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Opinion from The Bookseller and other columnists. To pitch a comment piece email Molly Flatt.

Editor's Letter

A federal structure is about the bond as well as the profit

As the headwinds that swirl around book publishing remain strong, portfolio publishing does not always work as recent redundancies at Hachette division, Octopus, evince.

READ LETTER IN FULL

A sovereign state of mind

by David Cairns

Why even a queen should reconsider science fiction.

A chain of radical acts

by Elizabeth Day

Why I’m launching Big Day Books, and why marketers matter so much.

The barriers are holding firm

by Daisy Griffiths

In 2022 I wrote an anonymous piece on whether working-class access schemes were working. Here’s my view four years on.

Editor‘s Letter

A federal structure is about the bond as well as the profit

As the headwinds that swirl around book publishing remain strong, portfolio publishing does not always work as recent redundancies at Hachette division, Octopus, evince.

READ LETTER IN FULL

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Bringing British bookselling to Sicily

by Mia McTigue-Rodriguez

Will an English indie approach work in a rural Italian town?

It’s time to lean in for the right to be heard

by Philip Jones

Sarah Wynn-Williams, an author resident in the UK and published by a UK publisher, has been silenced for more than a year by a US court at the behest of a tech mega-corp, yet where is the outrage?

The evolution of indie publishing

by John Bond and James Silver

Once seen as the book trade’s consolation prize, self-publishing is now its own thriving industry.

At a time when mental health issues are soaring, earnings are plummeting and over half of debut novelists report the experience of publishing had a negative impact on their mental health, systemic solutions are needed.

How to stage Jackie Collins? With dolls

by Natasha Tripney

The first ever theatre adaptation of a Collins bestseller takes a surprising approach.

The cult of youth

by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Publishing’s obsession with shiny new things is limiting for everyone.

Beyond transparency

by Stephanie Attal-Juncqua and Neil Everett

Building the book supply chain of 2035.

News for emerging authors: June

by Maame Blue

A hand-picked digest of news stories from the past month that emerging writers should know about.

We are in the ‘nostalgia’ business

by Philip Jones

While units are down and only price rises keeping the market buoyant, now more so than ever is the time for us to focus on the business of creating readers.

The antidote to AI slop?

by David Shervington

Religious and spiritual non-fiction is flourishing thanks to a uniquely human trait: soul.

Reading against the statistics

by Louise Powell

I was a Free School Meals kid, and reading transformed my future.

Publishing needs a cultural reckoning

by Paul Bulos

The book trade needs to bridge the gap between its values and the lived experience of its workforce.

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February 2026: Discover Previews

Jan 15, 2026by Natasha Onwuemezi

A new year and a fresh approach in a world at war

April 2026: Fiction Previews

Jan 15, 2026by Madeleine Feeny

April sees new novels from indie publishers in less-widely translated languages, a couple of satires tackling the vast anti-ageing industry and the latest from a modern-day Muriel Spark.

January 2023: Paperback Previews

Oct 28, 2022by Will Smith

A fresh start: the New Year looks ready to offer a whole host of new voices in début fiction, alongside the usual New Year, new you books

December 2022: Paperback Previews

Sep 29, 2022by Will Smith

While December is a relatively modest offer in terms of paperbacks issued, there are still some titles not to be missed—and plenty of ideal last-minute gifts

December 2022: Non-fiction Previews

Sep 20, 2022by Caroline Sanderson

Many self-improvement books will manifest in December in time for the New Year, along with highlights covering themes including wildlife, healthy eating and self-help

November 2022: Children's Previews

Aug 27, 2022by Charlotte Eyre

November children’s highlights include a host of new YA titles, gender-defying picture books and more Christmas gift options

November 2022: Paperback Previews

Aug 26, 2022by Will Smith

While the paperback schedule eases somewhat as Christmas nears, there are still some fantastic reads to be found, a number of which are reissues

November 2022: Non-fiction Previews

Aug 19, 2022by Caroline Sanderson

November’s publishing takes a self-reflective turn, with a preponderance of titles that take books themselves as their focus

October 2022: Paperback Previews

Jul 28, 2022by Will Smith

Titles commemorating the achievements of those in conflicts past, as well as a handful looking at ongoing wars, join some innovative ecological fiction