Hodder makes series of changes to its fiction team

Hodder & Stoughton has made a series of promotions in its fiction team, following the company's "biggest fiction year to date" in 2011.

Kate Howard, previously senior editor, has been promoted to the position of editorial director, and will work with Harriet Bourton, who has been promoted to assistant editor, on Hodder's "growing" adult/crossover list. Meanwhile, Laura Macdougall is promoted to assistant editor and will work closely with publisher Nick Sayers, with special emphasis on developing the historical fiction list and community around it.


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E book lending should result in PLR payment to the author

The General Secretary of the Society of Authors, Nicola Solomon, has written to Ed Vaizey MP to request a meeting so that Management Committee members can give the views of authors in relation to ebook lending by public libraries.

 The Society of Authors believes that libraries are an essential resource and should receive sufficient funding to update, maintain and augment stock and ensure that an exciting and comprehensive range of books are available for reference and loan. We believe that books, whether physical or digital, must be at the core of any library.

Any ebook lending should result in a PLR payment to the author. The Public Lending Right scheme provides authors with a modest payment each time one of their books is borrowed from a public library. PLR is designed to balance the social need for free public access to books against an author’s right to be remunerated for the use of their work.

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Society of Authors raises concerns over Public Lending Rights

The General Secretary of the Society of Authors, Nicola Solomon, has written to Louise Mensch MP to put forward the views of authors in relation to libraries and particularly the concerns over Public Lending Right.
 
The letter asks Louise Mensch to confirm that PLR will continue to be paid, whoever runs the library. Any book lending should result in a PLR payment to the author.

The Public Lending Right scheme provides authors with a modest payment each time one of their books is borrowed from a public library. PLR is designed to balance the social need for free public access to books against an author’s right to be remunerated for the use of their work.

PLR is particularly important to authors whose books are sold mainly to libraries and to those whose books are no longer in print but are still being read. Press coverage tends to focus on a few successful authors, yet most struggle to make ends meet. PLR provides a significant and much-valued part of many such authors’ income
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Printed books still remain the choice for many readers

Despite an increase in digital sales of 366% last year, printed books remain the choice for the majority of readers.

Consumer ebook sales in the UK increased by 366% last year helping to offset a decline in the market for printed books, according to new official figures.

Drawing its data from information provided by 250 publishers, the Publishers Association's Statistics Yearbook put the value of consumer ebook sales – fiction, non-fiction and children's digital titles – at £92m in 2011. This is a 366% increase on the previous year, the Publishers Association said, and consumer ebooks are now equivalent to 6% of consumer physical book sales by value.

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Alison Flood

English PEN launches major new fund for literary translation

English PEN, the charity promoting the freedom to write, has launched a major new fund for literary translation.


The fund responds to concerns that less than 3% of British books published are in translation from another language. At a time when more than 300 languages are spoken in British schools, the charity believes that this social diversity should be reflected by literary diversity. The new fund, backed by Arts Council England, was launched at the London Book Fair.

Applications are open to all literary genres including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays.

For more information about PEN TRANSLATES!, please contact Emma Cleave, Programme Manager at English PEN on emma@englishpen.org or telephone 020 7324 2535.

For more information about English PEN, please contact Heather Norman Soderlind, Deputy Director at English PEN on heather@englishpen.org or telephone 020 7324 2582.

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Programme Manager Vacancy at Writers' Centre Norwich

Programme Manager Vacancy at Writers' Centre Norwich

Would you, or someone you know, like to join the Writers’ Centre Norwich, helping to deliver a unique programme of events? Only six days to go to the closing date...

Programme Manager (Maternity Cover)
£23-26,000 pro rata

The successful applicant will have a passion for literature, at least two years experience in delivering literature programmes, excellent organisation skills and the ability to manage a diverse and rapidly changing workload.
Closing Date: 5pm Monday May 14th

For full details please go to the website to download the recruitment pack and application forms.
www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk/AboutUs/jobvacancies.aspx

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Writers’ Centre Norwich

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Norwich
NR3 1AE
Tel: 01603 877177
Fax: 01603 625452
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