The arts world is facing a fierce reckoning about diversity. But is it too late? | Arwa Mahdawi

A scandal has exposed massive pay disparities in publishing and journalism. But the information may not help muchThe writer Chip Cheek got paid an $800,000 advance for his erotic debut novel, Cape May. Good for him, right? Even he, however, admits he was shocked by the figure. “But I’m more shocked to see the numbers from writers of color like the extraordinary Jesmyn Ward,” Cheek tweeted earlier this week. “I hope this movement begins to change things.”The movement in question is #PublishingPaidMe. Started by the black fantasy author LL McKinney, the hashtag urges authors to share the amounts of their book advances, in order to highlight the disparities between what black and non-black writers are paid. Cheek, I probably don’t need to tell you, is a white man. His advance, received as a relatively unknown writer, eclipses that of many established writers of colour including, as his tweet notes, the two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward. Related: Top editors resign amid accusations of racist ‘toxic culture’ at US publications We’ve been having the same conversation over and over again for the past decade but nothing seems to change Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-12 09:30:18 UTC ]
News tagged with: #established writers #arwa mahdawi ##publishingpaidme #book advances #white man #past decade #national book award

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The arts world is facing a fierce reckoning about diversity. But is it too late? | Arwa Mahdawi'


We Need Diverse Books is partnering with Penguin Random House to establish a Black Creatives Fund.

Some good news: today, Publishers Weekly reported that We Need Diverse Books is partnering with Penguin Random House on a series of programs to get more books by Black writers published. The Black Creatives Fund initiative involves a “Revisions Workshop”; a mentoring program; and marketing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-02-17 18:23:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diverse books #publishers weekly #penguin random house


The UK’s Publishers Association Releases Its New Diversity Report

The fourth annual diversity survey of British publishing shows progress in women's leadership, slower movement in BAME employment. The post The UK’s Publishers Association Releases Its New Diversity Report appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-02-12 14:37:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diversity report #british publishing #publishers association


The art of publishing

A few months into her new role, the boss of Octopus Publishing shares what she has learned about illustrated publishing while in lockdown Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-11 20:30:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Books exploring friendship and the natural world longlisted for 2021 Klaus Flugge Prize

The Klaus Flugge Prize, awarded to the "most promising and exciting newcomer" in children’s picture book illustration, has longlisted 20 books from illustrators whose debuts span friendship, love, family, the natural world and tales of daring. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-11 05:20:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture book


Small Publishers Struggle to Build a Diverse Workforce

Interviews with mainline Christian, Catholic, and spirituality publishers found efforts to build a more inclusive staff bump into tight budgets, small staffs, lack of attrition, and high competition for talent. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-02-09 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diverse workforce #tight budgets


Orion pre-empts 'fiercely romantic' Williams debut

Orion Fiction has pre-empted "fiercely romantic" debut What Time is Love? and one more novel by journalist Holly Williams in a six-figure deal.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-08 09:50:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #orion fiction #six-figure deal


Mastering the Art of the Lockdown Book Recommendation

My sister always goes to the same bookshop in Oxfordshire, where she lives. There she seeks out a young bookseller with a shock of black hair from within the stacks. He once recommended her a list of books, and she loved every single one; she’s been returning to him ever since. During lockdown,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-02-08 09:49:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black hair #bookseller #bookshop


When Black kids – shut out from the whitewashed world of children's literature – took matters into their own hands

At the turn of the 20th century, with few children's books featuring Black characters, one young editor implored his peers to 'Let us make the world know that we are living.' Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2021-02-05 13:08:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black kids #20th century #children's literature


WI16: Facing the Future

Winter Institute aims to empower booksellers as they look ahead to another challenging year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-02-05 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #challenging year


US magazine Poetry faces outcry for publishing work by sex offender

New issue, dedicated to work by current and former prisoners, provokes uproar after it emerges one poet has served time for child pornography offencesThe US’s prestigious Poetry magazine has doubled down on its decision to publish a poem by a convicted sex offender as part of a special edition... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-02-03 16:08:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #poetry foundation #incarcerated people #english literature


STAMPED Facing Removal from Texas HS Reading List After Parent Grievance

A Texas high school parent is attempting to remove STAMPED: RACISM, ANTIRACISM, AND YOU from the school's reading list. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-02-03 14:58:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Myanmar’s embattled press faces a military coup

Yesterday—after a decade of democratic transition, five years of elected government, and several days of threats, apparent walkbacks, and rumors—Myanmar’s military executed a coup and returned to power. Myawaddy TV, a station owned by the military, announced that Min Aung Hlaing—the army’s... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2021-02-02 13:37:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nieman lab #familiar face #children’s book


Evaristo to mentor emerging writers of colour in Sky Arts project

Bernardine Evaristo is collaborating with the Royal Society of Literature to create a mentoring award scheme for emerging authors of colour as part of a £300,000 Sky Arts project. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-28 18:33:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bernardine evaristo #royal society #emerging authors


Behold these cute phone booth libraries from around the world.

Short of becoming a time machine for well-meaning Gen X slackers, I cannot imagine a grander afterlife for the humble phone booth than to be reincarnated as a cosy wee library. One day you’re a rusted urinal, all-but invisible to the cellphone-clasping masses trundling past, and the next you’ve... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-01-25 17:54:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #time machine #libraries


Girl A: Abigail Dean on her shocking debut novel that's taking the book world by storm

Has this Google lawyer written the book of the year? The part-time author talks about the inspiration for her thriller about siblings who flee abusive parents and their ‘house of horror’Abigail Dean was about to turn 30 when she suddenly realised that her job as a lawyer was using up all the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-01-25 06:00:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #abigail dean #40th birthday #book world #debut novel


As MLK faced a crisis, Kennedy and Nixon made political calculations

Paul and Stephen Kendrick on how King’s 1960 arrest influenced the presidential campaign. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-01-22 13:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stephen kendrick #presidential campaign


Anita Sethi | 'Healing comes from keeping open to the world and to other people'

In May 2019, Manchester-born writer and journalist Anita Sethi was on a TransPennine train from Liverpool to Newcastle when she became the victim of a race hate crime, a male passenger attacking her with words that, she wrote later, “hurt the very heart of me”. Sethi bravely reported the racial... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-21 15:24:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #anita sethi


In New Book, Historian Looks at Church and State Turmoil Facing Biden

A church historian looks at the religious, institutional, and social challenges ahead for Joe Biden—America's second Catholic president—and how they parallel those faced by Pope Francis. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-20 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pope francis


Oxford University Press Puts Its Full ‘World Classics’ List Online

'In the last year, we've really seen the importance of reliable digital products' amid the constraints of the pandemic, says David Clark. The post Oxford University Press Puts Its Full ‘World Classics’ List Online appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-01-15 21:53:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #oxford university press


‘On the Suffering of the World’ sounds depressing, but perhaps it is a call to action, too

A collection of works by the 19th-century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer takes on new meaning today. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-01-13 15:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |