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Publishing and the ‘D’ Word

By Caroline A Murphy, on 19 February 2015

By Marianne Tatepo

Of the thousands of online witticisms causing the SYP 2014 Conference hashtag (#sypconf14) to trend, one tweet stuck with me to this day: “It’s kind of hilarious how few people have chosen to attend the #sypconf14 session on diversity.” (Miriam H Craig, 12:15 PM – 8 Nov 2014, @miriamhcraig).

You’ll have heard of the ‘d’ word. For some it may be equated to ‘race’. But diversity is not colour, gender, or ability specific. Was the ‘diversity’ session at SYP aimed at those few minority groups (ditto about such print issues by The Bookseller)? Many will be most aware of their own underrepresentation: diversity is being able to scan a room and see, or hear about both others like you and those unlike you. A room where each attendee can’t think to themselves “there are other people like me AND unlike me” is not diverse – the same goes for an industry. Still: it’s difficult to tackle the issue of diversity if none of those concerned are included in such discussions – so here’s my own input, following on Caroline Carpenter’s piece.

My contention is: a diverse industry is one inclusive of those who have had to deal with marginalisation or disparities at a range of possible levels. Mental health issues; lack of social mobility; gender or racial imbalances or discrimination; physical impairment or disability; and other major factors that may lead them to feel there are no ‘people like them’ around.

Identity is not one-dimensional. On the one hand, there were a plethora of others like me at SYP’s 2014 summit: literature or humanities degree bearers, and probable Student Finance benefactors, who are only mediocrely digitally skilled. On the other hand, it was honestly disappointing to have to acquiesce to some of the facts outlined in The Bookseller’s November issue regarding the status quo of variety in publishing – even ten years on, post-Web 2.0.

As both a hyperbole and simile: a love for publishing can sometimes feel like having Stockholm Syndrome – we’re captives of something we’ve grown to feel an attachment to, in spite of the perils presented (e.g.: ‘death of the book’ and other doomsday fear-mongering), and this often causes onlookers to equate our loyalty to insanity. At ‘budding publisher’ level, this translates into the sacrifices some must make in order to intern for periods of up to a year (dixit many of SYP 2014’s despairing attendees). The labour is often unwaged, and worse yet: there is no guarantee that you’ll reach Promised Land.

You’ll hear about books being rejected by publishers because the demographic depicted in said books is not that of ‘the reader’ or ‘the customer’ – that is to say, not white. To say that minorities aren’t ‘the reader’ doesn’t recognise the fact that they are often unrepresented in stories, despite the infinite amount of stories out in the world. Not reading every book that refuses to acknowledge you could be seen as a silent, peaceful protest of sorts – a sign of a malignant illness tainting the reading experience.  How can catering to a wider audience be achieved whilst simultaneously telling said audience – by way of ellipsis, by way of vacuum – that they don’t exist?

What you won’t hear enough about is people like Nikesh Shukla or Malorie Blackman – both of them catering to different age groups, but certainly to wider groups than many past and present writers did altogether. A diversity workshop, I believe, would have been most beneficial to future agents, editors, marketers, publicists… That is to say: anyone likely to unearth the next Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Junot Diaz, or John Elder Robison and whose instincts may be muddled by a one-dimensional idea of ‘the reader’.

What you won’t hear enough about is that the next generation of writers is tucked away in places like The Baytree Centre, in Brixton. In this all-women’s culture and literacy centre, young girls of BAME background aged 10-14 are attending Creative Writing and Reading classes voluntarily, and will soon submit their edited, original creative writing work to the Global Girls Project, with the hope to be published.

However, you will certainly hear about the commercial benefits of diversity. What you won’t hear is about the value of culture – especially in a melting pot like the UK. What you don’t hear enough is how good, loyal employees are the ones attracted not to the commercial aspect of the industry, but the fact that their presence is reflected in the workplace; that they are part of a community – just like ‘the reader’. The fact that when, finally, they get that book proof on their desks, more than once in a blue moon, they can read about ‘others like them’.

The momentum is now, and the opportunities are here: where there is a will, there is a market. If Nichelle Gainer could sell out for an illustrated coffee book like Vintage Black Glamour (£30 apiece) and even a major cultural institution like the V&A is doing a Black British Experience exhibition after recognising a “gap” in their knowledge… What’s stopping the publishing industry from recognizing the full scope of ‘the reader’?

FutureBook 2014 (part 2)

By Caroline A Murphy, on 19 November 2014

Here’s some key information taken from the FutureBook conference 2014 by Rachel Mazza (@mazzie191)

Sidebar #1 A few figures from the presentations…

  1. The biggest growth in ebooks, predicted by Nielsen global survey trends, is in nonfiction and children’s
  2. According to the same survey, fiction ebook sales are plateauing
  3. Between the US and UK, 30% of publishing is English language based
  4. A growing number of younger people (16-24 age group) are now purchasing ebooks
  5. However age 45+ is still reading the most ebooks
  6. More males are also starting to purchase ebooks
  7. 27% of UK consumers buy both ebook and print

Sidebar #2 Unbound

The company Unbound is doing something interesting. Co-founder and CEO Dan Kieran explained that Unbound puts the power into the hands of readers via crowdfunding an author. Once the goal is met, the author will write the book and once completed it will be published by Unbound in ebook or for print-on-demand. This idea is fascinating because it allows authors to know if there will be interest in a book before time is spent on it and they can see exactly how large their audience is. However, can Unbound provide the visibility for the author and longevity for their work that traditional publishing can? I regret not having the opportunity to ask if any publishing houses have contracted any of the authors whose works were funding through to publication. It’s definitely something to check out: http://unbound.co.uk

Sidebar #3 Publishing subscription model

There seemed to be some disagreement between the speakers as to whether or not subscription was something consumers were interested in.

Senior Publicity and Digital Campaigns Manager of Headline Ben Willis believes subscriptions are a great business decision. Tom Weldon, CEO of Penguin isn’t convinced subscription is what consumers are after since many do not re-read.

For further info on the matter: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/tom-weldon-book-readers-don’t-want-subscription

Sidebar #4 Hack Pitches and Big Ideas sessions

Companies and creative individuals had the opportunity to share their plans for innovating the publishing world.

-The winner of the Hack Pitch was “Voice” – an organization that developed an X Factor style contest with the winner receiving a contract to read for an audiobook. Contestants submit clips of themselves reading selected passages and people can vote on whose voice they enjoy listening to the most.

Some people to follow on the good ‘ol Twitter:

@marissa_hussey (Marissa Hussey—Digital Marketing Director at Orion)

@booksandquills (Sanne Vliengenthart—Digial Coordinator Hot Key Books)

@dan_kieran (Dan Kieran—CEO of Unbound)

@BenWillisUK (Ben Willis—Senior Publicity and Digital Campaigns Manager of Headline)

 

For more highlights check out #FutureBook14, if you haven’t already.

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Sunday Schedule

By Alice Hughes, on 9 November 2014

So it’s Sunday and reading week is drawing to a close. Hope you’ve all had a lovely break and the chance to get stuck into some course reading. The Oxford Street Christmas lights have been turned on and it looks like the rest of this term is going to fly by! Here’s our weekly calendar of publishing classes and bibliophile-worthy events…

Monday 10th

An evening with David Mitchell: The Bone Clocks (Waterstone’s Piccadilly – 6.30pm)

Exclusive Midnight Launch: Stephen King’s Revival (Waterstone’s Piccadilly – 11.30pm)

Tuesday 11th

Sales, Marketing and Promotion class: The Practitioners Perspective: Marketing and Publicity with Martin Neild, Georgina Moore, Communications Director at Headline and Auriol Bishop, Creative Director at Hodder. In this session we’ll be learning how to master the interlocking tools of marketing plans, writing copy, metadata and budgets (Chandler B01 – 10-1pm)

Author Management class: New ways of working with Authors with Gareth Howard, CEO and Founder of Authoright (If anyone witnessed the very heated, Amazon-focused concluding panel at the SYP conference on Saturday, you’ll recognise him!) (Bentham Room 4 – 2-5pm)

An Evening of Terror & Wonder: The Gothic Imagination with The British Library Curator Talk (Waterstone’s Piccadilly – 7pm)

The V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize winner announcement with A.L. Kennedy in conversation with Paula Johnson (The Tabernacle – 7pm)

Wednesday 12th

The First World War Conference: Literature, Culture, Modernity (The British Academy – 9.30am-5.00pm)

Thursday 13th

Publishing Skills class: Writing Skills with Jon Reed, author and publishing marketing consultant, and James Owen, author. (Cruciform B115A – Public Cluster- 10am-1pm)

Publishing Project meetings 2pm onwards

Michael Frayn in discussion with Marcel Theroux on Matchbox Theatre (Daunt Books – 7pm)

Ray’s Jazz: Paul Riley Quintet (free! Foyles Charing Cross Road – 6.30-7.30pm)

Friday 14th

The Bookseller Futurebook Conference (The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre – 9am-6pm)

(For all you arty publishers…)

Opening of A Victorian Obsession: The Pérez Simón collection (Leighton House Museum – open 10am-5.30pm)

Portrait artist Jonathan Yeo in Conversation with Tim Marlow (Royal Academy Burlington House – 6.30-7.30pm)

….And finally because none of us ever really grow up, Matilda the Musical might take your fancy. This award-winning, grotesquely magical show is on at Cambridge Theatre until 20th December.