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Publishers to consult on age guidance

22.07.08 Alison Flood

Publishers have said that it would be "almost inconceivable" for age guidance to be printed on a book against an author's wishes, and have laid out the consultation procedure they will follow when faced with opposition.

The move follows a 3rd July meeting between the Publishers Association, the Society of Authors and author Philip Pullman on behalf of the signatories of the No to Age Banding website, to discuss age guidance. The remaining point of difference between publishers and authors following the meeting was that authors felt strongly that they should have the right to refuse age guidance on their books, while publishers did not accept that there should be a contractual veto.

The procedure for consultation will see publishers informing authors about their intentions with regard to age-guidance well before the date approaches for the print decision of a new book or reprint. They will then propose a period of consultation with the author and their agent (if the author wishes), when they would "outline the rationale behind the initiative and answer any questions". Publishers said that the consultation would include, if the author wishes it, at least one face-to-face meeting.

The publisher would also "explore the author's views on the age-group for which the book is chiefly written and bring the publisher's knowledge of the market and publishing expertise to the discussion", with the hope of coming to a consensus on which age-guidance symbol would be most appropriate.

Publishers said that their priority has been to consult authors with titles being published or reprinted this autumn and in the New Year. Authors with later titles will be able to discuss the scheme with publishers "well ahead of the print decision date", they added.

But Mark Le Fanu, secretary-general of the Society of Authors, said: "The publishers' statement does not recognise the strong groundswell of opinion against the inclusion of age guidance. They also want publishers to agree that, if an author does not want age guidance on their book, it shouldn't happen and publishers are not prepared to say that." 

Philip Pullman publishers children's Home Alison Flood age guidance

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By Alan Garner

The Publishers' Association statement, as quoted here, is a slippery fish. For the record, my “Elidor” is due to be reprinted, with a new cover, this autumn, and I have been assured by HarperCollins that age banding will not be imposed on it, nor on any of my work.

23 Jul 08 10:07

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By Anne Fine

Like Alan Garner, I too have received assurances from all four of my publishers - Egmont, Puffin, Random House Children's Books and Walker - that no age banding on my books or reprints will take place without my permission.

23 Jul 08 11:02

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By adele geras

So far I have been assured by one of my publishers that no age banding would go on my books without my consent. The others, I am sure, will take the same line as and when my books appear or are reprinted. I certainly hope that's the case!

23 Jul 08 11:15

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By David R N Livesley - Woodstock Vermont

It seems to me that each author having a say in the issue is a sensible solution. I do however see a major opportunity for some more open minded authors to actively court the idea and make major inroads into growth sales markets. As every publishing group knows any real growth in sales is coming from outside of the traditional markets. So if as an author you wish to get to these new customers work with your publisher and design your product, for that is what a book is, to appeal to the consumer. As an observation I am still convinced that the majority of the public make just three book purchasing decisions a year for their children, one for going on holiday, one because they have to and one because it's a film/TV tie in. The rest of the time they spend their money on other goods, which is a shame as the humble book should get more visibilty. Roll on Amazon, Walmart and the BookPeople........I'm sure we'll soon see ranges of titles from them with this useful buying aid emblazoned on the front.

23 Jul 08 13:54

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By Alan Garner

David R. N. Livesley has a point, but we could be looking at the same hill from opposing sides. Authors differ as much as their books. There are those that work to live and those that live to work. For the latter, ‘a major opportunity for some more opened minded authors to actively court the idea and make major inroads into growth sales markets’ is irrelevant. Dylan Thomas says it definitively. “In my craft or sullen art/Exercised in the still night/When only the moon rages/And the lovers lie abed/With all their griefs in their arms,/I labour by singing light/Not for ambition or bread/Or the strut and trade of charms/On the ivory stages/But for the common wages/Of their most secret heart. Not for the proud man apart/From the raging moon I write/On these spindrift pages./Not for the towering dead/With their nightingales and psalms/But for the lovers, their arms/Round the griefs of the ages,/Who pay no praise or wages/Nor heed my craft or art.” It is the inability of some publishers to understand this that fuels a part of the anger. The words of Dylan Thomas may not apply to ‘The Secret Seven’, but they do to ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.

24 Jul 08 10:19

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By Dyan Blacklock

Here in Australia this debate is just beginning - again. We are looking to the UK experience with great interest. I too very much dislike the idea of age-ranging however I also see the p.o.v of the publishers who want to increase their sales and the booksellers who deal with frustrated and uninformed parents/buyers every day. Is a compromise point one where the book remains unmarked but the bookseller displays the books under a general banner of age ranges and allows the buyer to at least see a selection of titles that might be appropriate? Or is this too proscriptive too?

25 Jul 08 02:12

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By Dyan Blacklock

and that should have read 'prescriptive'....

25 Jul 08 02:14

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