Publishing leaders offer predictions for 2026—AI, audio, BookTok, the Year of Reading. But what if we treated them like Roman chicken-liver omens: not certainty, but judgement? An essay on the real signs, the contradictions, and what growing up might look like for the trade

What does it mean to be “cancelled” in the modern world? Using the sudden professional disappearance of David Walliams as a case study, this essay examines how institutions withdraw, how language disguises erasure, and how individuals survive when their name, role, or legacy is quietly removed.

From David Walliams to The Salt Path, Kate Clanchy - and the moments when publishing suddenly acts fast When a phrase like “after careful consideration” is deployed, readers are meant to hear thoughtfulness, balance, and moral gravity. What they are usually hearing instead is the soft click of a filing cabinet closing. Here we have the gap between what publishing says it is doing - and what, with remarkable consistency, it actually does. It is not about guilt or innocence. I

Why is the Society of Authors criticised for neutrality while authors feel increasingly unsafe? Because publishers have abandoned cultural leadership. This blog explores how consultancy thinking, risk avoidance, and corporate amnesia have left the SoA carrying the weight of an industry too timid to defend its own creators.

Why does France defend authors while Britain backs “innovation”? The answer lies in two centuries of cultural philosophy: France treats creators as custodians of national identity; Britain views them as participants in a market. As AI reshapes publishing, these old instincts have re-emerged - with profound consequences for anyone who makes books.

Reading doesn’t begin with school. It begins with a voice and a child — a shared giggle, a quiet cuddle, the magic of “read it again.” As the National Year of Reading 2026 unfolds, we’re not just turning pages — we’re turning up the joy.

Horror books occupies a unique place on a children's bookshelf, a genre in which fear isn’t just for scares, but an invitation to emotional discovery, bravery, and empathy. I was spooked by stories in the dark: under the blankets with a torch, the delicious tension of not knowing what might happen next.

Illustrator/Author Jo Surman blends graphic flair, gothic imagination, and heartfelt storytelling. From picture books to middle-grade novels, she creates worlds steeped in colour, character, and curiosity.

Non-Disclosure Agreements in UK publishing protect trade secrets, manuscripts, and confidential deals — but they can also silence victims, bury scandals, and distort public narratives. Here’s how NDAs shape, protect, and sometimes poison the industry.

The rise of AI-generated 'slop' books on Amazon hasn’t broken publishing—it’s simply exposed the fault lines that have been there all along. If we’re serious about defending authorship, we need more than polite concern. We need credits, clarity, and structural accountability - across the board.

Unlike many careers in publishing, the path to becoming a literary agent is rarely linear, and seldom advertised. It’s a role more often grown into than applied for, shaped by instinct, connections, and a passion for reading and for books. Entry routes vary widely: some agents started as agency assistants, others moved across from editorial, bookselling, or publicity. But all develop a finely honed sense of what sells, and a deep familiarity with the publishing marketplace.

For Readers of Short Stories - and Writers Chasing the Magic of Compression (Beyond Neoprene) In the Beginning Was Six Words I’ve stood...

From Queen Victoria’s imagined love children to Princess Margaret’s speculative diagnoses, modern biographies are increasingly blurring the line between storytelling and speculation. But why are journalists letting them?

When Amazon withdrew a string of unofficial biographies of SNP politicians riddled with false claims, it exposed more than one publishing scandal. In an era of AI-generated misinformation, author anonymity, and disappearing credits, how do readers know who to trust? This article explores the new Wild West of publishing — and what parents, teachers and librarians can do about it.

Notorious Autobiographical Fantasies. When truth becomes a plot device… Who is who? Autobiographical Fantasies Memoir is supposed to...

It’s almost poetic: a trauma memoir that ends up traumatising the publisher. Because when a story like The Salt Path begins to wobble, it’s not just the author who falls. The editors, the marketers, the readers—all are caught in the collapse of a narrative sold as unflinching truth. This is the soft lie of emotional truth—and publishing has been complicit in making it a genre.

Whether you dream of writing a picture book, an adventure novel for eight year olds, non-fiction or a chapter book series.

Publishing loves a good diversity panel. But behind the scenes, creators are quietly being erased. If we don’t protect credits, are we building legacy— or theatre?

H.E. Marshall’s Our Island Story was once the go-to tale of Britain’s past, kings, queens, and glorious Empire. But in 2025, what kind of story do we really need to tell our children? This blog revisits the 2005 revival campaign and explores what a more inclusive, honest, and compelling national narrative could look like.

From a speakeasy basement in 1920s New York to a marble-and-brass editorial fortress in Berkeley Square, Reader’s Digest defined 20th-century publishing. I began my career at their London offices in 1979, and watched as the world’s most widely read magazine rose, thrived, and slowly faded. This is a story about illustrated books, prize draws, fine art, forgotten founders, and a publishing ethos that might just deserve a second look in today’s AI era.