Industry & Advocacy News
June 25, 2020
Our roundup of key news affecting authors. In this edition: The state of the news industry, more drama for Trump-related books, pandemic updates, and more…
Google Will Start Paying Some Publishers for News ArticlesThe VergeNews publishers will be paid by Google for some content, including paywalled articles, through a program that is launching initially in Australia, Brazil, and Germany.
A Quarter of All U.S. Newspapers Have Died in 15 years, a New UNC News Deserts Study FoundPoynter“At least 1,800 communities that had a local news outlet in 2004 were without one at the beginning of 2020.”
Judge Dismisses Trump Family’s Lawsuit That Tried to Block Mary Trump’s Tell-All BookBusiness Insider“President Donald Trump’s younger brother, Robert Trump, had sought a restraining order alleging that the author, Mary Trump, was violating a nondisclosure agreement dating back to an inheritance dispute in the family.”
Black Bookstores Are Overwhelmed by Orders for Anti-Racism TitlesQuartz“The combination of reduced operations due to the coronavirus pandemic, along with unusually high levels of interest in these books, is delaying deliveries.”
Books Are a Great Fit for Quarantine. The Book Business, Not So Much.The New York Times“There is a certain intimacy to the book business. For many authors, turning in a manuscript is like handing over a chunk of their soul, and delicate conversations about revisions are generally best when you can look someone in the eye.”
Pirated Editions of Bolton’s Book Appearing OnlinePolitico“‘We are working assiduously to take down these clearly illegal instances of copyright infringement,’ Simon & Schuster spokesperson Adam Rothberg said Sunday.”
How Cartoons Are Satirizing John Bolton’s New Book About TrumpThe Washington Post“Kuper says he also found ready humor by toying with Bolton’s name, for a twisted book title that’s a send-up of Dr. Seuss.”
The National Book Critics Circle Is Putting Its Awards on HoldInsideHookAfter sweeping board resignations, the group is postponing their annual awards “in order to focus on fulfilling and exceeding the action items in our Anti-Racism Pledge and Action Plan.”
This Is How Much Money Cookbook Authors Can Actually MakeHuffPost“Book advances are typically minimal and costs associated with publishing and promoting a cookbook are exorbitant. So why go through the lengthy and labor-intensive process if it doesn’t result in a substantial payoff?”
Unfinished Story by ‘Little Women’ Author Louisa May Alcott Published for First TimeThe GuardianThe Strand Magazine has released a 9,000-word story written when Alcott was 17 years old, with a call for authors to finish the narrative.
