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. Earlier this year, when American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis brought out his latest bestseller, The Shards, the book came to UK readers not from his usual publisher, Picador – his home for nearly four decades – but from a small independent company, Swift Press, a freelance-powered outfit so light on overheads it doesn’t even have an office. Likewise, Sheila Heti, the prize-winning Canadian author of zeitgeisty autobiographical cogitations Motherhood and How Should a Person Be?, recently announced that her next book won’t be out with her regular publisher, Penguin Random House, but with south London indie Fitzcarraldo Editions, not yet 10 years in business. Last year’s Booker winner, Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka, came to us courtesy of the smallest publisher ever to win the prize, husband-and-wife indie Sort Of Books. In 2022, all the glittering literary prizes went to indies – not only the Booker, but its sister prize for translated fiction, the International Booker, as well as the Nobel, the Goldsmiths, the Pulitzer and Australia’s A$100,000 (£80,000) Victorian prize for literature. The last four remarkably were all won by Fitzcarraldo, the UK home of celebrated... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-07-16 08:00:02 UTC ]
News tagged with: #sally rooney #richard osman #svetlana alexievich #olga tokarczuk #british book #publishing world #canadian author #picador #indie publishing

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The indie publishing mavericks shaking up the UK books world'


Books: A teen reviews '#Neveragain,' a World War II tragedy comes to life and more book news

Welcome to the Books newsletter! I’m books editor Carolyn Kellogg, writing my last newsletter from our Spring Street address — next Friday we’ll be packing up for our new digs in El Segundo. THE BIG STORY When I saw that Parkland, Fla., shooting survivors David Hogg and his sister Lauren Hogg had... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books newsletter ##neveragain #book news #el segundo #big story


Clayton to lead UK field sales for Bonnier Publishing UK

Hachette's Sarah Clayton has been appointed head of UK Field Sales for Bonnier Publishing UK. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #appointed head


Publishing in the Baltic Region 2018: A Publisher's View of the Lithuanian Book Business

The director of Tyto Alba describes what her house and other publishers are up to. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Lithuania’s ‘Day of the Book Smugglers’ Comes to the UK Ahead of London Book Fair

Taking to the streets on Lithuania's annual 'Day of the Book Smugglers,' a team of fashionable book 'smugglers' delivered Lithuanian writings to agents' offices, publishing houses, and media newsrooms ahead of London Book Fair's Market Focus on the Baltics. The post Lithuania’s ‘Day of the Book... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post lithuania #book smugglers #uk ahead #publishing houses #market focus


Children’s Books in China 2018: Everafter Books Publishing House

When it comes to partnering with major overseas publishing houses, few people are more knowledgeable than founder and publisher Huang Xiaoyan of Everafter Books. After all, she was involved in the high-profile joint ventures of Macmillan Century and Hachette-Phoenix. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #macmillan century


Nine Criteria for Hybrid Publishing from the Independent Book Publishers Association

The IPBA has released a 9-point outline for hybrid publishers with author-subsidized business models to operate reputably and maintain quality standards. The post Nine Criteria for Hybrid Publishing from the Independent Book Publishers Association appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hybrid publishing #hybrid publishers


Book Aid sends 930,000 books to world's 'most vulnerable'

Book Aid International sent over 930,000 books to thousands of communities across 20 countries in 2017, it said in its end of year summary. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Costa’s Book Award: Five Category Winners in the UK, One To Win Book of the Year

Now in line for the overall Costa Book of the Year award–to be announced January 30–the five Costa category winners include three titles from HarperCollins UK imprints. The post Costa’s Book Award: Five Category Winners in the UK, One To Win Book of the Year appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-01-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #costa book #year appeared #book award #category winners


Open Book: Talking Books at the World's Biggest Music Festival

PW's Louisa Ermelino reports on the robust book culture scene in and around the Glastonbury festival. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #open book #talking books #glastonbury festival


The Book People publishes schoolgirl's book

Schoolgirl Isabel Harris has had her book published after winning The Book People’s inaugural Bedtime Story Competition. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book published #book people


UK publishers apply for offices in Sharjah's Publishing City

At least three UK publishers have applied to have bases in Sharjah’s “Publishing City”, The Bookseller has learned. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing city #uk publishers


London Book Fair 2017: Cory Doctorow Unveils His Latest Publishing Experiment—Fair Trade E-Books

For his forthcoming book, Walkaway, out in April, the bestselling author has devised a novel approach to selling the digital edition. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bestselling author #digital edition


World Book Day: quarter of children would not own a book without it

Research revealed on World Book Day (WBD) suggests that a quarter of eight to 11-year-olds would not own a book without the initiative. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #research revealed


With World Book Day, Cambridge University Press Reaches Out to Young Book Lovers

World Book Day on Thursday typically woos young people toward reading, but Cambridge University Press wants them on the payroll. The post With World Book Day, Cambridge University Press Reaches Out to Young Book Lovers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Indie publishers 'spurred on' to publish more from Trump's banned nations

Independent publishers have been “spurred on” to continue producing works that give a voice to silenced nations following President Trump's controversial "travel ban". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #president trump #indie publishers #independent publishers #travel ban


Color It Confusing: Can the UK’s VAT People Classify Coloring Books as Not Books?

If Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs office can somehow categorize coloring books as not books—and "incomplete" because they're not colored in—what might publishers have to pay in VAT? The post Color It Confusing: Can the UK’s VAT People Classify Coloring Books as Not Books? appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Book festivals around the world – books podcast

We drop in on Lahore, track Jean Rhys back to the Caribbean and tackle the troubling issue of payments to authors appearing at the UK’s 350 literary jamboreesAs the season for literary festivals in the UK hits its peak, we head for Trinidad, where we put Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea under the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book festivals #books podcast #literary festivals #nicola solomon


Publishing industry's 'Super Thursday' to see more than 500 books published

Thursday in October heralds book industry’s major assault on the Christmas marketThe nature of that rectangular parcel under the Christmas tree can now be predicted: it could well be a new cook book by Nigella Lawson, Gordon Ramsay or Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, just like last year.Or it might... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hugh fearnley-whittingstall #sue perkins #top gear #chris evans #pop star


How Can Women Change the World? Book by Book 

As a literary agent, Frankfurt has been a launch pad for some of the most powerful women’s voices from around the world. This year will be no different. The post How Can Women Change the World? Book by Book  appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book appeared #literary agent #powerful women


BEA, LéaLA, and Expolit Book Fairs Highlight Books in Spanish: Spanish Publishing 2015

Book fairs have become much more aware of the purchasing power of the Hispanic population in the U.S. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book fairs #hispanic population