Writers’ Guild of Great Britain demands fair pay for writers ahead of general election
thebookseller.com – Thursday June 6, 2024
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) has called on the next government to “enshrine protections for writers” in its manifesto recommendations ahead of the forthcoming general election.
The trade union representing writers wants the next government to implement its recommendations around fair pay, fair treatment, sustainability, and copyright and AI.
Ellie Peers, general secretary of WGGB, said: “Writing is a highly skilled job and everything starts with the writer – without them there would be no feature films, TV or audio dramas, no plays, no books, poems or videogames.
“They provide the fuel that fires our creative industries, which in turn makes a major contribution to the UK economy.”
Penguin seeks out emerging talent in science fiction and fantasy through WriteNow
herald.wales – Thursday May 30, 2024
ASPIRING authors have until Sunday 16th June to submit their story ideas for this year’s WriteNow programme, which will focus exclusively on science fiction and fantasy.
WriteNow, Penguin Books’ award-winning programme to seek out, nurture and publish new under-represented voices has opened applications for the 2024/2025 cohort. Focusing on science fiction and fantasy, the programme is looking to find exciting new writers from across the UK and Ireland.
Aspiring authors can apply to take part in this year’s programme by submitting a short synopsis and 1,000 words of sample writing by Sunday 16th June. Entries will be judged by editors across Penguin Random House with the longlist contacted by Friday 12th July.
WriteNow is designed to give writers from under-represented backgrounds the skills, knowledge, and access needed to navigate the industry and build a successful writing career. Since its launch in 2016, 20 authors to have come through the programme have been published by a Penguin Random House imprint, including: Beth Lincoln, author of New York Times bestseller The Swifts, and Manjeet Mann, author of The Crossing, winner of the Costa Children’s Book Award.
Jo Unwin to leave publishing for new career
thebookseller.com – Wednesday May 29, 2024
Literary agent Jo Unwin is leaving the Jo Unwin Literary Agency (JULA) and starting a new career outside publishing.
Unwin, who founded JULA in 2013, has discovered and championed new voices throughout her career. She has helped establish prizewinners such as Candice Carty-Williams and Kit de Waal, and to have worked with Booker Prize nominees Gabriel Krauze and Stephen Kelman, as well as bestsellers such as Emma Flint, A J Pearce and Jenny Colgan.
Her non-fiction authors range from Charlie Brooker and Philomena Cunk to Richard Ayoade, the poet Brian Bilston along with children’s authors such as Sarah Moore Fitzgerald and Nadia Shireen.
How to find a literary agent: A masterclass with Juliet Mushens
uk.news.yahoo.com – Friday May 17, 2024
As an aspiring author, the journey to getting your book into print can seem like a daunting maze. But what if you had an insider's guide to navigating the publishing world and capturing the attention of a top-tier literary agent?
This unique masterclass with leading agent Juliet Mushens will demystify the process and reveal what it takes to make your submission stand out from the slush pile.
What will you learn?
In his comprehensive masterclass, you'll gain invaluable insights into how the publishing industry works and the role of a literary agent, including:
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Expert tips on editing your novel to make it submission-ready
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How to research and identify the best agents for your work
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What agents look for in submissions, from manuscripts to cover letters
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Crafting a killer pitch and blurb that hooks agents from the first line
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Practical pitching exercises, with opportunities for feedback
Expand your mind with a new magazine of psychedelic art and literature
lithub.com – Monday May 13, 2024
Are you ready to take a trip?
Elastic, a biannual print magazine of psychedelic art and literature that will debut in spring 2025, aims to publish art and writing that’s “immersive, dreamlike, daring, genre- and time-bending, and that acts to expand the mind and the vast possibilities of narrative.”
Founding editor-in-chief Hillary Brenhouse was previously the editorial director of Bold Type Books and editor-in-chief of Guernica magazine. She’ll be joined by editor Meara Sharma, formerly the editor-in-chief of Adi magazine, and a body of contributing editors and artists that includes Jaquira Diaz, Amanda Gunn, Laura van den Berg, Jia Sung, Amber Sparks, and Darian Longmire. The magazine is being supported in part by grants from UC Berkeley and Harvard as part of their Psychedelics in Society and Culture initiative.
WME Acquires Ross Yoon Agency in Expansion of Literary Talent Portfolio
msn.com – Monday May 13, 2024
Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.’s WME announced today it has acquired Ross Yoon Agency.
The Washington D.C.-based agency, Ross Yoon, specializes in literary and commercial nonfiction including memoir, biography, history, popular science, business and psychology. In addition, the literary agency’s president Gail Ross and principal Howard Yoon will join WME as partners.
The current Ross Yoon clients will join WME’s roster — the new clientele will include Ross Yoon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and authors, business, non-profit leaders, doctors, scientists, academics, politicians and media personalities.
Ross Yoon joins WME’s 40-year-old book department, which includes a clientele of best-selling and award-winning fiction and nonfiction authors. Most recently in 2022, WME had over 50 New York Times bestsellers and closed nearly 1,000 international publishing deals.
“This acquisition is a natural evolution of WME’s long history of representing best-selling authors and helping bring their visions to life across platforms,” said WME co-chairmen Christian Muirhead and Richard Weitz. “We are proud that after so many hugely successful independent years Gail and Howard chose WME as their partner in this next phase of growth.”
UK audiobook downloads up 17% last year, Publishers Association data shows
theguardian.com – Wednesday May 8, 2024
The number of UK audiobook downloads increased by 17% between 2022 and 2023, according to new data from the Publishers Association (PA).
Revenue from audiobooks rose 24% across the same period to £206m in 2023, reflecting an increase in the number of audiobook downloads from 50m to 59m, the trade body said.
Over five years, UK audiobook revenue has more than doubled. “It’s fair to say that audio is now a really serious part of the publishing portfolio,” said the PA’s chief executive, Dan Conway. “Audiobooks have established themselves as a major route to market for consumers of books in this country”.
These figures reflect the way the audiobook market has evolved. Spotify made audiobooks available to its Premium subscribers in October, while Audible has expanded from single-narrator audiobooks to those with large, starry casts and sound effects. Sam Mendes-produced audiobooks of David Copperfield and Oliver Twist featuring Ncuti Gatwa, Helena Bonham Carter and Nicola Coughlan were released in the past two years, and there are plans to release new audiobooks of all seven Harry Potter titles, voiced by a cast of more than 100 performers.
Channel 4 seeks Northern TV writers
prolificnorth.co.uk – Tuesday April 30, 2024
The Channel 4 Writing for Television Awards and Channel 4 Northern Talent Network: Script Hubs are both open for entry until June 4, 2024.
The awards offer new television writers based in the North of England unique opportunities with independent production companies Bonafide Films (Mood, The Last Post), Rollem Productions (Love Lies & Records, Girlfriends) and Red Production Company (It’s a Sin, Happy Valley), which rejoins the programme in 2024 having been one of the inaugural production company partners when the awards were launched in 2014.
Major International Publisher Acquires Chelsea Green Publishing
sevendaysvt.com – Saturday April 20, 2024
Rizzoli International Publications, the New York City-based subsidiary of Italian publishing house Mondadori Group, will acquire Chelsea Green Publishing, the 40-year-old White River Junction company known for its titles on the politics and practice of sustainable living.
Mondadori announced on April 15 that Rizzoli will pay $5 million for the Vermont company and its London subsidiary, Chelsea Green Publishing UK Ltd. The deal is expected to close by June 30.
"This partnership aligns perfectly with our vision of promoting meaningful content that resonates with global audiences while addressing crucial issues related to sustainability and eco-friendly living," Rizzoli's CEO and president Stefano Peccatori said. Rizzoli International publishes illustrated books about fashion, interior design, art, architecture, photography, travel, sports and food. The company began in 1964 as a New York City bookstore, which still operates.
Literary mag launches new writing prize for short stories
quillandquire.com – Saturday April 20, 2024
Attention, short story writers: Montreal-based literary journal yolk is launching the Montreal Fiction Prize.
The prize, open to Canadian writers of stories up to 4,000 words long, carries a $2,000 purse, with two $500 awards for the second- and third-place stories.
Giller Prize-winning author Souvankham Thammavongsa will be the guest judge for the prize’s inaugural year.
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