‘Bad art friend’: should fiction writers ever lift stories from other people’s lives?
theguardian.com – Wednesday October 6, 2021
Great writers have always been inspired by friends and lovers, but a viral article has revived the moral arguments around muses. In the age of the internet, does using someone else’s story feel like a violation?
Where Have All the Midsize Book Publishers Gone?
publishersweekly.com – Sunday October 3, 2021
When Hachette Book Group acquired Workman Publishing, HBG CEO Michael Pietsch observed that Workman was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, remaining independent trade publishers left in the U.S. Based on available data, a case could indeed be made that Workman was the largest of its kind. Which has raised a question in publishing circles: why are there so few independent publishers of size? There is a dearth of what can be called midsize publishers that fall between the Big Five and the many independent publishers with sales of $20 million or less.
The Houghton Mifflin Harcourt trade division, with 2020 sales of $192 million, was what could have been considered a mini-major before it was acquired by HarperCollins. The Scholastic trade group, with sales of $355 million in the fiscal year ended May 31, is a major player in the children’s trade market, but as part of a $1.3 billion publisher, it is clearly not independent. Other trade publishers that could be considered midsize that are also part of larger companies are Disney’s publishing division and Abrams, which is owned by the French company La Martinière Groupe, which was itself acquired by Media Participations.
Byrd Leavell Discusses Key Strategies for Finding the Right Literary Agent
digitaljournal.com – Tuesday September 28, 2021
With more than fifteen years in the publishing sphere, seasoned agent and head of publishing at United Talent Agency Byrd Leavell is keenly aware of what it takes to find the right literary agent for your next book.
An agent’s growing list of submissions means they’re facing a mounting workload on a strict deadline. If you want an agent to consider your book, grabbing their attention immediately is an absolute must. Within the first polished 50 to 100 pages, define and demonstrate a compelling development in your plot that is centered around the inciting incident.
Ten Things Nobody Tells You About the Publishing Industry
publishersweekly.com – Sunday September 26, 2021
There’s more to authoring than conquering the blank page. Dozens of unique quirks of industry factor into the experience of a creative. If you’re an aspiring writer with traditional publishing in mind, pay attention. Here’s what to expect from author life:
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