U.K. Writers Guild, Music Union Set Out AI Concerns
variety.com – Wednesday July 12, 2023
The U.K. Writers Guild has published its policy on artificial intelligence, setting out the challenges and potential benefits of the technology for writers.
On the back of a recent survey organized by the Guild, which found 65% of respondents believed AI would reduce their writing income, the org. has published “Writers and AI: A policy position statement.”
Among the concerns the policy document sets out are worries about fewer job opportunities, pay, copyright infringement and lack of regulation. The Guild suggests that although AI is not yet “sophisticated” enough to mimic professional writers, “this is a likely future scenario.”
Pushkin Press acquires two indie publishers and unveils new classics list
thebookseller.com – Monday July 10, 2023
Pushkin Press has announced plans for a new Pushkin Classics list following the acquisition of two independent publishers, Peter Owen Publishers and Angel Classics.
The first eight titles on the new list will be published in the UK on 3rd August, with roughly two titles a month following. Encompassing fiction and non-fiction, the list will feature new translations as well as covers by Pushkin Press art director Jo Walker.
Some titles are brand new to Pushkin Press, while others have been published before by Pushkin. Many are books that Pushkin brought to a UK audience for the first time, including launch titles The Evenings by Gerard Reve, Binocular Vision by Edith Pearlman, Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb and The Spectre of Alexander Wolf by Gaito Gazdanov.
How to enter The Sunday Post’s short story writing competition
sundaypost.com – Sunday July 9, 2023
The word is out. Amateur writers across the country should have pens and laptops at the ready because today The Sunday Post launches its inaugural Short Story Writing Competition, and we want to hear from you.
Can you weave a captivating tale? Do you marvel at where your imagination takes you? Do the characters you conjure take on a life of their own? If the answer is yes, then this is your moment. Whether you’re unemployed or a student, a retired granny, grandpa or working mum, with disabilities or without, or just downright frustrated at not fulfilling your literary dream, now is your chance.
And we’ve lined up a great team of experts to cast their eyes over your creations. Our judges are the king of feel-good fiction, No.1 Ladies Detective Agency author Alexander McCall Smith, queen of romantic comedy Jenny Colgan, and thriller royalty, Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival founders Lin Anderson and Alex Gray. Also on the judging panel is Sunday Post and P.S magazine Books Editor Sally McDonald.
Ex-Canelo director Riccardi joins Kate Nash as literary agent
thebookseller.com – Monday July 3, 2023
Francesca Riccardi has joined Kate Nash Literary Agency as a literary agent, building a list in fiction.
Riccardi was previously sales and marketing director at Canelo where she was instrumental in driving the company’s growth into audio and print sales alongside the e-book business.
During her time at Canelo, Riccardi also launched the flagship Canelo Crime imprint and worked with authors directly to achieve their writing ambitions.
Riccardi started her publishing career at RNIB, where she worked on transcribing books into accessible formats, and has worked previously at Atlantic Books, where she was recognised as a Bookseller Rising Star in 2017, as well as at Constable and Robinson and HarperCollins.
Culture Creative Entertainment Hires Netflix’s Sherley Ibarra As Literary Agent
uk.news.yahoo.com – Wednesday June 21, 2023
Culture Creative Entertainment, the nascent talent agency founded by former Abrams Artists Agency agents Brad Rosenfeld, Paul Weitzman and Karen Kirkland, has hired a new literary agent.
The company has hired Sherley Ibarra, who joins from Netflix, where she was Manager of Animation Outreach & Engagement. Ibarra was at the streamer for over three years, having previously been Vice-President of Creative Talent Development & Outreach at Nickelodeon.
At CCE, she will represent a diverse roster of talent working across TV series and features in both live-action and animation.
UTA opens new London Office at 1 Newman Street
thebookseller.com – Thursday June 15, 2023
United Talent Agency (UTA) opened its new London Office today (Thursday 15th June), at the intersection of Fitzrovia and Soho.
The company will mark the occasion with a gala opening event this evening attended by clients and industry leaders.
The 28,000 sq ft space occupies two floors at 1 Newman Street W1, and is designed by award-winning architectural firms Gensler and Modus Workspace. The offices house members of the company’s music practice, as well as agents who run the range of representation services, from production arts and podcasting, to endorsements and voiceovers, entertainment marketing as well as advisory services through UTA-owned MediaLink.
Author dropped by publisher after posting several 'mean' TikToks about Goodreads reviewer who rated debut book: 'Completely baffling'
uk.finance.yahoo.com – Sunday June 11, 2023
Author Sarah Stusek has been accused of bullying a Goodreads reviewer after she left a four-star review for Stusek’s upcoming book. A Twitter thread seemed to indicate that Stusek’s book publisher had dropped her in response to the allegations. Stusek said she later apologized to the reviewer in a private conversation.
It’s a story that’s taken BookTok — a subcommunity within TikTok dedicated to books and literature, where there is a significant focus on young adult fiction — by storm. Stusek’s book, Three Rivers, is classified as young adult fiction and was slated to be released on Sept. 12.
Stusek, who is a first-time author, reportedly called Goodreads reviewer Karleigh Kebartas a “bitch” in a since-deleted TikTok for posting the first four-star review for Three Rivers, which, according to Stusek, had been getting only five-star reviews up until that point.
WME Acquires Ross Yoon Agency in Expansion of Literary Talent Portfolio
variety.com – Sunday June 4, 2023
Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.’s WME announced today it has acquired Ross Yoon Agency.
The Washington D.C.-based agency, Ross Yoon, specializes in literary and commercial nonfiction including memoir, biography, history, popular science, business and psychology. In addition, the literary agency’s president Gail Ross and principal Howard Yoon will join WME as partners.
The current Ross Yoon clients will join WME’s roster — the new clientele will include Ross Yoon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and authors, business, non-profit leaders, doctors, scientists, academics, politicians and media personalities.
Another Major Publisher Caught Using AI-Generated Cover Image on Bestselling Author’s Work
themarysue.com – Thursday May 18, 2023
If publishers will cut costs for Sarah J. Maas, no one stands a chance.
We, and many others, have already written at length about the threat AI poses to writers and artists, not because the AI-generated works make good art, but because studios and organizations will use them to undercut and get away with not paying artists. The worst part is that they’re already doing it: Tor got caught buying AI art for an upcoming novel, a U.K. Literary Festival recently used AI-Generated promotional art, and Studios are already trying to use AI to replace their striking WGA writers.
Therefore, this most recent incident isn’t surprising, but it is disappointing.
How One of the Biggest Literary Agencies in Publishing Lost Almost All Credibility Overnight
themarysue.com – Wednesday May 17, 2023
The entertainment industry is going through a reckoning. The WGA has writers banding together to advocate for themselves and their work, which has given us a peek behind the curtain of the frankly appalling treatment writers have had to put up with from studios.
But that’s not the only struggle writers have been dealing with.
In the past week, dozens of authors have reported that a major literary agency, New Leaf Literary Agency, has dropped them from representation. Some of these authors were in the middle of contract negotiations with publishers and will now be left without agents representing them. Some authors were notified of this loss in representation via a 10PM email on Friday evening.
Get the free newsletter | Submit a news item or article | Get Writers' News for your website
