NZ book sector unites to drive growth
Photo:
Unsplash/ Giorgio Trovato
For the first time, the New Zealand book sector is on the same page when it comes to how to tackle the biggest challenges facing the industry.
Publishers, authors, illustrators, writers, librarians, educators and others have all had input into a
five year-plan to boost visibility and sales of local books
.
Some Kiwi authors have made great gains on the international stage - Catherine Chidgey, Nicky Pellegrino, Charity Norman, Jenny Pattrick and Witi Ihimaera have all been credited with 'shifting the dial' in demand for New Zealand stories.
But how to help support the rest is part of the work sought under the plan, being championed by the Coalition for Books.
Also in its sights is a dedicated funding stream from Creative New Zealand, as well as pushing government on legislative changes for stronger copyright protections, and a fairer share for authors under the Public Lending Right which determines how much authors earn from their books being in libraries.
Kiwi author Riley Chance has long expressed frustration with that system, he joins Susie, along with Coalition for Books chair Melanie Laville Moore.
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