Around The Web: Fonts, Diversity, Nancy Drew, and ALA awards.
Happy Friday all! Let’s jump right into this week’s Around the Web post where I share stories on fonts, diversity, Nancy Drew, and ALA awards.
Author Font Preferences
Author Sean Richardson asked Twitter, “which font and which size do you write in?” The answers came pouring in and had Times New Roman trending, but answers varied. The Guardian has rounded up some popular authors’ answers. Maybe you share a preference with some of them? (I guess I’m with Max Porter – auto Calibri 11.)
The 2019 Diversity Baseline Survey
Results for Lee & Low’s Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS) are in, and the results aren’t very encouraging. After collecting over seven thousand responses, the DBS found “the [publishing] field is just as White as it was four years ago” at the time of the first survey. One area that maybe be hopeful is that “interns are significantly more diverse than the industry as a whole.” This could indicate the publishers are attempting to diversify and draw in new talent, but questions of retention and promotions beyond entry-level positions remain.
The Death of Nancy Drew
This year Nancy Drew will celebrate her 90th anniversary, and to celebrate there will be a new comic book featuring the young sleuth. Cool right? And in it, the Hardy Boys will try to solve the murder of Nancy Drew! Maybe not so cool? At least, it seems like an odd move. At worst, it seems dangerously close to fridging. In any case, it has many a reader upset and speculating about better ways to celebrate the beloved character, as Annika Barranti Klein does for Book Riot.
Author React To Winning ALA Awards
The ALA Awards were recently announced, to much celebration. (A graphic novel won the Newbery Medal!) Publishers Weekly spoke with the Newbery, Caldecott and Printz winners about receiving the news.