publishing
ESSAY / It has to be print
There is something in the tactility of books that even non-readers find themselves admiring, and readers more so.
HIGHLIGHT / 100 feminist zines to shake, inspire, and soothe you
This year, to celebrate Sister Library Dhaka turning four, we acquired a collection of 100 zines curated by the library’s founder, Aqui Thami. The collection will be available for reading at the Goethe-Institut library from June onwards. With the acquisition of this collection, we are finally connected to the mothership Sister Library in Bombay.
The publishing journey for young writers
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a major decrease in not just the number of books being published per year, but also in the profits made by publishing houses.
In conversation with South Asia’s preeminent literary agent, Kanishka Gupta
I always tell the authors to make subjective, qualitative decisions. So many of my authors say no to higher offers from publishing houses if they don’t feel comfortable with the publisher or editor.
6 UK small presses that consider unsolicited submissions
This means you can submit a manuscript on your own, without a literary agent.
How is this year's Boi Mela coping with crisis?
How are publications, writers and readers coping with rising costs?
FEATURE / Surviving in a stagnant industry: What are emerging publishers doing differently?
Preexisting publishers are struggling to sustain in the market since the Covid-19 and the recent rise in paper prices. How are smaller and emerging publishers faring?
FEATURE / Censorship in Boi Mela: A cause for concern?
Bangladesh needs to formulate a national book policy, as well as a comprehensive bibliography policy, alongside guidelines for the rights of authors and publishers, for contracts, and higher standards for editing and translating.
FEATURE / Local publishers, sales, and the 2023 Dhaka Lit Fest
This year a ticketing system was imposed. As such, sales were lower than expected.
What ails Bangladesh's publishing industry?
The price we pay for the local paper takes advantage of that extra duty, and practically we are stuck with buying low quality local paper with questionable output often.
HarperCollins union begins strike, citing wages, diversity
In recent years, entry- and mid-level employees throughout publishing have been increasingly vocal on social media about their unhappiness with wages, workloads and diversity.
ULAB’s 6th literary salon discusses the local publishing scene
The event is being hosted today, October 12, between 5 and 7 pm at The Auditorium, 6th Floor of ULAB Research Building, House 56, Road 4/A Dhanmondi. It is open for all.
Rising dollar prices impact book trade
Publishers are fearing that the number of readers as well as buyers will gradually decrease.
Shaheen Akhtar’s ‘Beloved Rongomala’ (trans. Shabnam Nadiya) in a new edition from Westland Books
Based on an 18th century legend from Bangladesh’s Noakhali region, Beloved Ronglomala tells the story of one Queen Phuleswari, a child bride, and of Rongomala, a woman of legend.
How Partition impacted the Dhaka book trade
With the expansion of the publishing business, bookshops also sprang up in various parts of Old Dhaka, particularly in Chawkbazar, Islampur, Mughaltuli and Patuatuli. It is estimated that the number of bookshops in Dhaka till 1900 were no less than 40.
July’s ULAB Literary Salon discusses Bangladeshi short story anthologies
An engaging discussion on translations unfolded at the event.
Budget 2022-23 and the fate of our publishing industry
The protruding question we’re left with is this: is the allocated sum for purchasing even merely enough to support our publishers in this grave time?
The fault in our books: Why are Bangla books poorly edited?
What does our editorial process lack? Why can’t we hire good proofreaders? The answer lies in the economics of it.
Brandon Sanderson announces five new novels “accidentally” written
Sanderson has written five “accidental” books between 2020 and 2022, four of which will be published as full-fledged novels in 2023.