Category: publishing

“There have been many other such campaigns against the sales of historic libraries and items from them; why did this one raise such strong feelings and why did it succeed? “

“In an op-ed piece in the New York Times, an author complained about repeatedly being asked to write for free, but what he finds so insulting is something many others see as an opportunity – and it is not going away any time soon.”

“If there is a problem in literary fiction, it may be that some of our best writers have missed out on one of the most exciting and transformative moments in American letters. Social media is primarily text-based; it propels people to write more than they have in decades – centuries, perhaps – and it is complex, fluid and resistant to simple conclusions. No wonder so many writers love it.”

Says the newest Nobel literature laureate, “Every day I have mixed messages to myself over whether I will retire. I have promised to retire but now and then I get an idea.”

“The more publishing in aggregate gets hysterical about the end of literature as we once knew it–I personally am not the only agent of insecurity here–the more their publicists are frantic for writers to accept any opportunity whatsoever to attract attention.”

“‘First of all, she doesn’t say that Jesus speaks to her,’ Ms. Bearss said. ‘I feel like she’s tried to be pretty clear about that in her book introductions. In no way does she believe her own writing is sacred or that she has new revelations.'”

Chinese writer Yu Hua: “The biggest problem facing Chinese literature is how to express today’s realities. Reality is more preposterous than fiction. It’s a difficult task to convey reality’s absurdity in a novel.”

“People who would consider it a bizarre breach of conduct to expect anyone to give them a haircut or a can of soda at no cost will ask you, with a straight face and a clear conscience, whether you wouldn’t be willing to write an essay or draw an illustration for them for nothing.”

“If, at a casual glance, the two companies … seem to be made for each other, look again. A small but growing faction of longtime, deeply involved Goodreads members are up in arms about recent changes to the site’s enforcement of its policies on what members are permitted to say when reviewing books.” And the rebels are using guerrilla tactics.

“Brazil’s Congress is expected to vote soon on a law that would protect the right of an author to publish an unauthorized biography of someone famous – which is currently impossible, because of an ambiguously worded civil code and a spate of pro-celebrity legal precedents.”