Author Archives: Roger Tagholm

Roger Tagholm is based in London and has been writing about the book industry for more than 20 years. He is the former Deputy Editor of Publishing News and the author of Walking Literary London (New Holland) and Poems NOT on the Underground (Windrush Press).

Is UK Publishing Too “White, Middle-Class” to Be Truly Global?

Dean Atta

UK publishing is a global business selling to a diverse, global audience — one that is not reflected by those who work in the industry.

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Are Extravagant Publisher’s Stands at Book Fairs Worthwhile?

Saudi Arabia's stand at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

Do extravagant stands at book fairs make a difference? Are they a mere splurge, or might they spark the interest of an investor or catch the eye of an author or agent?

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Dubai Arabic E-bookseller Rufoof Attracts 100,000 Users

rofoof logo

Dubai’s Rufoof e-bookseller offers 5,000 titles in Arabic and has attracted 100,000 users, 50% from Saudi Arabia, starting with free Islamic titles.

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Is a Digital Book as Devout as a Physical Copy?

Gold-blocking machine

The devout of all faiths adore their books. They mark their most cherished passages and pass them on to the next generation. Can the same ever be said for a digital edition?

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Do We Philosophically, Emotionally Need Bookstores?

bookstore-shelves

Bookshops are an essential link between readers and authors, which is just one reason why we need to save them, say a prominent UK bookseller and UK journalist.

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What Does “Post-Digital” Book Discovery Look Like?

David Roth-Ely

The challenge with digital is discovery, so David Roth-Ey of Fourth Estate and William Collins, is now looking at new ways to engage potential readers, including live events.

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At LBF, Authors Encouraged to Think Like Entrepreneurs

Polly Courtney is best known for "firing" her publisher Avon for their "demeaning" book covers.

Self-publishing has taken hold in the UK and two authors at the London Book Fair encouraged writers to consider DIY, offering observations and advice applicable to all.

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What New Skills Do Publishers Need to Navigate in Publishing?

using a computer

The modern book industry is a multiverse that requires increasingly complex and specialized skill sets, said several publishers at the London Book Fair.

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Publisher Complaints Against Amazon Becoming Pervasive

The Digital Zone at the 2013 London Book Fair

Privately, publishers are raising concerns over Amazon’s term demands, listing of editions for which it doesn’t have territorial rights, and sourcing of titles from wholesalers.

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Does the Book Still Have Cultural Primacy? Cheetham Raises Doubts

Cheetleham

Publishing doyen Anthony Cheetham believes if the book is to remain at the center of our culture, publishers must become more specialized.

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