Publishing must make room for disabled authors - for its own good

Attention to diversity has yet to pay much heed to us, but we are the biggest minority in the world, so if space is cleared everyone stands to win As a disabled writer, it has been a little strange to watch publishers rush to put on online events during the pandemic. Authors have been understandably worried about the impact of Covid-19 on sales and their relationship with their readers – book signings are pretty tricky over Zoom – but this sort of adaptation isn’t novel for all of us. When I released my book, Crippled, last year, my chronic illness meant I couldn’t do a traditional in-person book tour. Instead, I did several online events with book groups with audiences from Belfast to London, all from my living room. Everyone I worked with was kind and problem-solving, but I was very aware I was doing something rare. At times, I felt like the only disabled author out there.Diversity in publishing has thank goodness been on the agenda of late, but there’s been very little mention of disability. Disabled people are the biggest minority in the world – one in five will have a disability, mental health condition or chronic illness in their lifetime – but the publishing industry is still disappointingly unrepresentative of us. A 2019 Publishers Association survey found only 6.6% of the workforce identified as having a disability, and there aren’t any available statistics on disabled authors. Another 2019 study found that only 3.4% of children’s books published last year had a... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-09-04 14:00:57 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Publishing must make room for disabled authors - for its own good"


Frankfurt Book Fair 2015: A New Era Begins

After a decade of change in the publishing industry, the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair (which runs October 14–18) marks something of a turning point. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Author launches search for BAME children’s writers

Author Leila Rasheed has created a writer development scheme, funded by the Publishers Association and Arts Council England, to encourage writers from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds to write children’s books. Rasheed said she set up the Megaphone project because she... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Mollet will 'be missed' as head of PA

Richard Mollet has spearheaded "unprecedented change" in the industry and given the Publishers Association "real energy and a sense of direction," publishers have said following the news he is to stand down from his position as c.e.o of the Publishers Association next year. Mollet is leaving to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Mollett Leaving U.K.'s Publishers Association

Richard Mollet, chief executive of the Publishers Association, is to step down next year to become head of European Government Affairs at RELX Group (formerly known as Reed Elsevier). Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


IPG becomes member of PLS

The Independent Publishers Guild (IPG) has become a member of the Publishers Licensing Society (PLS), meaning IPG members will now have a stronger voice in the area of collective licensing and the management of rights. The IPG will be the first new member to join the society since it was... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Crowdfunding Journalism to Confront the Media Industry's 'Huge Problem'

There’s a huge problem at the moment in journalism and the publishing industry, which is that no journalism or media company has figured out how to actually fund their content in this new age of the Internet. The big reason is that newspape ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Mexico Needs a Government Policy to Promote Publishing, Reading

Mexico's publishing industry has great potential, but the lack of organized government is a persistent problem, argues Déborah Holtz of Trilce Ediciones. The post Mexico Needs a Government Policy to Promote Publishing, Reading appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


IPA condemns New Zealand YA book ban

The International Publishers Association (IPA) has condemned New Zealand’s temporary ban of Ted Dawe’s YA novel Into the River, saying freedom of expression is a “universal human right”. IPA president Richard Charkin said: “The IPA supports and applauds the book’s publisher Penguin Random House... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


PW Star Watch 2015 Honorees

PW's Star Watch honors the publishing industry's up-and-coming talent. Get to know tomorrow's leaders. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Arnaud Nourry to be questioned at FBF

Hachette Livre c.e.o. and chairman Arnaud Nourry will be interviewed as part of Frankfurt Book Fair’s c.e.o. talk series. Nourry will be questioned by the editors of The Bookseller, Livres Hebdo, Bookdao, buchreport, PublishNews Brazil and Publishers Weekly. The discussion, moderated by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Self-Publishing Is Good for You … and Authors and the Book Industry

The real beneficiary of the DIY book boom is the publishing industry itself. The post Self-Publishing Is Good for You … and Authors and the Book Industry appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


'Drastic action needed' to help Scottish writers

Author Janice Galloway has called on Creative Scotland to “to do something drastic” to stop the nation’s writers from struggling.   According to the Scotsman,  Galloway, author of The Trick is to Keep Breathing (Vintage Classics), has warned that most of Scotland’s writers are being left to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The rise of the fall

While half of the publishing industry has taken advantage of the brief August lull to spend a fortnight in Devon reading Elena Ferrante, the reality—as many a hard-pressed publicist can testify—is that the autumn rush is almost upon us. In under a fortnight, Jamie Oliver’s Everyday Super Food... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Can We Stop Pretending The Publishing Industry Is Fair Now?

Book publishing is an absolute meritocracy, if you disregard all the deeply ingrained misogyny and racism. Wait ... Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2015-08-06 13:54:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Financial Times will now have Rising Sun ethics

Being sold to Nikkei brings a Japanese-style code of behaviourThe FT has not joined the Independent Press Standards Organisation, or its rival Impress project; it is doing its own regulation thing. And it’s worth pausing over that decision as the Pink One becomes a Rising Sun under Nikkei... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Future Artefacts fair seeks to show physical media far from dead

Ben Freeman, organiser of London event, says: ‘Everyone realises the internet hasn’t killed the record industry or the publishing industry – just changed it’A fair celebrating the future of physical objects in media – from books and magazines to records and cassettes – will debut in London this... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Why Nikkei Is Betting Big on Digital Growth at the Financial Times

Nikkei’s $1.3 billion deal to buy the Financial Times underscores the fact that the publishing industry’s fortunes lie in going digital, experts say. Continue reading at Knowledge@Wharton

[ Knowledge@Wharton | 2015-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Booksellers get free access to digital proofs

Booksellers will get “quicker and wider access” to book proofs from across the publishing industry through a partnership with the Booksellers Association and NetGalley. UK booksellers will get access to digital proofs from over 50 publishers – including Bonnier, Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


A "cooler", more creative children's publishing industry on show at CMC

The theme of this year’s Children’s Media Conference (CMC), which took place 1-3 July in Sheffield, was “All Change”. Which is apt, because the children’s TV industry (from which this conference was originally born) is experiencing a disruption just as profound and perhaps more urgent than... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


For the Publishing Industry in 2020, Print Will Still Dominate Revenues

Ovum’s new Digital Consumer Publishing Forecast is published tomorrow.  It takes a five year view at how this sector will change. Ahead of publication, Ovum analyst Charlotte Miller gives TheMediaBriefing an exclusive look at some of t ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this