By encouraging the young to publish fan fiction, story-sharing startup Movellas is tackling English children's low literacy levelsLiteracy levels among English young adults compare poorly with those in other industrialised countries, according to an OECD survey last autumn which ranked England a "must try harder" 22nd out of 24 in tests for literacy.Turning this around is a challenge that appeals to Movellas, an online story-sharing startup. Taking to heart the maxim that "reading for pleasure" is vital to a child's educational attainment, the company's founders believe that encouraging young people to write about their passions and share those stories with others can have a positive effect on literacy.In other words, if your daughter's writing One Direction fan fiction on her phone, she could be on her way to an A* at English GCSE. Or, at the very least, a book deal. "Movellian" Emily Baker's 1D-inspired Loving the Band was snapped up by Penguin. Helen Hiorns's The Name on Your Wrist was published by Random House after she won the inaugural young movellist of the year, sponsored by Sony and judged by children's laureate Malorie Blackman.High-profile success stories can help build its user base (200,000 and growing), but Movellas does more than sell the dream of literary fame.When surveyed, 50% of respondents said Movellas had made them enjoy reading more; 70% enjoyed writing more. Importantly, 20% of its users get free school meals (about the national average). Only 25%... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2014-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers are becoming increasingly concerned about Amazon’s policing of territorial rights, with fears heightened by last year’s launch of the Global Store, which enables customers in certain markets to obtain products through their local Amazon store but sourced from Amazon stores across the... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Susan Lewis has moved from Cornerstone to HarperCollins in a seven-figure, six-book deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brand says it ‘missed mark’ after being accused of racism in campaign promoting body lotionDove has apologised after publishing an advert on its Facebook page which showed a black woman turning into a white woman. The brand was accused of racism over the online advertising campaign and it later... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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If users could opt out of retargeting with a single click, it could have ripple effects throughout the ad and media industries. The post Turning off retargeting could hurt publishers and empower Google, Facebook appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2017-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Multimillion fines are just the start for Facebook and Google, as the world comes to realise how political big tech has becomeIn his wonderful book The Swerve: How the Renaissance Began, the literary historian Stephen Greenblatt traces the origins of the Renaissance back to the rediscovery of a... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brendan Mathews, author of the 'The World of Tomorrow,' picks 10 novels, all over 400 pages, that will pull you in and keep you engrossed until the end. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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An Indian writer who was refused a visa for a poetry project has had the decision overturned by the Home Office weeks after Tiny Owl illustrator Ehsan Abdollahi won his visa fight. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Non-fiction independent publisher Elliott & Thompson is to make its first foray into crime fiction with Killer Intent, the first in a new thriller series by debut author Tony Kent. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The International Publishers Association (IPA) has applauded Cambridge University Press' decision to reverse the censorship of hundreds of articles online from one of its journals, but has also urged Chinese authorities not to punish the press for rolling back on its decision. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chinese academics commend decision to unblock access to sensitive articles, but Beijing expunges mention of the climbdown from internetChinese intellectuals and bloggers have celebrated Cambridge University’s decision to push back against Beijing’s draconian information controls – but Communist... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How the 95-year-old magazine grew its circulation 10 percent despite reducing print frequency. The post The Big Idea Behind Harvard Business Review’s Record Growth appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2017-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Washington, D.C.-based indie will open its third location this fall, just two months after announcing plans for its second store. The latest outpost will be part of a $2.5 billion mixed-use redevelopment of the city’s Southwest District. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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From the VOA: Amid tough economic times in South Africa, consumers are supporting a growing number of used book stores, avoiding new-book prices. The post In an Economic Crunch, South African Readers Turn to Used Book Stores appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Edinburgh-based and Scottish interest-focused publisher Birlinn, which issues around 160 titles a year, is looking to grow in its second quarter-century of trading. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Former energy chief Louise Boland is launching a new publisher focusing on contemporary literary fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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There was no greater story line at the All-Star game than the rush to anoint Aaron Judge as the so-called face of baseball, replacing Mike Trout. Judge is Paul Bunyan in cleats, he hits baseballs to the moon, and he plays for the New York Yankees. Judge also is polite and respectful — just like... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors Emily Clarkson, Sarah Vaughan and Chris Carter were among those who attended the first Simon & Schuster Author Summer Drinks Party. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When Paul Allor began writing Clue, a new comic book miniseries based on the popular board game from Hasbro, he had many versions of the game to look to for inspiration. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2017-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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We dug into the archives to find the first Kiwi review of Harry Potter, but the earliest seems to be from 1999. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2017-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Now in their sixth year, the Carnegie Medals have become a coveted literary honor, and the award ceremonies at ALA have created some memorable moments, including powerful speeches by winners. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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