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

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.

AI is no longer a whisper in the wings of publishing - it’s centre stage, and the script is changing fast. From manuscript polishing to audiobook narration and translation, AI is reshaping the entire industry. But while publishers and authors wrestle with questions of ethics, copyright, and consent, one name seems to be quietly storming the stage with barely a whisper of protest: Amazon.

To prepare your children's novel for publishing, edit thoroughly, seek feedback from beta readers, and hire a professional editor.