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BlogSCLA (Nov 2022) blog post

SCLA (Nov 2022) blog post

With another Frankfurt Book Fair done and dusted here are some observations for Malaysian writers to take note of:

  • The 2022 edition of the FBF was the first ‘normal’ Fair since 2019 and the dark(er) days of COVID. Publishers numbers/trade visitor numbers are still not back to pre-COVID levels but that’s not too surprising (curse you Zoom!!! It’s far more fun and productive to catch up with people in the flesh).
  • The war in Ukraine is weighing heavily on the minds of European publishers and bringing back memories of the bad old days of WWII and Soviet occupation. As a result, it’s not too surprising that books on war are not in high demand (of course, as with everything there are exceptions to this rule).
  • Are we going to see more European demand for feelgood titles (we can include cosy crime here) – perhaps!
  • The China market remains a tough market to crack for fiction unless you’re a mega-global best-selling author.
  • A new word making the rounds at Frankfurt according to Publishers Weekly was ‘Romantasy’ – a mash-up of fantasy with lashings (haha) of romance. Apparently, this is now a thing for YA titles. You have been warned/updated!
  • Paper supply issues/rising print costs – this is not just a local grumble. Globally, everyone seems to be affected

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