AustLit

"Seventeen years after A Certain Style was first published, Jacqueline Kent's biography of Australia's first full-time book editor Beatrice Davis is being reissued for a new generation of publishing aficionados. Kent spoke with former UQP nonfiction publisher Alexandra Payne about what's changed in the editing profession since Davis' time." (Introduction)

'As a reader (and try-hard geek), I’ve been fascinated by all things transmedia for some time. But as a publisher, I have struggled to imagine how hybrid print/digital storytelling in its many forms will enter commercial publishing. How will these transmedia ‘products’ be available to the market? How will they be written and what will the production process entail? What will the supply chain and profit margin look like? Who will actually publish them?' (Introduction)

UQP nonfiction publisher Alexandra Payne explores burnout in the book industry.

'I found the recent Macquarie University report Reading the Reader : A Survey of Australian Reading Habits fascinating. Drawing data from a nationally representative sample of the population, the survey found that reading books is one of Australia's favourite ways to spend time (if that's the case, please buy more books, Australia). It was intriguing to see the reasons people gave for why they read, which was first and foremost to relax and release stress. Reading books was  the most enjoyable leisure activity for the survey participants, and frequent readers spend 80% reading for pleasure (with the rest spent reading for work or study).' (Introduction)

'UQP non fiction publisher Alexandra Payne examines the resurgence of feminist books, their viability and the price of moving from the margins to the mainstream.

I have a bookcase at home that tells an abridged history of feminist publishing, from The Second Sex to The Female Eunuch to Bad Feminist and then some. As a publisher and an out and proud feminist, I have often looked at this bookcase and longed for what I thought was the glory days of feminist publishing - the 1970s. How I wished I'd been around to work for The Women's Press or Virago or the Feminist Press in those early years. I wanted it old school.'

(Introduction)