FLASHBACK: Stephen King's warning, and the publishing numbers behind it
The 2022 Penguin Random House case exposed concentrated profits, unearned advances and unequal marketing budgets. Four years later, the distinctions still matter for authors.
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The Authors Guild in The Publishing Times
The oldest and largest professional organization for published writers in the United States. Official site: authorsguild.org
Authors Alliance Files Brief Urging Court to Reject 'Market Dilution' Theory in OpenAI Case
The nonprofit, which says it has over 3,500 members, argues that new AI-generated books that copy no protected expression are competition, not a harm copyright law recognizes.
Bloomsbury Interim Profit Falls as AI Licensing Shrinks
Half-year Adjusted Profit was £16.8 million, against £24.0 million, and consumer revenue fell to £102.8 million. AI licensing continued at a smaller amount. Two Sarah J. Maas novels are still ahead, and the interim dividend rises 5% to 4.28p.
Society of Authors Withdraws From the Ethical AI Charter
A week after helping launch a global charter on ethical AI use, the UK writers' union says it will withdraw to listen to members. Next steps go to its November 19 AGM.
BISG Shows How ONIX Can Flag AI Use and Human Authorship
Graham Bell's October 19 post walks through ONIX fields for an AI contributor and for a link that says a human wrote the book. A certificate covers one work, not a whole career.
Authors Guild Tells Publishers Not to Cancel Books on AI Detector Results Alone
Seven best practices ask publishers for written AI policies, no AI editing, openness about detectors, and a conversation with the author before any accusation.
Authors' Groups in Five Countries Launch a Global Ethical AI Charter for the Creative Industries
The Society of Authors, Authors Guild, ASA and partners want publishers, agents and prize bodies to pledge consent, disclosure and fair pay when they use generative AI.
Media Coalition Wins the First IPA Freedom of Expression Defenders Award
The International Publishers Association gave its first Freedom of Expression Defenders Award to the Media Coalition, the U.S. group that sues to block book-restriction laws.
Anthropic Tells Australia's AI Inquiry That Licensing Everything It Trains On Is 'Technically Impossible'
At an Australian parliamentary AI hearing, Anthropic said current copyright law makes local model training impossible. Creative groups said the law should stay as it is.
Member Spotlight: Danielle Sullivan
Danielle Sullivan, author of Embracing Your ADHD Brain (Free Spirit Publishing), in her Authors Guild Member Spotlight of October 2, 2026.
An AI Question Disappears From a Copyright Application. The Disclosure Rule Hasn't.
A small-press publisher says an AI question was missing from a U.S. Copyright Office application this week. The Office's 2023 rule requiring authors to disclose AI-generated material is still in force.
Authors Guild Asks Publishers to Share More of the Anthropic Settlement
The Authors Guild wants publishers to drop claims on long out-of-print books and to pay authors when a house failed to register the copyright in time.
Authors' Lawyers Say Unsealed Records Show OpenAI Downloaded Millions of Books From LibGen
A summary-judgment brief filed September 17 alleges OpenAI torrented LibGen's full book collection in 2019. What the filing says, what is still disputed, and what authors can check.
Member Spotlight: Tara Lynn Masih
Tara Lynn Masih's journey as an indie author teaches us the value of authenticity in storytelling. Discover how her experiences shape her craft.
AI and the Publishing Industry: How Major Publishers Are Using and Fighting Artificial Intelligence in 2026
The intersection of artificial intelligence and commercial publishing has created a complex landscape where traditional houses act as both eager adopters and fi…
What a Literary Agent Is Paid, and When You Are
The Authors Guild calls fifteen percent of gross standard on U.S. book and performance deals, and twenty percent when a foreign sub-agent is used. The AALA's archived canon sets the payment clock.
The DOJ Legal Brief Threatens Author Copyrights: A Battle for the Soul of Publishing
The Justice Department filed a statement of interest supporting OpenAI's fair use defense in the consolidated copyright case in New York. What the filing does and does not change.
Can Independent Authors Make a Living? What the Income Surveys Show
Can an author build a lasting income outside traditional publishing? The question grows more pressing each year, because the number of authors making the attempt has risen sharply.
Newsletters vs. Social Media: What Author and Reader Surveys Suggest
Authors are routinely advised to be everywhere at once: on social platforms, in video, on podcasts and in readers' inboxes. Time and money are finite, however, and the practical question is which of those channels actually sell books.
The Paper Trail of Progress: Print-First AI Self-Publishing on Amazon KDP
Generative AI tools are now able to draft text, design covers and narrate audio.
Niche KDP Printing: What the Data Show About Specialized Categories, and What They Don't
Much of the discussion about self-publishing focuses on fiction, and on romance in particular. The data on what self-publishers actually release, however, describe a wider picture.
Author Compensation: The Shifting Sands of Publishing Income
The question of how authors are paid now sits near the center of the publishing conversation. Traditional contracts continue to depend on advances and royalty percentages, which are negotiated separately for each title.
The Future of KDP: Niche Markets, Not Just Mass Appeal
Self-publishing growth is concentrated in a handful of categories. What the output data and Amazon's own rules show about niche publishing on KDP.
The Nonfiction Revolution: Authors Seize Control
Nonfiction is often sold on a proposal before it is written. The data now also show an enormous expansion in self-published nonfiction.
The Author's Burden: Beyond the Bestseller List
Two large surveys and a public statement by a best-known novelist show the financial and personal strain behind the bestseller list.
AI's Double-Edged Sword: Reshaping Book Discoverability
AI is reshaping book discovery, from fake books under real names to fake reviews and new legitimate tools. Documented cases and responses.
KDP and POD in 2026: The New Professional Standard
KDP now comes with hardcover printing, title limits and AI disclosure rules. What the 2026 professional standard for print authors looks like.
The POD Revolution: KDP's Unstoppable March
Print-on-demand changed the cost of keeping a book in print. KDP's royalty terms, hardcover option, payment timing and the limits authors should know.
Copyright's Crucible: AI's Challenge to Publishing's Foundation
An editorial on AI and copyright: the publishers' lawsuit against Meta, the Copyright Office's position on human authorship, and the Authors Guild's call for consent and compensation.
The Partial Manuscript Deal: A New Paradigm for Authors?
Some books sell before they are finished. How partial-manuscript and proposal deals work, where they apply, and what author income data suggest.
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