Standing in the Shadow of Giants

Abstract

This paper investigates contemporary independent publishing in the UK. It explores whether independent publishers based outside London believe they can: compete in the global publishing environment; help to promote and preserve regional cultures and identities; and maintain diversity in cultural output. It also examines how independent presses based outside of London see themselves situated in the national and international publishing arena. Small publishers in the North and Midlands of England are used as case studies in this research because they constitute small publishing communities that exist alongside the larger, dominant publishing industry in London. Although the foci of the empirical research are the industries in the North and Midlands of England, the paper is contextualized within national publishing discourse.