Blogs

Pay the writer

Nels Abbey Author and founder of Black Writers Guild

I’m currently reading Capitalism’s Toxic Assumptions (Bloomsbury, 2015) by the brilliant writer, Eve Poole. The book meticulously slays capitalism’s dragons in fairy dresses: the assumptions... Read more

Cry freedom

By Philip Jones

Editor at The Bookseller

Not many would have predicted back in March 2020 that 16 months on from the first national lockdown we would only now be slowly, hesitantly,... Read more

The real data behind BookTok

Chris Stokel-Walker Journalist and author

Just before Christmas 2019, a friend who worked at a major UK publisher messaged me to ask whether I could help advise them on how... Read more

Bookshops unmasked

Penny Batchelor Author

July 19th was hailed as ‘Freedom Day’ in the press for the easing of mask wearing restrictions. But freedom for whom? With the government saying... Read more

Spreading the words

Allie Esiri Poetry curator and CLiPPA judge

It was an honour to be invited by CLPE to be the chair of the judging panel for this year’s CLiPPA(CLPE Children’s Poetry Award). The CLiPPA is the UK’s only... Read more

Time for tea

Jared Shurin Marketing strategist

I am a regular reader of @PublishingTea. This is a pastime I share with many others. The stories shared by this anonymously-curated Twitter... Read more

Bookselling unmasked

By Benedicte Page

Deputy Editor at The Bookseller

If 2020’s UK print book sales were buoyant, the first half of 2021 looks to have been still better—as far as can be deduced given... Read more

Money money money

Nelle Andrew Agent at RML

I remember very clearly the day I moved from being poor to being broke. Pause; let’s stop there. Being poor is immovable; it doesn’t ebb... Read more

Star power

By Benedicte Page

Deputy Editor at The Bookseller

This year’s class of Rising Stars arrives as a welcome boost in what, on the national stage, has been another tough week heralding much uncertainty ahead.... Read more

The essential alliance

David Annand Author

One of the great joys of browsing for books in an actual bricks-and-mortar shop is the serendipity of it; the way you can go in... Read more

A long way to go

Stewart Hotston Author and Arthur C Clarke Award judge

Representation matters. Last year, using the 2020 Arthur C. Clarke Award submission list, I wrote about the problems facing the genre publishing industry here... Read more

Why booksellers are winning

Mark Pilkington Author

The recent success of the Independent Booksellers Week has underlined the extraordinary achievement of owner-operated book stores in the face of the lockdowns. During the... Read more

Diversification and dirty words

Anna Vaught Author

If you are making a living from your writing, that is marvellous, but for everyone else, keep the day job. Perhaps you saw The... Read more

Engaging English

By Benedicte Page

Deputy Editor at The Bookseller

There’s a feeling of real energy and momentum to the Lit in Colour: Diversity in Literature in English Schools report released this week, from research... Read more