In its bankruptcy filing, the Romance Writers of America blamed ‘disputes concerning diversity, equity and inclusion’ for its membership declining by an astounding 80%.
- Assistant Professor of Journalism, University of Colorado Boulder
It’s tempting to see this trend as a sign of the times. But the biggest book publishers started changing their approach only once they realized they were leaving money on the table.
Publishers funnel massive amounts of resources into promoting titles that they think will become bestsellers. But they’ve become spellbound by ‘stories of struggle’ that can succumb to stereotypes.
The group seemed to be doing all of the right things to diversify its ranks. It wasn’t enough.
Few of them are getting rich off their books but the genre is making them more money than it used to.
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