Industry & Advocacy News
May 14, 2021
In this week’s issue, writers and other workers feel the physical (and mental) pain of spending endless hours on the computer; Simon & Schuster introduces a new “First Novel” contest for underrepresented minorities; literary translation and the use of the singular form of “they”; a lighthearted look at Goodreads Book Rating System, and more.
How the Personal Computer Broke the Human BodyVice“The aches and pains of computer use now play an outsized role in our physical (and increasingly, our mental) health, as the demands of remote workforce us into constant accommodation.”
Books Like Us First Novel Contest from Gallery Books and Simon & SchusterReaders’ Entertainment MagazineGallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, launches its BOOKS LIKE US First Novel Contest to facilitate accessibility to underrepresented writers and celebrate the diversity of readers across the United States. Interested writers must submit the first 25 pages of their novel between June 1-14.
How Desire Propels the Writing LifeLiterary HubRed Ink, a quarterly series focused on women writers hosted by Books are Magic, talks with Jo Ann Beard, Katherine Angel, Dantiel W. Moniz, and Jeannine Ouellette on the role of desire in books and the writing process.
In Praise of the Singular “They” in Literary TranslationLiterary HubThe debate about gender fluidity and how people refer to themselves continues when it comes to using “they” as a singular form. Here a translator of Ukrainian prose talks about the choice he and his colleague made to include “they” to agree with “somebody” in a passage from The Orphanage.
Hachette Saw Diversity Gains in Workforce and Title Acquisitions in 2020Publishers Weekly“BIPOC employees represented 47.8% of new hires by the Hachette Book Group in 2020, and the percentage of titles acquired from BIPOC authors and illustrators increased to 29%, from 22%.”
Sterling Publishing to Be RevampedPublishers WeeklyThe B & N Books imprint Sterling Publishing is reinventing itself to operate more independently from Barnes & Noble both in its processes and its acquisitions of children and adult book titles.
To Understand Amazon, We Must Understand Jeff BezosThe New York TimesNew York Times technology reporter Brad Stone’s new book Amazon Unbound takes us inside the mind of Jeff Bezos and shows how Amazon’s “success has become increasingly a function of its ability to wield its enormous scale against potential rivals.”
Better Rating Systems Than the Goodreads Rating SystemBook RiotA light-hearted look at how readers and reviewers could improve upon Goodreads rating system to help drive (or drive away) book sales.
