By Olivia Snaije The book and writing “observatory,” le MOTif, funded by the Paris regional government, is becoming increasingly visible in France’s book world. Le MOTif has just released a study on author rights in Europe, the result of a year-long research project about the legislatures, economic and legal aspects of the industry and more than 50 interviews with publishers, …
Are US Publishers Using E-books to Undermine Territorial Rights?
By Liz Bury Frankfurt Book Fair veteran agent Andrew Nurnberg has raised the specter of e-book deals being used to undermine territorial rights in an interview with Publishing Perspectives. But his fear that some American publishers may try to use e-book negotiations to break existing rights boundaries left other agents unruffled. Arguments about the primacy of authors’ relationships with their editors, …
From Frankfurt: Rights Directors Advise “Don’t Assume Anything”
By Erin L. Cox Yesterday’s International Rights Directors Meeting, entitled “Off the Page! — New Ways to Sell New Rights,” focused on the impact of digital publishing on the role of rights directors — the challenges, the successes, and the important “don’t assume anything” mandate for both rights directors and literary agents. Chairperson David Bowers, Vice President of Global Business …
How I Accidentally Became a Book Scout
• Todd Sattersten, a business book author became a scout by accident: a Twitter exchange led to a relationship with Spain’s Grupo Planeta. • Now preparing for his first Frankfurt Book Fair, he describes his journey into this mysterious profession and offers tips on selling books abroad. By Todd Sattersten “Really?” That’s what most people say when I tell them I …
Foreign Rights Acquisitions Put Turkish Book Market on the Map
By Nermin Mollaoğlu • In the wake of Orhan Pamuk’s Nobel and Turkey’s appearance as Guest of Honour at the 2008 Frankfurt Book Fair, Turkish publishers have recently taken a greater interest in foreign rights and in expanding their international presence. • 50% of books published in Turkey are translations, and agencies like Kalem are now a bigger part of …
Agent Andrew Wylie Touts Foreign Sales as the Road to Profitability
By Edward Nawotka Like him or not, Andrew Wylie is certainly savvy about managing his reputation. In April, the UK Guardian offered this profile and now Harvard magazine visits the man known overseas for the nickname “The Jackal.” The piece tracks his progress from Harvard undergrad to his position at the top of the publishing food chain. Like so many …
Talking Turkey: Istanbul’s Amy Spangler on Founding a Literary Agency Abroad
By Amy Marie Spangler ISTANBUL: When I arrived in Istanbul in August of 1999, just a few months after graduating from college, I had not planned to launch a literary agency in Turkey. My plan was to brush up on my Turkish for a year before pursuing graduate studies in Germanics. (Sounds odd, I know, but I wanted to focus …
The Potential and Promise of “Live” E-books
By Edward Nawotka Enhanced e-books with web and video links embedded in the text is just the beginning: “One of the things we can do is to enable the creation of unique new data sets using the Internet as a source,” says Bruce Molloy, CEO of Connotate. “Real time analysis and use of this new data will allow publishers to …
Expatland: On Working in Publishing in Switzerland, Australia
By Daniel Kalder In part three of Publishing Perspectives’ series on publishing professionals working abroad, Daniel Kalder, himself a Scot transplanted to Texas via Moscow — talks to two Americans who discuss their experiences working in publishing abroad and how it has enhanced their careers. Read parts one and two. Going Global in the Swiss Alps Natasha De Bernardi is …
Bloomsbury Qatar Parties with the Queen, Launches First List
by Chip Rossetti Not many new publishing imprints are feted with a launch party at Windsor Castle hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, but Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP), a unique joint venture between the Qatar Foundation and Bloomsbury Publishing, got the royal treatment when it launched last week. The Windsor reception was attended by Sheikha Moza, the consort of the …