Literary fiction writers can no longer live off their books as sales slump
inews.co.uk – Friday December 15, 2017
The idea of the penniless artist shivering and starving in gloomy cellar for years as they pen another great tome has become a reality for the writers of literary fiction, according to research by Arts Council England. The average author now earns less than minimum wage with an annual salary of just £11,000.
Fan sends 80s Nobel prizewinning book to modern publishers to make an important point about the book industry
independent.co.uk – Wednesday December 13, 2017
A literary fan has conducted a damning experiment.
Writer Serge Volle sent 50 pages of French author Claude Simon's 1962 novel The Palace, set during the Spanish civil war, to 19 French publishers under the guise of being fresh material.
12 outright rejected the book, while seven never replied, despite the fact that Simon won the Nobel prize for literature in 1985, Volle told French public radio on Monday (via The Guardian).
Christmas sale - 25 per cent off the Writers' Handbook 2018
firstwriter.com – Tuesday December 12, 2017
For a limited time only, firstwriter.com is offering copies of the 2018 edition of its acclaimed Writers' Handbook in ebook format at a 25% discount.
Every year, the period between Christmas and New Year is the busiest ebook selling week of the year, as people with lovely new ereaders from Santa look for content to load onto them. This year, the online ebook retailer Smashwords is aiming to make this a little easier on everyone's strained post-Christmas bank accounts, by running an End of Year sale: and the firstwriter.com Writers' Handbook 2018 will be among the titles available at a discounted price.
Easy listening
thebookseller.com – Friday December 8, 2017
Agents are on my mind. At last week’s AudioBook Revolution conference, a number of agents raised concerns about how publishers are demanding audio rights when they also buy print. The charge was led from the podium by Curtis Brown agent Alice Lutyens, backed from the floor by her colleague Cathryn Summerhayes, and informed by agent Ivan Mulcahy. It was a debate I had been told no-one wanted to have. Now it feels urgent.
Hachette UK buys Jessica Kingsley Publishers
thebookseller.com – Friday December 1, 2017
Thirty years after it was founded, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (JKP) has been bought by Hachette UK for an undisclosed sum.
The indie publisher specialising in social and mental health sciences is set to become an imprint of John Murray Press under Nick Davies. Its founder Jessica Kingsley will work with the company on a consultancy basis until mid-2018 when she will retire.
Authors accuse publisher of exploiting writers by banning literary agents
dailydot.com – Thursday November 23, 2017
Tyrant Books, a little-known New York indie publisher, has just ignited a firestorm of controversy on Twitter. Authors including Chuck Wendig, John Scalzi, and Neil Gaiman are speaking out against the publisher, all thanks to this tweet:
"Dear agents, please stop sending inquiries to Tyrant. We no longer consider agented writers. Writers w/agents: feel free to send, just know you have to drop your agent if we want to sign you. Thanks,
Tyrant staff"
Small indie publishers report booming sales
theguardian.com – Monday November 20, 2017
Independent publishers have unleashed a boom in sales, according to new research. Latest figures from Inpress, which works with 60 of the smallest players in the books industry, revealed sales up 79% in the last year – a performance hailed by Inpress managing director Sophie O’Neill as phenomenal.
Charlie Brotherstone opens own agency
thebookseller.com – Wednesday November 15, 2017
Charlie Brotherstone, literary agent at Ed Victor Ltd, is opening his own agency.
Brotherstone Creative Management will be a full service literary agency with a range of clients including Brett Anderson, Charles Glass, Kirstin Innes, Thomas Pavitte, Nuno Mendes, George The Poet, and the AA Gill Estate.
Abrams Artists Agency Adds Michael Brooks, Ryan Levee & Derek Blum As Agents
deadline.com – Saturday November 11, 2017
Abrams Artists Agency is bolstering its business verticals with three key hires, adding new agents Michael Brooks, Ryan Levee and Derek Blum to its Los Angeles office.
Dragons’ Den aims to give writers a leg up
portsmouth.co.uk – Wednesday November 8, 2017
A DRAGONS’ DEN-style writer event is being held in Portsmouth this month.
Literary agents and editors are coming to the city to sign up writers to their agencies.
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