The broken midlist: why it’s harder than ever to be a ‘moderately successful’ author
artshub.co.uk – Tuesday June 10, 2025
Once the heart of the publishing industry, midlist authors now face dwindling advances, fading support, and a market obsessed with viral hits.
In 2025, the publishing industry is increasingly dominated by bestsellers and viral sensations, leaving midlist authors – those who produce consistently solid but not blockbuster titles – struggling to maintain their careers. The traditional model, where publishers nurtured midlist authors with the hope of building them into future stars, is eroding.
The impact on the broader publishing landscape is clear, with countries like Australia experiencing some of the most significant consolidation it has ever seen.
The case of the vanishing midlist author
Historically, midlist authors have formed the backbone of the publishing industry, providing a steady stream of reliable titles that, although not topping bestseller lists, contribute to a publisher’s financial stability. However, recent trends indicate a decline in support for these authors. Publishers are increasingly focusing resources on potential bestsellers, often at the expense of midlist titles. This shift is partly due to the high costs associated with marketing and distribution, which are now being allocated more selectively
The Penguin Random House antitrust trial revealed that only 35% of its books are profitable, with just 4% accounting for the majority of profits, highlighting the industry’s reliance on a few high-performing titles.
New Newspaper Listing: Irish Examiner
firstwriter.com – Tuesday June 10, 2025
National daily newspaper based in Cork, Ireland. Strong regional focus on Munster, while also covering national and international news.
Introducing Nation Books, a New Progressive Publishing Imprint
thenation.com – Monday June 9, 2025
The partnership with OR Books brings the magazine’s indispensable voice and rich roster of talent to a longform format.
New York, NY—The Nation, America’s leading source of progressive politics and culture, together with OR Books, today announced that they are joining forces in a new book publishing imprint: Nation Books. Launching this fall, the imprint, which will be distributed by OR, will release four to six titles a year with new, younger Nation writers complementing more established voices from the magazine’s rich roster.
Katrina vanden Heuvel, publisher and editorial director of The Nation, welcomed the initiative: “At this perilous moment, The Nation’s indispensable voice and legacy has never been more essential. Our partnership with OR is a great opportunity to deepen the reach and impact of The Nation’s most exciting writers and thinkers, past and present—and inspire a new generation.”
Colin Robinson, publisher at OR, adds: “The first book we published when we started OR was a searing anthology by Nation editors and writers about Sarah Palin, which went on to the New York Times bestseller list. With plentiful new targets, we are very much looking forward to repeating that experience, drawing on the terrific journalists at a superb progressive magazine.”
On Tuesday, June 17, they will celebrate the launch of the new collaboration with a conversation between vanden Heuvel and Ross Barkan, a frequent contributor to The Nation and the author of CUOMO, published by OR Books, at The Francis Kite Club in New York City.
U.K. Publishing in 2025: The U.K.’s Graphic Novel Boom Comes Stateside
publishersweekly.com – Sunday June 8, 2025
British graphic novel publishers are making their presence felt in the U.S., racking up critical acclaim and commercial success with titles for all ages.
Since the late 1980s, creators from the U.K. have played a major role in shaping the American comics industry. And today, British publishers of comics and graphic novels are making a bigger splash than ever in the U.S. market, racking up levels of critical acclaim and commercial success that allow their titles to sit comfortably beside those of established stateside rivals on shelves in American bookstores and comics shops.
London’s Titan Publishing Group is one major player on the scene. A key Titan strategy has been to publish licensed TV, film, and video game tie-in comics, including Blade Runner, Bloodborne, Doctor Who, and—since a 2022 partnership with Heroic Signatures—Conan the Barbarian titles. Its Titan Manga and Statix imprints have also introduced work from Asia and Europe to the English-language market, and the company has actively sought creators worldwide to flesh out its line of original graphic novels. One recent star pickup has been Canadian animator Norm Konyu, best known for the graphic novels Downlands and The Junction. Titan is distributed to the U.S. book trade by Penguin Random House, with Diamond covering the direct market.
U.K. Publishing in 2025: The U.K. and U.S. Publishing Industries Are Growing Closer
publishersweekly.com – Saturday June 7, 2025
The U.K. and U.S. book markets are symbiotic, with many authors, industry professionals, and publishers active on both sides of the Atlantic. This interconnection is evident at the highest levels of the book business: James Daunt is CEO of both Waterstones, the U.K.’s largest bookstore chain, and Barnes & Noble, America’s largest; David Shelley is CEO of Hachette U.K. in London and Hachette Book Group in New York City; J.K. Rowling and now American author Sarah J. Maas have made U.K. publisher Bloomsbury into a bicontinental powerhouse.
The bestselling book of the year so far in both countries is American author Suzanne Collins’s Sunrise on the Reaping, which is just ahead of Rebecca Yarros’s Onyx Storm in the U.K., and U.S. streamers have propelled U.K. manosphere podcaster Steven Bartlett, the bestselling author of Diary of a CEO, into stardom alongside Joe Rogan and company.
This relationship translates into significant economic activity. “The appetite for U.K.-published content by U.S. readers will always be strong, and vice versa,” says Dan Conway, CEO of the U.K. Publishers Association. “Our latest figures actually show that the U.S. export market for U.K. publishers is growing faster than that of any other country.”
On feeling energized by rejection
thecreativeindependent.com – Friday June 6, 2025
Author and literary agent Kate McKean discusses switching between professional hats, trying again and again while knowing that she might fail, and keeping her eyes on her own page.
You wanted to be a writer. Why did you become a literary agent, where you’re dealing with other people’s writing all day?
I have wanted to be a writer since I was 8 years old. And once I got to college, my sister, who was in publishing at the time, was like, “I don’t think you want to be a high school English teacher when you grow up. I think you should get an internship at the university press at your college.” So I did. I got an inside look at how books were made, and I was like, “This is something I can do while I write so that I won’t be a starving artist.” Because I was never going to be a starving artist. I just like eating. I knew that as a literary agent I would have a lot of freedom in my career, and that I eventually could even work for myself. I wouldn’t have to work in New York. I could just do anything I wanted. And that has turned out to be true.
Let’s talk about side hustles and the freedom that has allowed you. In addition to agenting, you have your writing and your newsletter. How do you juggle it all?
However I can. I’ve been an agent for almost 20 years so I can be choosier with the projects I take on because of where I am in my career. I have a lot of clients who are very well-established. I don’t have to hustle quite as much on my agent side, so I have the freedom to do the writing side as I see fit, whether that’s at 6:00 in the morning, or 6:00 in the evening, or 2:00 in the afternoon…
Does your boss have any issues with that? Or are you effectively an independent contractor, and as long as the work gets done, you can do whatever?
I’ve effectively always been an independent contractor, and Howard Morhaim has been my boss and mentor now for almost 20 years, and he’s not over my shoulder checking my work. He would be if there was a problem. But luckily, that hasn’t been the case in many, many years. And as long as my clients are happy and the money is coming in, for me and him and my clients, then it’s fine. We’re very close. It’s a wonderful relationship.
New Publisher Listing: CB Editions
firstwriter.com – Friday June 6, 2025
Publishes short fiction, poetry, translations and other work which might otherwise fall through the cracks between big publishers. No submission guidelines. Writers wishing to send work may do so in whatever form they choose.
New Writing Contest Offers $100,000 and Publishing Support to Aspiring Writers
booktrib.com – Thursday June 5, 2025
Do you dream of being a novelist but lack the resources or motivation? Well, this groundbreaking writing contest may be just what you need!
Enter for a chance to win $100,000 and make your dream novel a reality. And the best part? All you need to do is write three pages.
“The Next Big Story” is designed to discover fresh new talent, including occasional readers who need encouragement to begin, individuals with limited time or means, and those who have been historically overlooked by the publishing industry.
Chosen by a panel of high-profile judges, the winner will receive $100,000 along with a year of support from The Novelry team to develop their idea for a novel into a fully realized book.
The Novelry is an online creative writing school with an in-house editorial team of former Big Five publishing editors linked to literary agencies. We had a chance to talk with The Novelry’s founder, Louise Dean, about The Next Big Story.
“If I wasn’t so f*cking angry, I’d laugh”: Boundless delays author payments
printweek.com – Wednesday June 4, 2025
Boundless, the post-pre-pack reincarnation of crowd-funded publisher Unbound, will delay paying owed royalties to authors until it is “cash stable”, according to The Bookseller.
Authors were informed of the decision in an email from Boundless CEO Archna Sharma, who took the reins of Unbound shortly before its administration in a doomed attempt to revive the publisher’s fortunes.
Newco Boundless, which will operate like a traditional publisher, will be unable to pay historic royalties unless it “survives and thrives”, the email read.
“This decision, while incredibly difficult, reflects the reality of the company’s cash position. We simply do not have the cash at the moment to make further historic goodwill payments. What cash we have is focused on paying the salaries of our employees, ensuring our current committed publishing programme is a success, and ensuring all royalties arising from the inception of this new company are paid on time,” Sharma said.
She added: "We are acutely aware of the disappointment this causes for authors and partners, and for the delayed timing of this message as we were trying until the last minute to avoid this outcome. We do not take these delays lightly. This is not a matter of choice, but of survival."
PRH Acquires Wonderbly, One of the UK’s Fastest-Growing Independent Publishers and Leader in Personalized Gift Books
global.penguinrandomhouse.com – Wednesday June 4, 2025
Acquisition Underscores Penguin Random House’s Commitment to Innovation and Growth
Penguin Random House, a leading global trade book publisher, has acquired Wonderbly, one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent publishers and the global leader in personalized gift books, including its Historic Newspapers business. The acquisition was announced today by Nihar Malaviya, CEO of Penguin Random House; Paul Kelly, CEO of DK; and Asi Sharabi, CEO of Wonderbly. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Wonderbly will continue to operate independently within Penguin Random House, maintaining its entrepreneurial culture, brand identity, and leadership team. Asi Sharabi, Wonderbly’s co-founder and CEO, will remain in his role and continue to lead the business from its London headquarters. No changes are planned to Wonderbly’s locations as a result of the transaction. Together, the companies will collaborate on a range of new initiatives and publishing ventures designed at accelerating growth, expanding reach, and attracting new audiences.
Founded in 2013, Wonderbly has pioneered a direct-to-consumer publishing model that blends proprietary technology with best-in-class creative, marketing, and print-on-demand production capabilities. With a catalog of over 150 personalized children’s and adult titles, Wonderbly has sold more than 11 million books in over 140 countries.
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