap success since Peyton Place.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-23 13:56:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this


‘Times change’: what authors think about rewriting older books

Jacqueline Wilson is latest writer to wade into debate over changing dated and offensive languageThe publishing industry has been mired in debate in recent years about editing older books to remove content that could be deemed offensive.Even the prime minister became involved in February after... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-14 13:30:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Publishing Industry Has a New Nightmare

Consolidation was supposed to be books’ biggest threat. Is private equity worse? Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2023-08-11 14:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Week in Libraries: August 11, 2023

Among the week's headlines: librarians, educators, and publishers grapple with new state book banning laws; bestselling author John Green responds to having his books pulled from library shelves; a proposed judgment has been filed in the Internet Archive copyright case; and PEN America publishes... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Amazon removes books ‘generated by AI’ for sale under author’s name

Jane Friedman claims she had to fight against Amazon’s refusal to remove the misattributed titles because she had not trademarked her nameFive books for sale on Amazon were removed after author Jane Friedman complained that the titles were falsely listed as being written by her. The books, which... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-09 14:28:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Week in Libraries: July 28, 2023

Among the week's headlines: a coalition of booksellers and publishing industry groups sue Texas over the state's new book rating law; a judge in Arkansas is set to rule on a motion to block that state's 'harmful to minors' law from taking effect; and a Houston school district's plan to replace... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Carol Smith obituary

My cousin Carol Smith, who has died aged 84, was a literary agent and author best known for her thrillers Kensington Court (1996) and Unfinished Business (2000).Born in London to Winifred (nee Mapleston), a teacher, and David Smith, a businessman, Carol attended the North London Collegiate,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-07-25 15:31:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The indie publishing mavericks shaking up the UK books world

Last year, all of literature’s big prizes went to small publishers. In a risk‑averse climate, edgy debuts and ‘tricky-to-sell’ foreign titles have found a home at the likes of Fitzcarraldo Editions and Sort Of Books – and the gamble has paid offA quiet revolution is afoot in British publishing.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-07-16 08:00:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Rights Edition: Tokyo and Kansai Rights Meetings Announced

Two rights meetings are being restored to physical operations in November by Japan's Publishing Industry Foundation. The post Rights Edition: Tokyo and Kansai Rights Meetings Announced appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-07-14 19:34:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this