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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"City of Night" was not the first overtly gay-themed book but it may be the most unapologetic, a searing screed of life on the edge.I spent part of Wednesday afternoon at UCLA, on a panel to celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Rechy’s novel “City of Night,” newly reissued to commemorate the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Although big media brands like The New York Times and The Economist aren't going away anytime soon, the online publishing industry increasingly includes brands, marketers, and independent journalists. With the launch of a new content network, the tech startup NewsCred wants to be the liaison... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2013-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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From the Frankfurt Book Fair, Ed Nawotka wonders, why have so many startups in publishing never made it beyond beta? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster has signed a two-book deal with Paige Toon for her first YA novels. Toon... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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CEO Robert Guth's plan to bring RDA Holding Co. back from insolvency called for a drastic rate base reduction for it's flagship magazine, Reader's Digest. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2013-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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If you're not already in a state of advanced excitement over the Breaking Bad finale, Francesco Francavilla's episodic images will put you over the edge. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2013-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Note–taking is a skill not easily acquired. In the hands of an artist, designer, or Hollywood serial killer (à la Seven's John Doe), an idea–crammed notebook can even become a rarified, and in the case of the latter, creepy, object all on its own. Too often, however, the ability to take... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2013-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's yet another step in Amazon's merging of the physical and digital worlds—and another ploy for platform lock-in. Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marie Claire, the monthly fashion magazine, is celebrating its 25th British anniversary with a bumper 430-page birthday October issue. Continue reading at Media Week
[ Media Week | 2013-08-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Condé Nast has struck a deal with Amazon that will give the Vogue, Vanity Fair, and New Yorker publisher access to 200 million potential new subscribers who are already spending money shopping on Amazon, according to a Reuters exclusive. The deal, the first of its kind, will allow Condé Nast to... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2013-08-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amsterdam gets a citywide book exchange, courtesy of a local creative agency. On the subway in most European cities, it’s a passenger habit to leave behind the morning’s newspaper. They aren’t littering (like a New Yorker would be); it’s simply a courtesy for other commuters who might want to... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2013-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harvard Business Review faced the same circulation losses the rest of the industry has dealt with over the last several years. Continued investments in digital solutions have started to impact its readership and revenue now though—even though prices have gone up. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2013-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Web publishing services firm Livefyre has started turning social media content into native advertising for a handful of publishers. Livefyre—which offers publishers social tools like commenting, live blogs and live chats—built Playstation-sponsored social hubs for IGN and AOL's Joystiq... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2013-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In his new memoir, Rob Sheffield explores how karaoke lifted him out of existential doom after his wife's sudden death.Rob Sheffield is the kind of true-blue music nerd who'll pause his latest memoir — one with a subtitle promising a book about "the rituals of love & karaoke" — to address... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hepatitis B gets a little less awful sounding when you see how it looks under a microscope, as part of a new book called Hidden Beauty: Exploring the Aesthetics of Medical Science. It’s strange how something deadly can also be beautiful. These images are all of major diseases--hepatitis B,... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2013-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookVibe allows users to search their tweets and extract the books that are being discussed by the people they follow on Twitter. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lynn Liedman wakes up every morning looking for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She’s been a loyal subscriber for years, but it wasn’t until this summer that she really got hooked. She’s not reading for news. Inst ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Virago is celebrating its 40th birthday by releasing a free ebook, This is Virago, with... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When News Corp strikes out as a stripped-down publishing company in late June, its future fate will hinge on the performance of Dow Jones, a subsidiary that houses the flagship Wall Street Journal and a mish-mash of consumer and business products. ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A bookseller who turns unwanted books from charity shops into miniature sculpted works of art, opens a British Academy exhibition. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2013-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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