New Magazine Listing: Buttered Toast
firstwriter.com – Friday July 9, 2021
Annual journal publishing work by and for young people up to 18 years old.
New Literary Agent Listing: Nicki Richesin
firstwriter.com – Friday July 9, 2021
Represents literary and upmarket fiction, and young adult fiction. She also focuses on nonfiction including investigative journalism, pop culture (especially film/TV and music), biography, cooking, and memoir that makes an impact and becomes part of a larger cultural conversation. She is particularly interested in discovering underrepresented voices from around the world exploring identity, feminism, and social diversity.
New Literary Agent Listing: Clare Coombes
firstwriter.com – Thursday July 8, 2021
Would love to see historical fiction, crime fiction, psychological thrillers and women’s fiction, but as a new agent, she is open to all great writing with a strong hook in any area (excluding non-fiction, children’s and YA).
Literary Cleveland's 2021 Inkubator Writing Conference features nationally recognized writers, interactive workshops
news5cleveland.com – Wednesday July 7, 2021
CLEVELAND — Literary Cleveland’s annual Inkubator Writing Conference is back this summer with more than 30 free events for writers and readers.
The virtual conference taking place from July 11 through July 25 will offer a wide range of interactive classes, craft talks, open mics and panel discussions.
Attendees will hear from nationally recognized writers including Viet Thanh Nguyen and Thrity Umrigar, along with a panel of New Yorker writers originally from Cleveland: Andy Borowitz, Mary Norris and Kathryn Schulz.
An all-star lineup of local authors will lead panels on writing in prisons, solutions journalism, ethical representation in literature, how storytelling can affect social change and writing about illness beyond the pandemic.
New Literary Agency Listing: The Liverpool Literary Agency
firstwriter.com – Tuesday July 6, 2021
Literary agency based in Liverpool, focusing on helping writers from Northern England break into the publishing industry.
New Publisher Listing: Tiger Claw Publishing
firstwriter.com – Tuesday July 6, 2021
We work with our writers every step of the way on their literary journey, helping to bring out the most from their work. From an idea and rough draft, to editing and publication, we help our authors produce high quality, interesting and entertaining books.
We believe that every author has a story to tell, and that every story deserves to be told.
We may not have many authors at the moment, but we will work just as hard for one as we do for many and we are always growing.
Bergstrom unveils publishing consultancy and agency
thebookseller.com – Monday June 28, 2021
Abigail Bergstrom has launched a publishing consultancy and literary agency, Bergstrom Studio, “to break down the barrier between aspiring writers and the industry”.
Bergstrom Studio is a "360° publishing consultancy" which aims to help “emerging writers find their voice, turning good ideas into published books and writers into published authors", Bergstrom said. The announcement comes three months after she left Gleam Titles following five years with the company.
Her new venture will offer a range of services to help authors and build their brands. “The studio will offer an exciting range of bespoke editorial services and creative consultations, to help writers develop a commercially viable idea, finish their novel or realise a non-fiction proposal,” Bergstrom said. “The packages on offer also include IP development offerings for content formats – such as digital bookclubs, podcasts, newsletters – Bergstrom Studio will work with authors directly to help them cultivate an author brand and reach their readers.”
What this wordy writer learned by keeping it short
eu.azcentral.com – Sunday June 27, 2021
When I took this assignment three years ago, moving my column to the top of Page A2 and writing six times a week instead of once, my editors told me I could write about anything I wanted. Just do it in 326 words.
Heck, it practically takes me 326 words to say hello.
My predecessor, Clay Thompson, had done it. When Clay was my editor in my early years at the paper, he'd chide me to "Write tight, and make it sing."
I never took to it. The license plate on my car says, LNGSTRY.
Writers’ conference will be held via Zoom
times-standard.com – Saturday June 26, 2021
The Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference will hold its 32nd conference online via Zoom from Aug. 5 to 7.
This year’s conference faculty includes keynote speaker Wendy C. Ortiz, workshop leaders Lillian Li, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Saretta Morgan, Chris Dennis, Alex Sanchez, Suzanne Rivecca, Krys Malcolm Belc and Sam Krowchenko, and literary agents Elise Capron and Tricia Skinner, along with other special guests, writers and publishing experts. View the complete schedule by visiting http://mcwc.org.
Audio royalties come under scrutiny as sales of audiobooks continue to soar
thebookseller.com – Saturday June 26, 2021
Debate is raging in the publishing industry over whether authors are benefiting fairly from the audio and e-book boom, with concerns over the “Spotification” of books, as sales soared even further in lockdown.
Agents are urging for a greater share of royalties for authors beyond the standard 25% from these formats, while publishers argue writers do receive their fair share.
According to the Publishers Association’s recent Publishing in 2020 report, audio downloads have soared by a third to a value of £133m (+37%), while consumer digital sales rose by almost a quarter to £418m (24%), of which £267m is domestic (+29%), across invoiced sales. Over the past five years, audio downloads have risen by 241% overall.
However, almost every agent who spoke to The Bookseller revealed concern for how authors are getting the “thin slice of the digital pie”. Caroline Michel, c.e.o. of PFD, believes the situation is too rigid. “Publishers very quickly made [e-books and audio] part of the volume rights to a book, but have stuck religiously to 25% of net receipts as a royalty. You get movement on backlist books... but when it comes to frontlist titles, it is pretty set. I know that publishers for certain authors—you know, the huge sellers—can get some movement, but for most authors it is set and publishers seem to treat it as a nice add-on rather than actually a pretty established format.
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