One book after another: indie publisher Joffe Books continues to rise
thebookseller.com – Friday March 20, 2026
To enter Joffe Books’ office, one must first navigate several levels of a dark and dimly lit stairwell in a Shoreditch office block – a heart-racing endeavour in more ways than one. But on reaching it, a New York loft-style haven of light and space beckons. A more informal and talkative office atmosphere than some traditional publishers, there is a palpable sense of energy – perhaps aided by the smorgasbord of luxury chocolates in the kitchen. A permanent fixture, I am told.
I am here to speak with founder and chief executive officer Jasper Joffe and editorial director Rachel Slatter, not long after the indie made yet another acquisition, the Severn House list. This takes the imprint count to five, with turnover cresting £10m, Joffe says. Much of this is generated by the digital-first company’s e-books base, but print is growing, up 16% in 2025 to £231,000 through NielsenIQ BookScan.
New Literary Agent Listing: Duvall Osteen
firstwriter.com – Friday March 20, 2026
Represents debut, award‑winning, bestselling, and notable authors. Handles literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, and graphic novels. Interested in writing rooted in place, especially the global South, as well as multigenerational storytelling, crime, and literary suspense. Seeks books across genres with original, immersive voices and strong potential.
Layoffs, Moves at Penguin Young Readers as Dial Imprint Shuttered
publishersweekly.com – Thursday March 19, 2026
Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers established in 1961, has been closed, resulting in layoffs and moves within PYR.
A representative at Penguin Young Readers confirmed the closure, but declined to offer further comment or details regarding the names and number of staffers affected. According to industry sources, several individuals are being let go from PYR, and three Dial editors are being moved over to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, where the Dial books will be absorbed.
The Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize Is Open for Entries
brittlepaper.com – Tuesday March 17, 2026
Since 2009, the Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize has been one of the most internationally minded literary prizes for emerging writers anywhere in the world, and it is now open for entries for its 2026 edition. The deadline is 11.59pm BST on 30 June 2026.
The prize accepts work in three categories: fiction, poetry, and life writing. This year, for the first time across all three categories, it also welcomes entries in translation, with the cash prize split equally between author and translator if a translated work wins. There are no restrictions on age, gender, nationality, or background. The one condition is that entrants must not have published a book-length work. Winners in each category receive £1,000 and publication in Wasafiri magazine; all winners and shortlisted writers are also offered a mentoring scheme in partnership with The Literary Consultancy, along with a one-year print subscription to the magazine.
The judges this year are Ellah Wakatama OBE, also chair of the Caine Prize for African Writing, who leads the panel, with Santanu Bhattacharya judging fiction, Jen Calleja judging life writing, and Mona Kareem judging poetry. Wakatama has said she is looking for stories of hope, resistance, love, and joy. Calleja, whose own work straddles memoir and translation, says she appreciates life writing that places the reader beside the writer as events unfold. Bhattacharya is looking for fiction that enlightens, engages, and entertains in ways we do not often see.
Genre as Delight, Not Dictator: How Learning About Genres Helps You Write Better
janefriedman.com – Tuesday March 17, 2026
Jane recently wrote about the importance of not obsessing about arbitrary genres and subgenres, whether one is just beginning to write a book or struggling to pitch it. After all, genres (and categories) are the concerns of people selling books, not the people writing them.
Yes, but. Or should I say Yes, and?
As a multi-genre author of seven novels who jumped from literary historical fiction to the more commercial thriller category a few years ago—and sold more copies in the last two years than I’d sold in the previous ten—I want to share my view that genre does matter in ways that can be inspiring and instructional rather than limiting or vexing.
First, let me explain that I came to creative writing via literary fiction and the classics. I fed my late-blooming novelist’s mind with doses of Virginia Woolf, Philip Roth, and Ian McEwan. My debut historical novel was modeled on Don Quixote.
This high-brow literary focus taught me useful things about voice, theme, and the evolution of the novel as a form, which I passed on to my students once I became an MFA instructor. What it didn’t always teach me or my students effectively was how to plot. Or even about how to develop characters, in that I gravitated toward characters who were opaque, passive, and generally inaccessible. While my friends were reading Fifty Shades of Grey, I was thoroughly enjoying Of Human Bondage. (Don’t be fooled by the title; it’s not a spicy book.)
New Agent Listing: Andrew Allen
firstwriter.com – Tuesday March 17, 2026
Handles writers and directors. Building a list of clients across film and television. Interested in screenwriting talent at all stages. Background includes script reading and detailed coverage for emerging screenwriters. Focuses on material for film and television development, drawing on experience in script analysis and agency support.
London book fair roundup: Idris Elba’s thriller deal, the rise of romcom, and fights against censorship
theguardian.com – Tuesday March 17, 2026
The annual London book fair wrapped on Thursday, marking the end of three days that saw 33,000 people connected to the book industry – agents, publishers, authors, among others – gather at Olympia to make deals and discuss the state of the publishing world, and its future. Here’s our roundup of the biggest deals, trends and takeaways from the fair.
The starriest book deal of the week was a new thriller series co-authored by Idris Elba, featuring an MI6 field operative who gets deployed to Mauritius to investigate an attempted murder. Elsewhere, rights were scooped for Alex Ferguson’s first autobiography in 13 years, broadcaster Mishal Husain’s debut children’s book, and the story of designer Paul Smith’s life.
It was a strong week for fantasy and romcom, with acquisitions including journalist Moya Lothian-McLean’s “sharp, sexy romantic comedy”, Matchmakers, and two adult fantasy books by Shannon Chakraborty, acquired for a seven-figure sum. Topics driving nonfiction deals included GLP-1s (Federica Amati’s The Appetite Reset), sober curiosity (Hangxiety by Millie Gooch) and assisted dying (Fight to the Death by Paul Brand).
New Publisher Listing: Jantar Publishing
firstwriter.com – Monday March 16, 2026
Independent publisher based in London. Publishes European literary fiction and poetry. Focuses on compelling, imaginative and beautiful writing, both in translation and in the English language.
The 23 leading literary festivals across London and the UK to suit every bibliophile
theglossarymagazine.com – Saturday March 14, 2026
Celebrate the power of the written word at these mind-expanding literary extravaganzas
When it comes to the best literary festivals in the UK, it seems we’re spoilt for choice this year. Whether it’s an agenda-pushing event in the capital, a family-friendly festival in a field or an idyllic book-lovers dream on a grand country estate, there’s something to suit every bibliophile’s needs. And a great literary festival isn’t just for summer – they’re held throughout the year and across the country, from north London to the Scottish Highlands. Here, we’ve rounded up the best London and UK literary festivals 2026 to book tickets for now.
I challenged ChatGPT to a writing competition. Could it actually replace me?
theguardian.com – Thursday March 12, 2026
Every writer I know is in despair at the prospect being replaced by AI. Many of them say they never use it on principle; I know all of them do.
So this week, as part of my AI diary, I’m conducting the forbidden experiment in plain sight. I’m going toe to toe with ChatGPT as a creative writer. Can it truly match me, and might it replace me? Let’s settle this.
We do battle using writing prompts, selected at random from an excellent new guide called A Year of Creative Thinking by Jessica Swale. The first page I flip to has us inventing new words for existing things. It’s very fun. A cheese grater, I decide, could easily be known as a “stinkchizzle”. A very long road would be better as a “slodgepuff”. A fart becomes a “piffsnut”, and a dream an “asterfantastic”. I’m pleased with that one. But how does the machine do?
For cheesegrater it has scritchygrater, which is obviously crap. Very long road? Neverendipath. Bit literal. Trumpelsnort is pretty good, as is slumberwhim. I like nibblink for mouse. For some reason, I could only come up with “pimpsquint”.
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