Publishing world

With Labor Day only five weeks away, it has become clear that a substantial number of publishers, both in New York City and elsewhere, will not be returning to their offices in anything resembling full force before 2021. Moreover, organizers of a few industry events set for early next year have already announced they will be moving them from in-person to online.  Read more

One of the biggest "first-world problems" to arise during 2020's necessary isolation in response to Covid-19 has to do with e-books. I'm specifically talking about e-galleys, the early versions of books that critics, reviewers, and librarians often receive from publishers in place of paper versions.

The nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice have set off conversations in nearly every industry about the treatment of Black workers, and book publishing is no exception.  Read more

Like every other business, the publishing industry suffered a major blow during lockdown.

Even as the demand for reading books in print, digital and audio, from War and Peace to Sally Rooney, surged, so bookshops had to shut.

Supplies were halted and publication dates have been shifted, while festivals, launches and book fairs have been largely either cancelled or moved online.  Read more

While none of the major New York City publishers who took part in PW's survey about their efforts to return employees to their Manhattan headquarters had fixed plans, no companies said they expected to begin bringing staff back in a meaningful way before Sept. 1. For the most part, they see the week of Labor Day as a target, but acknowledged that date may not be realistic.  Read more