SCOTTISH BOOK TRADE ‘23

Inclusion and sustainability were key topics at this year’s Scottish Book Trade Conference.

Edinburgh is home to more bookshops than anywhere else in the UK outside London. What better location to host to this year’s Scottish Book Trade Conference? BDS sent Publisher Liaison Officer, Jack Jamieson, to take the pulse of Scottish Publishing and report back on its health.

The day started with the now traditional annual report on consumer behaviour. Steve Bohme, UK Research Director, Nielsen BookData, reported that book sales were down in Scotland. The biggest decline was in non-fiction. Ebooks also saw a decline in sales. However, audiobooks were on a significant rise.

The first keynote speaker of the day was author and broadcaster, Robert Ince. An ardent book lover, he highlighted the importance of representation in literature, especially with children. Children’s literature allows children to see themselves in the context of others and society at large.

Room for More Bookshops

A discussion involving representatives from Edinburgh bookshops of varying sizes, ranging from small independents to Waterstones, offered a consensus that regardless of how many bookshops open in Edinburgh, whether small or large, there is room for everyone as each bookshop caters to their own niche and community.

Tim Whiting, Managing Director, Bonnier Books UK, discussed the important job that publishers have to represent voices from marginalised communities. Bonnier Books UK was recently awarded the Inclusivity in Publishing prize at the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards.

The Value of Books

Marketing Consultant Rachel May Quin spoke on the use of social media within the book trade. This was followed by a debate on the value of books. It highlighted the need for the UK book industry to charge more for titles and value its authors. The role of Amazon in the marketplace raised questions around legislating against discounting in the early stages of a book’s life cycle.

Issues around sustainability and calculating emissions as part of the whole book supply chain featured in a discussion between Kate Chambers, an environmental, social and governance consultant and Rob Lovell of the Scottish Mountaineering Press, winner of Scotland’s Small Press of the Year award.

Focus on Children’s Publishing

The day closed with the screening of a specially commissioned film, featuring scenes filmed at the Moat Brae centre for children’s literature in Dumfries, the town where BDS is based. It highlighted the importance of children’s fiction writing in Scotland. Discussion that followed made the important and intriguing point that children’s books are for everyone, not just children.

The day was lively and enjoyed by all present. It proved, as it does every year, that Scottish publishing is alive, vibrant and an important part of the Scottish national identity.

For more information on Scottish publishing visit the https://www.publishingscotland.org/ www.imperial.ac.uk