Myriad Editions
{{Short description|UK publishing house}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox publisher
| name = Myriad Editions
| image =
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| parent = New Internationalist (since May 2017)
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| predecessor =
| founded = {{date and age|1993}}
| founder = Anne Benewick
| successor =
| country = United Kingdom
| headquarters = Oxford
| distribution = Turnaround Publisher Services (UK)
Consortium Book Sales and Distribution (US)
| keypeople = Candida Lacey (Publishing Director), 2005–2021
Corinne Pearlman (Creative Director)
| publications = Books
| topics =
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| website = {{URL|http://myriadeditions.com}}
}}
Myriad Editions is an independent UK publishing house based in Brighton and Hove, Sussex, specialising in topical atlases, graphic non-fiction and original fiction, whose output also encompasses graphic novels that span a variety of genres, including memoir and life writing, as well political non-fiction. The company was set up in 1993 by Anne Benewick, together with Judith Mackay, as a packager of infographic atlases.{{cite web|url=https://myriadeditions.com/about/background-and-mission/|title=Background and mission|publisher=Myriad|access-date=31 October 2020}}
In 2005, Myriad began publishing under its own imprint, with Candida Lacey as Publishing Director.[http://www.bookbrunch.co.uk/article_free.asp?pid=myriad_opportunities "Myriad opportunities"], BookBrunch, 23 May 2013.[https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/new-story/an-interview-with-candida-lacey/ "An Interview with Candida Lacey, Myriad Editions Managing Director"], Creative Future Literary Awards, 13 April 2015. With its stated aim being "to showcase new writers and artists, build fresh audiences for their work, and establish a literary niche against the mainstream",[http://www.stateoftheworld.co.uk/about "About"], Myriad Editions. Myriad has built a reputation for discovering and nurturing award-winning authors, such as Jonathan Kemp,Lisa Campbell, [http://www.thebookseller.com/news/london-triptych-wins-authors-club-prize "London Triptych wins Authors Club prize"], The Bookseller, 18 April 2011. Elizabeth Haynes,Eloise Millar, [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/dec/21/hits-and-misses-indie-publishers-pick-their-books-of-2016 "Hits and misses: indie publishers pick their books of 2016 | Candida Lacey: The book that made my year"], The Guardian, 21 December 2016. Lesley Thomson,[http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/Shortlist_Fiction2009.htm The People's Book Prize] Short List 2009/10: Fiction. Darryl Cunningham,{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/apr/22/science-tales-graphic-darryl-cunningham|title=The talking penguin's guide to climate change|first=Killian|last=Fox|work=The Observer|date=22 April 2012}} and Natasha Soobramanien.[http://www.foyles.co.uk/natasha-soobramanien Natasha Soobramanien Q&A], Foyles.[http://www.myriadeditions.com/about/awards/ "Awards"], Myriad.
Myriad's creative director, Corinne Pearlman, has stated: "Myriad's mission statement is quite simply to look for new voices, new ways of seeing. The First Drafts Competition for new writers who haven't yet been published has been a highly influential in bringing authors to our attention whom we go on to publish – or who find agents and other publishers as a result of their shortlisting. And the First Graphic Novel Competition was set up to reflect this – to encourage potential graphic novelists to get in on the act, whether established artists looking to adopt a new medium, or young artists on the first rung of the ladder, or experienced comics artists who had never before attempted a long-form work of graphic narrative."Andy Oliver, [http://www.brokenfrontier.com/corinne-pearlman-myriad-editions-gareth-brookes-jade-sarson-ottilie-hainsworth/ {{"'}}Myriad's Mission Statement is Quite Simply to Look for New Voices, New Ways of Seeing' – Corinne Pearlman Talks About the Myriad Editions Philosophy"], Broken Frontier, 24 April 2017.
In May 2017, Myriad Editions merged with Oxford-based independent, non-profit media co-operative New Internationalist.Natalie Taylor, [https://newint.org/blog/books/2017/05/08/ni-merge-with-myriad/ "Myriad Editions merge with New Internationalist"], New Internationist blog, 6 May 2017.
History
Myriad Editions was set up as a book packager in 1993 by Anne Benewick (1937–1998), who had been one of the founders of Pluto Press in the 1970s.Nina Kidron, "Anne Benewick: Putting the left on the map" (obituary), The Guardian, 29 December 1998, p. 15.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/sep/20/robert-benewick-obituary|title=Robert Benewick obituary|newspaper=The Guardian|author=Marc Blecher|date=20 September 2023}} Myriad's flagship atlas, The State of the World Atlas, was originally devised by Michael Kidron and Ronald Segal and is now authored by leading international peace researcher Dan Smith, OBE. It has sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide.Laura Smith, [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-6780692-all-new-jaw-dropping-stats.do "All new jaw-dropping stats!"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605084227/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-6780692-all-new-jaw-dropping-stats.do |date=2011-06-05 }}, Evening Standard, 18 September 2003.
Myriad Editions continues to publish award-winning atlases that map political, social and environmental concerns. Most of the atlases are distributed internationally, through publishers including Penguin and the University of California Press in the US, Earthscan in the UK, Éditions Autrement in France, Eva in Germany, Obeikan in Saudi Arabia, Publifolha in Brazil, Maruzen in Japan, Sigma in Taiwan and Pajera in Thailand.
Myriad Editions also publishes special projects for the United Nations and other international organizations. These include a miniAtlas series on global development for the World Bank and a series of atlases on health issues for the World Health Organization and the American Cancer Society (with authors including Judith Mackay).
In 2005, Myriad Editions published The Brighton Book, a mixture of reportage, fiction, graphics and photographs; contributors included Jeanette Winterson and Nigella Lawson, alongside new writers. The imprint went on to publish full-length novels written by two of the anthology's contributors: Martine McDonagh's I Have Waited, and You Have Come and Lesley Thomson's A Kind of Vanishing.{{cite web|url=http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/publisher-feature-interview-with-myriad-editions|title=Publisher Feature: Interview with Myriad Editions: Myriad fiction editor Victoria Blunden talks with Rosy Barnes|website=Vulpes Libris|date=18 February 2010}}
In 2009, the independent publishing company was awarded an Arts Council England grant to further develop their fiction publishing.Victoria Gallagher, [http://www.thebookseller.com/news/myriad-gets "Myriad gets"], The Bookseller, 12 February 2009. With this funding, Myriad was able to publish two début novels by local authors in 2009, The Cloths of Heaven by Sue Eckstein and Glasshopper by Isabel Ashdown.
In Spring 2010, Myriad Editions launched a fiction list with three new novels: The Noise of Strangers by Robert Dickinson, The Clay Dreaming by comic artist Ed Hillyer and The Spider Truces by Tom Connolly. The company went on to publish several more new novels, including Quilt, by Nicholas Royle, Invisibles by Ed Siegle, 4 a.m. by Nina de la Mer, Elizabeth Haynes's Into the Darkest Corner, winner of Amazon's Book of the Year in 2011 and Amazon's Rising Star Award for debut novels,[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elizabeth-Haynes/e/B004U4F4DK/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1425309378&sr=1-2-ent Elizabeth Haynes] at Amazon. and Sue Eckstein's second book, Interpreters.
The Myriad fiction list initially focused on first-time authors from the south-east of England but in 2013 the company increased and broadened its output, taking on titles from a more national and international perspective, as well as graphic novels.{{cite web|first=Charlotte |last=Williams|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/myriad-looks-further-afield-growth |title=Myriad looks further afield for growth|work=The Bookseller|date= 5 November 2012}}{{cite web|first=Caroline|last=Carpenter|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/myriad-editions-signs-bristol-short-story-prize-winner|title=Myriad Editions signs Bristol Short Story Prize winner|website=The Bookseller|date=27 March 2014}}{{cite web|first=Caroline |last=Carpenter|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/expanding-myriad-signs-six |title='Expanding' Myriad signs six|website=The Bookseller|date=21 April 2015}} Among recent acquisitions are Belonging by Umi Sinha,{{cite web|first=Jade |last=Craddock|url=http://www.welovethisbook.com/reviews/belonging |title=Review of Belonging by Umi Sinha]|website=We Love This Book|date=16 September 2015}} Blackheath by Adam Baron,{{cite web|first=Adam |last=Galbinski|url=http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/meet-the-author-of-blackheath-working-hard-after-kids/|title=Meet Adam Baron, author of Blackheath: You have to work at a relationship after children|work=Jewish News|date=11 March 2016}} Noon in Paris, Eight in Chicago by Douglas Cowie,{{cite web|first=Sarah|last=Shaffi|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/story-de-beauvoir-love-affair-myriad-309336 |title=Story of de Beauvoir love affair to Myriad|website=The Bookseller|date=17 August 2015}} and North Facing by Tony Peake.[https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2017/11/north-facing-by-tony-peake-a-south-african-atonement/ "North Facing by Tony Peake: A South African atonement"], A life in books, 17 November 2017. Benjamin Johncock's novel The Pilot, published by Myriad in 2016, won the Best First Novel Award from the Authors' Club.Katherine Cowdrey, [http://www.thebookseller.com/news/benjamin-johncock-wins-authors-clubs-best-first-novel-award-2016-333166 "Johncock wins Best First Novel Award"], The Bookseller, 8 June 2016. Other well-received titles include Billy, Me & You by Nicola Streeten, the first long-form graphic memoir by a British woman to have been published, which was Highly Commended in the Popular Medicine category of the British Medical Association Medical Book Awards 2012,Victoria Gallagher, [https://www.thebookseller.com/news/myriad-buys-graphic-memoir "Myriad buys graphic memoir"], The Bookseller, 28 September 2010.[https://ldcomics.com/our-artists/nicola-streetan/ "Nicola Streeten"], LDComics. and The Inking Woman: 250 Years of Women Cartoon and Comics Artists in Britain. Myriad has gone on to publish a number of other notable books in the graphic medicine genre, including Ian Williams' The Bad Doctor (2014) and Una's Becoming Unbecoming (2015).
The Myriad non-fiction list includes books by such notable authors as Michael Norton OBE (365 Ways to Change the World, 2008), Lorna Goodison (Redemption Ground: Essays and Adventures, 2018) and Cynthia Enloe (The Big Push: Exposing and Challenging the Persistence of Patriarchy, 2018).[http://myriadeditions.com/book-categories/nonfiction/ Nonfiction] at Myriad.
In March 2019, Myriad Editions published New Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Writing by Women of African Descent, edited by Margaret Busby (a follow-up to her 1992 Daughters of Africa), and in a collaboration with SOAS University of London launched an award linked to the anthology, the Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award.[https://myriadeditions.com/uncategorized/the-margaret-busby-new-daughters-of-africa-award/ "The Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award"], Myriad.[https://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem138501.html "Publisher Myriad and SOAS to launch The Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312230013/https://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem138501.html |date=12 March 2022 }}, SOAS University of London, 15 February 2019.Natasha Onwuemezi, [https://www.thebookseller.com/news/soas-partners-myriad-launch-bursary-scheme-african-women-writers-953941 "SOAS partners with Myriad to launch bursary scheme for African women writers"], The Bookseller, 15 February 2019.James Murua, [https://www.writingafrica.com/the-margaret-busby-new-daughters-of-africa-award/ "The Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award"], Writing Africa, 21 February 2019.
=Merger with New Internationalist=
In May 2017, a merger was announced between Myriad Editions and Oxford-based non-profit media co-operative New Internationalist (NI),Natasha Onwuemezi, [http://www.thebookseller.com/news/myriad-merges-new-internationalist-545686 "Myriad merges with New Internationalist"], The Bookseller, 2 May 2017. whereby Myriad would continue to publish under its own imprint, with Candida Lacey and Corinne Pearlman remaining Publishing and Creative Directors respectively, while using the additional creative, sales and administrative resources of New Internationalist and having a presence in Oxford as well as in Brighton and London. Lacey said in a 2018 interview: "The merger has given us the ability to go global, beyond publishing UK-based debuts, and to build up a world literature list, allowing us to look for more diversity in writers and reach a wider readership that we didn't have before. NI has provided valuable editorial support in this area because of its track record in publishing political non-fiction and African fiction - where it has led the way, publishing the Caine Prize anthology every year."Julie Vuong, [https://www.bookbrunch.co.uk/page/free-article/the-bookbrunch-interview-candida-lacey-myriad-editions/ "The BookBrunch Interview: Candida Lacey, Myriad Editions"], BookBrunch, 29 March 2018.
Lacey stepped down as publisher of Myriad in September 2021.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/lacey-departs-myriad-company-scales-back-1273540|title=Lacey departs Myriad after 15 years as parent firm 'scales back' publishing|first=Ruth|last=Comerford|magazine=The Bookseller|date=28 July 2021|access-date=14 October 2021}}
Competitions
=First Fictions=
In 2012, a biennial "boutique literary festival" called First Fictions was established by Myriad Editions in collaboration with the University of Sussex,[http://www.sussex.ac.uk/broadcast/read/11121 "Broadcast: News items – First Fictions debut features an Ian Rankin premiere"], University of Sussex. with the aim of celebrating and championing first novels, both past and present.[http://www.firstfictions.com/first-fictions-about About] First Fictions: A Festival for Writers and Readers.[https://www.writers-online.co.uk/news/latest-news/myriad-editions-launch-first-fictions-festival "Myriad Editions launch First Fictions festival"], Writers Online, 20/ December 2011.
=First Drafts and First Graphic Novel Competition=
As part of Myriad Editions' stated mission to support new writers and uncover new talent they organise two competitions for work in progress, in order to enable promising writers to benefit from constructive and professional feedback at an early stage in their careers.[http://www.myriadeditions.com/competitions/ "Competitions"], Myriad.
The First Drafts competition (formerly called the Writer's Retreat Competition) has since 2010 been open to all writers who have not yet published or self-published a book of fiction to submit a prose fiction work-in-progress, the prize being a week-long writing retreat at West Dean College,Paul McVeigh, [http://paulmcveigh.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/myriad-editions-writers-retreat.html "Myriad Editions Writer's Retreat Competition"], Short story opportunities, 29 December 2013. near Chichester, in addition to detailed editorial feedback and mentoring by a Myriad author.[http://www.myriadeditions.com/competitions/first-drafts/ "First Drafts Competition"], Myriad. A special edition of the First Drafts competition in 2018 invited submissions from women writers of African heritage, with the opportunity to win a place in New Daughters of Africa, edited by Margaret Busby.[https://literary.creativefuture.org.uk/a-fantastic-opportunity-from-myriad-editions-for-women-writers-of-african-heritage-or-descent/ "A fantastic opportunity from Myriad Editions for Women Writers of African Heritage or Descent"], News, Creative Future Literary Awards on 11 June 2018.[https://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/annual-writing-comp-calls-unpublished-african-writers "Annual Writing Comp Calls For Unpublished African Writers"], The Voice, 24 June 2018. In November 2018, Rutendo Chabikwa and Anni Domingo were announced as the joint winners.Katherine Cowdrey, [https://www.thebookseller.com/news/chabikwa-and-domingo-win-myriads-2018-first-drafts-competition-893781 "Chabikwa and Domingo win Myriad's 2018 First Drafts Competition"], The Bookseller, 14 November 2018.
The First Graphic Novel Competition, held every two years, offers winners "the opportunity to develop their work with Myriad's creative and editorial team, with a view to future publication".[http://myriadeditions.com.gridhosted.co.uk/competitions/first-graphic-novel/ "First Graphic Novel Competition"], Myriad. The prize was first awarded in 2012, with the winner being published by Myriad the following year.Richard Bruton, [http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2013/first-graphic-novel-competition-2014/ "Myriad First Graphic Novel Competition"], Forbidden Planet, 30 November 2013.[https://www.nawe.co.uk/DB/jobs-and-opportunities/first-drafts-competition-2018-new-daughters-of-africa.html "First Drafts Competition 2018 - New Daughters of Africa"], NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education), 6 July 2018.
=Myriad Comic Cuts=
In 2017, Myriad teamed up with comedy television company Roughcut Television to launch the Myriad Comic Cuts graphic novel competition to find comedy drama scripts in graphic novel form that can be developed into a comic drama series for television.[http://www.myriadeditions.com/competitions/myriad-comic-cuts/ "Myriad Comic Cuts – Call for Submissions".][https://www.comedy.co.uk/make_it/news/2683/myriad_comic_cuts_comp/ "Myriad Comic Cuts graphic novel competition launched"], British Comedy Guide, 5 July 2017.Dean Myers, [https://vizworld.com/2017/07/myriad-comic-cuts-competition-will-turn-your-graphic-novel-script-into-video-series/ "Myriad Comic Cuts competition will turn your Graphic Novel script into Video Series"], VizWorld.com, 9 July 2017.
Mission and current focus
Myriad Editions states that its mission is "to make the personal political and the local international... to find new ways of seeing the world and our place within it. To this end, we are proud to publish extraordinary storytellers and their remarkable work—fiction or nonfiction, mapped, drawn or written, these are books for our times." A 2018 article described the company as "that rarest of beasts: a publisher that not only pushes the boundaries of what can be said, but also how we go about speaking. They produce new ways of seeing the world, through graphic novels, extraordinary fiction, explorative non-fiction, and even atlases."{{cite web|url=https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/books-art-and-culture/inside-uks-radical-indie-publishers-myriad-editions/|title=Inside the UK's most radical indie publishers – Part Five: Myriad Editions|website=Huck|first=Kit|last=Caless|date= 9 July 2018|access-date=31 October 2020}} As publishing director, Candida Lacey said: "Today it feels more important than ever to find new ways of seeing the world and our place within it. We're interested in the story an author is telling, not whether the book is fiction or nonfiction, mapped, drawn or written. We need new ways of understanding the past and its relevance to the present; new ways of highlighting inequality and injustice; new ways to make the world a better place."
Notable Myriad authors include Lisa Allen-Agostini, Isabel Ashdown, Sefi Atta, Elleke Boehmer, Margaret Busby, Kate Charlesworth, Darryl Cunningham, Cynthia Enloe, Kate Evans, Lorna Goodison, Elizabeth Haynes, Kathryn Heyman, Ed Hillyer, Manu Joseph, Panos Karnezis, Jonathan Kemp, Susheila Nasta, Tony Peake, Woodrow Phoenix, Nicola Streeten and Lesley Thomson.{{cite web|url= https://myriadeditions.com/creator/|title=Authors|publisher=Myriad}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{official|http://www.myriadeditions.com}}
- [https://www.turnaround-uk.com/publisher/myriad-editions.html Myriad Editions] at Turnaround.
- [https://shinynewbooks.co.uk/spotlight-on-publishers-myriad-editions/ "Spotlight on Publishers: Myriad Editions"] (interview with Candida Lacey), Shiny New Books, 2018.
- [https://theturnaroundblog.com/2016/02/05/women-making-comics-interview-with-corinne-pearlman-of-myriad-editions/ "Women Making Comics: Interview with Corinne Pearlman of Myriad Editions"], 5 February 2016.
- Jackie Law, [https://neverimitate.wordpress.com/2016/04/13/qa-with-myriad-editions/ "Q&A with Myriad Editions"], Neverimitate, 13 April 2016.
- [https://theturnaroundblog.com/2019/09/06/ask-a-publisher-candida-lacey-from-myriad-editions/ "Ask a Publisher: Candida Lacey from Myriad Editions"], The Turnaround Blog, 6 September 2019.
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Category:1993 establishments in the United Kingdom
Category:Book publishing companies of the United Kingdom
Category:British companies established in 1993