The book publishing industry has very few unions within its major companies. However, as the cost of living in major publishing hubs continues to rise and because of employees’ desires to diversify publishing, that may be changing.
Those NY-averse publishing professionals among us are no strangers to the grind. We are willing to hustle and sacrifice to do the work we love. But how much sacrifice is enough?
As a kid, I remember asking a librarian to show me where I could find “books about magic”… I remember the horror—and slight amusement—on the librarian’s face as she turned to my dad and I and proclaimed, “Oh, we don’t have those here. Those types of books are banned.”
Readers have the power to maintain a high level of diversity within the books they consume. Being on social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, offers unlimited access to Black authors and voices who promote books that have representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) characters and storylines.
While style guides can be considered living documents, edited over time to more accurately reflect the current zeitgeist, there is something relieving about having guidelines written by and specifically for one’s group of origin rather than originally for an exclusive audience.
I picked up my first graphic novel back in 2020 and fell madly in love with the simple yet beautiful artwork, and the heart-wrenching story.