Diversity in Publishing: Does Author Identity Affect Author Treatment in the North American Fiction Publishing Industry?

Authors

Chloe Comeau, Vassar CollegeFollow

Abstract

The fiction publishing industry has a long history of promoting only straight, white, cisgender voices in the books they publish and the staff they hire. This study employed the Delphi method to investigate the connection between author identity and author treatment in publishing. In a series of questionnaires, 11 participants answered questions and shared their experiences with diversity in publishing. The results indicated that sexism, homophobia, and racism all exist in the industry, and author identity impacts author treatment in North American fiction publishing. Moreover, the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality of authors combined with publishing’s long history of featuring straight, white, cisgender voices create barriers to new, diverse stories. Some promising solutions include diversifying agents, editors, publishing employees, and sales and marketing teams, allowing employees and authors to work from home to combat classism and ableism, and translating diverse titles into more languages so they can be enjoyed by readers worldwide.

Recommended Citation

Comeau, Chloe (2024) "Diversity in Publishing: Does Author Identity Affect Author Treatment in the North American Fiction Publishing Industry?," Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research: Vol. 7, Article 2.
Available at: https://scholars.fhsu.edu/aljsr/vol7/iss1/2