New Magazine Listing: ES Magazine
firstwriter.com – Wednesday August 9, 2023
Weekly lifestyle and culture magazine celebrating the thriving culture, art, fashion, beauty, food, film and theatre scenes in London.
Publisher Simon & Schuster sold to private equity firm for £1.27bn
news.sky.com – Tuesday August 8, 2023
The sale of the publisher, which counts Stephen King and Britney Spears among its diverse portfolio of writers, comes after a US judge blocked a previous takeover attempt by rival Penguin Random House.
Simon & Schuster has been sold for $1.62bn (£1.27bn) to a private equity firm - just months after a takeover bid by rival Penguin Random House was blocked.
New owner KKR said the company, one of the so-called "big five" English language book publishers worldwide, would continue to operate as a standalone entity and vowed that its independence would be protected.
The deal must be approved by regulators, but commentators believe it is unlikely there will be any objections.
Simon & Schuster's writers include horror author Stephen King and journalist Bob Woodward. It is also preparing for the high-profile releases of Britney Spears' memoir The Woman In Me and Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk later this year.
It comes after Penguin Random House, which is owned by German media giant Bertelsmann, announced in November 2020 that it planned to buy Simon & Schuster for £1.9bn.
New Publishing Imprint Listing: Afterglow Books
firstwriter.com – Tuesday August 8, 2023
Depth, relatability and sizzling spice, too: these characters are determined to live their best lives — and find the romance that makes them feel seen, unapologetically. In the pages of these books, characters from all walks of life, all types of diverse identities, will pursue their dreams and discover love isn’t far behind. Because everyone deserves a happily ever after that’s true to who they are. Seeks books that are: proof that happy endings are meant for everyone; explicitly sexy with chemistry that pops; unique plots and strong emotional conflicts that embrace the world around us; and the journey of complex characters who aren’t afraid to make mistakes or stand up for what they believe in. No paranormal, romantic suspense, dark or historical romances, or billionaires at this time.
New Literary Agent Listing: Samantha Brace
firstwriter.com – Tuesday August 8, 2023
I’m looking for anything a bit dark and twisty. I’m desperate for psych-suspense and thrillers with a sinister twist. I also love a mysterious family drama – weave together a moody historical setting with a few dark family secrets and I’m hooked. I also like historical fiction, coming of age stories, and literary fiction, but I always prefer a mystery at the heart. No children’s, YA, fantasy, or sci-fi.
Writers' Handbook 2024 now available to buy
firstwriter.com – Tuesday August 8, 2023
The 2024 edition of firstwriter.com’s annual directory for writers has just been released, and is now available to buy both as a paperbook and an ebook.
The directory is the perfect book for anyone searching for literary agents, book publishers, or magazines. It contains over 1,500 listings, including revised and updated listings from the 2023 edition, and 400 brand new entries.
Self-Publishing Update
By G. Miki Hayden
Instructor at Writer's Digest University online and private writing coach
firstwriter.com – Monday August 7, 2023
According to an April 2023 survey by the (UK) Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), income of self-published authors increased substantially in 2022 over 2021, coming in at a median amount of $12,749, a figure actually higher than those of authors at traditional publishers. The 2,200 respondents to the survey were from all major English-speaking countries (with more than half from the U.S.).
A quarter of those replying had released their first book in 2020, while 60 percent reported first publishing in 2015-2022. Over half said they’d published more than 10 books on their own, while 20 percent had published more than 30 titles. Romance, fantasy/sci fi/speculative, and crime/thriller/detective novels were by far the most prevalent genres in which self-publishers were active.
Author M. J. Rose may have started the drive to self-publish, or some of it, when in 1998, she self-published her erotic-suspense novel Lip Service about the world of phone sex, a novel that had been rejected by all the agents and publishers she’d queried. Online, she sold 2,500 books (which is quite a lot), and the novel was after that acquired by Pocket Books. Other authors jumped into the self-publishing arena, or tried, and later Rose said, “I couldn’t do it now.” She did it because then the field was ripe and not yet harvested. However, Rose did set a model for other authors to imitate; and following persistently, some authors flourished. Not all thrived, however, and though self-publishing became and stayed “a thing,” the niche not too long after seemed to have lost its luster.
But now, something appears to be going on. Authors are self-publishing again. Some are bringing out their backlists, and others are simply spending a little money and getting into the game. I talked to four self-publishing authors. See if you can identify with or be inspired by any of their paths.
New Publisher Listing: Guinness World Records
firstwriter.com – Monday August 7, 2023
Publishes books of amazing facts, figures, and feats of outstanding human endeavour.
New Magazine Listing: Oxford Review of Books
firstwriter.com – Monday August 7, 2023
Publishes reviews of films, books, TV shows (think culture in the broadest sense); interviews with politicians, actors, philosophers, historians, poets, classicists, and activists; essays that provide a new and fresh take on current affairs; and poetry and fiction. Submit 3-4 poems, or pitches for prose, by email. Pitches are accepted on a rolling basis for online, and during specific windows for print. See website for more details.
New Literary Agent Listing: Aoife Inman
firstwriter.com – Monday August 7, 2023
I’m looking towards building a list of fiction and non-fiction writers, as well as a select number of poets who are working on projects across forms. In fiction I am interested in propulsive, character-driven stories with an emphasis on sharp, unsentimental writing and bold imagery. I’m drawn to novels set in small communities, and those that dissect the intensity of close family dynamics. I also enjoy work that experiments with form and language, particularly as a means of telling polyphonic stories. In non-fiction, my taste is broad. I am interested in narrative cultural histories that are led by a strong first-person voice, (particularly those that engage with queer spaces and perspectives), as well as essay collections, memoirs, cultural criticism, music and nature writing.
‘I can’t stress how much BookTok sells’: teen literary influencers swaying publishers
theguardian.com – Sunday August 6, 2023
TikTok recommendations are driving sales and launching authors’ careers as the social media app continues to reshape the industry
The famous Waterstones in London’s Piccadilly is a modernist/art deco building. It started life as a menswear store and has the feel of that sort of traditional shop that is fast disappearing. But this bookshop, like many others, is enjoying a very modern sales boost from social media.
Groups of teenage girls regularly gather here to buy new books and meet new friends, both discovered on the social media app TikTok. Recommendations by influencers for authors and novels on BookTok – a community of users who are passionate about books and make videos recommending titles – can send sales into the stratosphere.
But while very much an online phenomenon, BookTok is having a material impact on the high street, with TikTok now pushing people to buy their books from bricks-and-mortar booksellers through a partnership with bookshop.org, which allows people to buy online and support independent bookshops at the same time.
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