Publishers must act now to develop working-class writers, says report

Common People: Breaking the Glass Ceiling in UK Publishing uses experiences of 17 writers to lay out case for better representation

The books industry needs to “wake up to the world beyond the M25”, according to a new report into the under-representation of British working-class writers, which lays out a damning indictment of the “pervasive barriers” in their way today.

The report, Common People: Breaking the Glass Ceiling in UK Publishing, draws on evidence from the 17 working-class writers chosen for last year’s Common People anthology, along with industry experts. Published on Friday to mark International Workers’ Day, it says that the full range of voices in British society “is neither heard nor acknowledged in UK publishing” and that aspiring, working-class writers are at a disadvantage when trying to get a publishing deal. Barriers cited include a lack of support networks and contacts, lower levels of self-confidence and the publishing industry’s lack of social diversity.

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