
At Frankfurt’s annual Rights Directors Meeting, Wuping Zhao told the audience that Chinese publishers acquired rights to 15,592 foreign titles in 2011, up from just 1,664 in 1995.

At Frankfurt’s annual Rights Directors Meeting, Wuping Zhao told the audience that Chinese publishers acquired rights to 15,592 foreign titles in 2011, up from just 1,664 in 1995.

How should the world’s biggest book fair cater to self-published and indie authors? And if they did serve up a suitable agenda, would you indie author attend?

In an attitude switch from recent years, foreign publishers are looking at ways to create market opportunities and exploit the rich digital market in the US.

The Bogotá International Book Fair was a high-energy affair, which featured Brazil as guest of honor. It attracted 415,000 visitors and generated $20m in sales.

At Berrett-Koehler Publishers foreign rights sales account for 10% of revenue, much of it from backlist, and are rewarding both financially and culturally.
Italy’s Increasingly Agile Literary Agents
While relatively few literary agents work in Italy, the evolving publishing industry is making them more essential. Agent Marco Vigevani describes the scene.