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

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L.A.'s poet laureate isn't mincing words: 'The world's on fire. We're just trying to survive.'

L.A. poet laureate Robin Coste Lewis joins the L.A. Times Book Club Sept. 24 for Black Poets in a Time of Unrest, an evening of discussion and poetry performances. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-09-17 20:34:53 UTC ]
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Zaffre to publish 'dark and twisted' debut thriller The Art of Death

Bonnier Books UK has acquired an "intensely creepy" serial killer thriller debut, The Art of Death by David Fennell, to publish under the Zaffre imprint in February 2021. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-16 05:09:04 UTC ]
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Callaway Arts to Publish 'The Beatles: Get Back'

Set for release in August 2021, the title is the first authorized book by the Beatles in two decades. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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HC, S&S Name Company-Wide Diversity Executives

As part of an industry-wide effort to reckon with issues of diversity in trade book publishing, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster have each named new high-ranking staffers to address issues of diversity at their companies. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Literary Arts Emergency Fund will award 3.5 million to 282 literary organizations this year.

Exclusive: the Literary Arts Emergency Fund, launched and administered by the Academy of American Poets, the Community of Literary Magazine & Presses, and the National Book Foundation, has announced that it will distribute $3.5 million in emergency funding to 282 nonprofit literary arts... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-15 19:00:39 UTC ]
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Douglas Stuart | 'Representation of the working-class is essential for diversity in literature'

Scottish author Douglas Stuart talks to us about his Booker Prize 2020-shortlisted début novel, Shuggie Bain.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-15 13:46:50 UTC ]
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Most diverse Booker prize shortlist ever is also almost all American

With no room for Hilary Mantel’s conclusion to her Wolf Hall trilogy, the six finalists also include four debutsHilary Mantel will not win a third Booker prize with the final novel in her Thomas Cromwell trilogy, after American writers made a near clean sweep of this year’s shortlist.With four... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-09-15 12:21:07 UTC ]
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'The end of an innocent world': An oral history of the first National Book Festival, which debuted three days before 9/11

Ahead of the 20th National Book Festival, Laura Bush, Scott Turow, Michael Beschloss and others look back at the event’s storied beginning. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-15 12:00:00 UTC ]
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HBG Releases Diversity and Inclusion Progress Report

A new diversity and inclusion progress report from Hachette Book Group details internal and external commitments, including goals to increase the number of people of color employed by the company as well as make “measurable improvements” to company culture and community service. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Sharjah World Book Capital Leads Beirut Library Restoration Aid

As Beirut struggles to move forward, the Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi and Sharjah's World Book Capital program step in to help libraries. The post Sharjah World Book Capital Leads Beirut Library Restoration Aid appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-09-14 18:40:21 UTC ]
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BookMachine reveals editorial board changes to enhance diversity

BookMachine has announced a new editorial board, with some former members stepping down to make way for change, to better reflect the diversity it hopes to see in the industry. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-14 05:55:52 UTC ]
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Discovery + Diversity: 8 Moms on Building Personal Libraries for Kids

Eight moms on how they're building personal libraries for their children and building their interest in reading. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-09-11 10:37:00 UTC ]
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PRH Releases Workforce Report on Diversity

An internal report on workforce demographics at Penguin Random House shows that 78% of PRH non-warehouse employees are white. In addressing the report, PRH U.S. CEO Madeline McIntosh said the company is determined to make its workforce "reflect the demographics of American society.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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S&S acquires Pope Francis' 'inspiring' guidance for Covid-hit world

Simon & Schuster is to publish Let Us Dream from Pope Francis in December.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-02 17:32:34 UTC ]
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Perfect Reading T-Shirts for the Book Fandom World

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[ Book Riot | 2020-09-02 10:33:00 UTC ]
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The World’s First Novel Is Older Than You Think

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[ Book Riot | 2020-09-02 10:32:00 UTC ]
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Panel Mania: Blade Runner 2019: Off World Vol. 2 by Michael Green, Mike Johnson, and Andres Guinaldo

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Ethan Hawke is now a book critic, thereby completing his Literary World Bingo Card.

Congratulations to Ethan Hawke, star of my favorite film (Gattaca) and arguably the most bookish man in Hollywood, who has, with today’s inclusion in the (web) pages of the New York Times Book Review, completed his Literary World Bingo Card! What is the Literary World Bingo Card you ask? Well,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-01 18:45:05 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Up 8% in Late August

With all but one category posting increases, unit sales of print books rose 8% in the week ended Aug. 22, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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