The Guardian view on the writing business: readers must ultimately benefit | Editorial

People want stories and that means cultivating a publishing ecosystem where big and small can flourishThis week both the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority and the Department of Justice in the US announced investigations into the planned $2.2bn acquisition of the publisher Simon & Schuster by Bertelsmann, which already owns Penguin Random House. The merger, if allowed, would see Bertelsmann have almost one-third of English-language book sales. The move follows a year when a population cocooned at home, reaching for comfort reading, inflated the profits of big publishers. Bloomsbury and Pan Macmillan recently announced that they would be returning furlough payments; HarperCollins did not take them.Many of the UK’s smaller publishers fared rather differently: a Bookseller survey last summer found 60% feared they would cease to exist by autumn. Indies tend not to have the backlists full of household names that, say, a Penguin has; they depend far more on serendipity, on a customer wandering into a shop intending to buy one thing but coming out with something else as well. This happens far less with online shopping; at least one publisher lost up to 90% in sales. Some also found it difficult to qualify for furlough. They took to social media to announce their plight, or to try new selling tactics; some crowdfunded; some received emergency Arts Council England cash. Many were dragged back from the brink, for which we should be grateful. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-03-28 17:25:47 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "The Guardian view on the writing business: readers must ultimately benefit | Editorial"


The 15th-Century Wool Worker’s Son Who Made Books for Princes and Popes

“The Bookseller of Florence,” by Ross King, tells the history of Renaissance bookmaking through the story of Vespasiano da Bisticci, who rose from humble roots to dominate the trade. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-04-13 09:00:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this


News Corp’s Plan To Acquire Houghton Mifflin’s Trade Division

HarperCollins parent News Corp's intended acquisition of HMH Books & Media raises, for some, new concern about consolidation. The post News Corp’s Plan To Acquire Houghton Mifflin’s Trade Division appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-03-31 15:40:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Colfer's new Fowl Twins instalment scooped by HCCB

HarperCollins Children’s Books has scooped the third instalment of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl companion series The Fowl Twins in a two-book deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-30 23:47:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this


PRH’s Markus Dohle on Bertelsmann’s 2020 Profit Report

'Globally, people turned to books' in 2020, Markus Dohle says, and Penguin Random House parent Bertelsmann reports on a strong year. The post PRH’s Markus Dohle on Bertelsmann’s 2020 Profit Report appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-03-30 15:54:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Guardian view on the writing business: readers must ultimately benefit | Editorial

People want stories and that means cultivating a publishing ecosystem where big and small can flourishThis week both the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority and the Department of Justice in the US announced investigations into the planned $2.2bn acquisition of the publisher Simon &... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-03-28 17:25:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Beverly Clearly, beloved creator of Ramona Quimby, has died at the age of 104.

Legend of children’s literature Beverly Cleary died on March 25th in Carmel, California, HarperCollins announced on Friday. She was 104. Since publishing Henry Huggins in 1950, when she was a librarian, Cleary has sold 85 million copies of her books, which have been translated into 29 different... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-03-27 13:47:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury issues another profit upgrade

But company says reading boom may end when Covid restrictions are liftedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury has issued its second profit upgrade of the year, lauding a lockdown reading boom, but the trend may not endure as coronavirus... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-03-24 12:22:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Bloomsbury Lifts Forecast for Fiscal 2021

Citing continuing strong demand for books in February, Bloomsbury Publishing said it expects sales for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2021, to be above current market expectations and profits to be "significantly" ahead of previous forecasts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


UK watchdog investigates Penguin owner’s Simon & Schuster takeover

CMA says it is considering whether Penguin Random House’s $2bn deal would lessen competitionAuthors fear the worst if Bertelsmann takes over Simon & SchusterThe UK competition watchdog has launched an investigation into Penguin Random House’s $2bn (£1.45bn) takeover of Simon & Schuster,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-03-22 09:00:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Bookseller survey finds fatigue and low morale after year of lockdown

A survey conducted by The Bookseller reveals that 12 months after lockdown began, many feel low and isolated, with views on a return to ‘normal’ life decidedly split. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-19 15:22:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Tibetan Resistance Movement and Windhorse: In Conversation with Kaushik Barua, by Koushik Goswami

Interviews Born and brought up in Assam, Kaushik Barua is an emerging Indian English author. He completed his degree in economics from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, and then studied political economy at the London School of Economics. In his day... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2021-03-15 20:37:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Tor nets Holland's Wild Hunt retelling

Tor has signed Waterstones bookseller Lucy Holland’s new folktale retelling, which reimagines the legend of the Wild Hunt for a modern audience. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-14 09:09:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Meg Mason | 'I hope that you get the sense that it is everybody’s tragedy'

Back in January 2018, freelance journalist Mason began work on a new novel in the little shed in her back garden in Sydney. She already had two books under her belt with HarperCollins Australia, a memoir of early motherhood—the brilliantly titled Say it Again in a Nice Voice—and her début novel... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-12 23:02:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Ex-HarperCollins chief Friedman joins Inkitt

Former HarperCollins global c.e.o. Jane Friedman has joined Inkitt as an advisor and shareholder. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-05 09:36:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Bloomsbury launches Book House platform

Bloomsbury has launched a platform to make it easier to purchase books from its popular categories. The move comes as the publisher reveals a shift in consumer reading choices throughout 2020 and 2021's lockdown periods.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-05 05:15:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this


HarperCollins reveals 2025 Glasgow site move

HarperCollins will be moving to a new purpose-built warehouse and office facility in Robroyston, Glasgow, when the lease at its current nearby site expires in 2025, the firm has announced. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-01 12:45:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Your Week in Virtual Book Events, March 1st to March 7th

Happily Ever Afters: An Evening with Elise Bryant Monday, March 1st, 7:00pm EST Cafe con Libros welcomes debut novelist Elise Bryant in celebration of the recent publication of her book, Happily Ever Afters. She will be joined in conversation by bookseller Tyrinne Lewis. Free, via Crowdcast. The... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-03-01 09:48:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this


BAE founder Marianne Tatepo to guest edit The Bookseller

The Bookseller magazine is to bring in a guest editor for the first time, with Marianne Tatepo, the founder of the Black Agents & Editors' Group (BAE), to take the reins for the 9th April issue. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-28 21:30:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this


HCCB takes three more in Biddulph's Draw With Rob series

HarperCollins Children’s Books has signed a deal with Rob Biddulph for three more titles in his Draw With Rob series. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-26 11:23:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Barefoot Bookseller | 'It’s not for the faint-hearted, but it’s an amazing opportunity and a brilliant job'

Back in 2018, an advert for what seemed like the perfect job for book lovers went viral after Sonu Shivdasani, founder of Soneva luxury holiday resorts, and Philip Blackwell, c.e.o. of Ultimate Library—a company that creates bespoke book collections for hotels and private clients—came up with... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-25 23:24:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this