Dr. Kathi Berens opened up our digital skills class for a discussion about the complexities surrounding digital media platforms, synthesizing the article with her belief that “basic code literacy is an extraordinarily empowering skill set that…gives users a level self-control and freedom that people don’t have if they rely entirely on third parties to represent their public speech.” Her point parallels one made by Michelle Goldberg in the aforementioned article: while she agrees with the decisions made that ultimately de-platformed the former President, she also states that people “don’t have a constitutional right to have their speech disseminated by private companies,” and that it is “dangerous to have a handful of callow young tech titans in charge of who has a megaphone and who does not.” We are not political leaders, but publishers are global leaders; how, and on whose terms, we use our voices matters.
publishing
FROM KNOWLEDGE TO POWER Summer Update
By Devyn Yan Radke
The November 2021 publication date for FROM KNOWLEDGE TO POWER: THE COMPREHENSIVE HANDBOOK TO CLIMATE SCIENCE AND ADVOCACY is rapidly approaching, and we are busier than ever trying to get everything planned for a successful launch. We’ve made great progress since our spring update, and we are thrilled with the pace we’ve set.
The Burnout Bargain: Exploitation and Marginalization in the Publishing Industry
By Ava Phillips
Whether you’re a graduate student in a publishing program, an editorial assistant at a Big Five press, or an intern at a boutique literary agency, we are all expected to accommodate hours of unpaid labor, even to the detriment of our mental health. The proverbial hamster wheel that is publishing truly never stops spinning, and it’s often the most marginalized publishing professionals who reach their breaking point first.
A Brief Examination of the Publishing Industry After 2020
By Kelly Zatlin
We are all well aware that the pandemic has affected all sectors and everyone’s lives in unprecedented ways. Despite the fact that cuddling up with a good book is a quarantine go-to for many, the publishing industry as a whole has had to scramble to adapt to changes brought about because of the pandemic. Here are some of the major ways that the publishing industry has grappled with these changes, as well as some questions about our uncertain future as we struggle to return to normalcy.
Booktok: Is Tiktok Selling Books?
By Emma St. John @emmacathryyn
Madisen Kuhn woke up one February morning to find that her self-published poetry book from five years ago was suddenly on Amazon’s list of best sellers. How? A viral video.
Single Narrator or Full-Cast in Audiobooks—Which Is Better?
By Rachel Done @RachelDC06
You’re probably reading this article because you either have a book that you’d like to make into an audiobook and are wondering how to go about it, or you’re just curious about the factors that go into deciding what an audiobook will sound like.