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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The publisher opened in San Francisco in 1967 with a two-room office and a handful of employees. Now one of the largest publishers in the West, it boasts more than 250 million units sold worldwide. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mostly Books in Abingdon has been sold to new owner Sarah Dennis, who has held a “long ambition” to run her own book business. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Washington, D.C.’s Politics and Prose Bookstore has announced plans to open a second location at Union Market, a food and artisan hub located in the capital’s northeast district. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Faber publisher Hannah Griffiths reveals why she moved to entertainment giant All3Media. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Not many independent publishers make it to 50 - but Kogan Page has done so on its own, and is still going strong. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The indie comics publisher, founded in 1976 by a Syracuse University student, has helped shape the contemporary literary comics landscape. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Award-winning author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers is publishing a new book with HarperCollins at the end of this year and has signed a new two-book deal with the publisher for future publishing. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A slender but spellbinding début packs a punch that belies its brevity, with the author’s background in poetry shining through her first published full-length prose. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The business of publishing and selling political-themed books moved front and center with the dawn of the Trump era in Washington. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Renowned makeup artist & best-selling author Bobbi Brown talks finding her passion, leaving her namesake company, and her newest book on "No Limits with Rebecca Jarvis. Continue reading at ABC News
[ ABC News | 2017-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins' bestselling non-fiction author Cathy Glass is to turn her hand to crime fiction with Avon. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Agent Robyn Drury is to join Ebury Press' non-fiction department as commissioning editor next month. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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John Murray is publishing We Have No Idea, a book exploring "everything we don't know about the universe", accompanied by 400 "hilarious" cartoons and infographics. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Former HarperCollins editorial director Martin Redfern is set to turn his hand to agenting, joining Diane Banks Associates as a non-fiction agent next month. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Another celebrity is set to move into kids’ publishing, after Faber Children’s snapped up a series by comedian Harry Hill. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Backed by Arts Council England, individual publishers and a range of pan-industry bodies, Megaphone has been amplifying the voices of writers of black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds—and its founder Leila Rasheed thinks it’s just the start. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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At the bookselling event, which took place in Atlanta on Monday, a closed-door session addressed indie booksellers' desire to potentially allow their stores to act as safe havens for groups they feel have been threatened under the Trump administration. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shane Gottwals discusses the strategy that's seen his bookstore grow from a single 1,500 square-foot space to an expanding operation with multiple franchisees. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK publishers have upped their presence at the 25th annual Taipei Book Fair (running 8th to 13th February). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'The day that Indigo opened, our business went down 40 percent,' says bookseller Oscar Malan. Sixteen years later, the big-chain store would leave. The post Kingston’s Novel Idea: A Bookstore-Survivor in Canada appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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