Y Pwyllgor Diwylliant, y Gymraeg a Chwaraeon

Adolygiad Polisi: Ysgrifennu cyfrwng Saesneg yng Nghymru

Deunant Books

Gentlemen I refer to your Invitation To Submit Contributions dated 15 July 2003 and am now in a position to make such a contribution having raised the matter with all of the Welsh authors who feature on our website. A response rate of some 30% was achieved. To put the following comments into context it helps to understand clearly the nature of our business. We facilitate exposure of the work of unpublished writers, and indeed some with a track record of publication, who wish to use the electronic media by making that work available in the form of an electronic book. 'Publishing' is a convenient if slightly inaccurate shorthand for what we do, even though we describe ourselves as "e-book publishing and sales"; the term will be used in the course of this submission but where the context demands it means the placing of written work for sale on our internet site. Our authors' comments, and indeed my own, may be influenced by our joint use of e-publishing to make new work available to readers. The Contribution Of English-medium Books And Writing In Wales To Welsh Culture There has been doubt expressed over how such a contribution can be assessed and what exactly is included in this instance in the definition of 'culture'. Creativity in all modes and languages is surely a good thing per se and is therefore to be encouraged, but it has been pointed out that there is discrimination against English-medium writing in the awarding of grants and as a result Welsh-based publishers (in the traditional meaning of the term) concentrate on Welsh language works of necessity in order to survive. The motivation for such discrimination, if, as seems probable, it exists, is preservation of the language: its effect is to prevent much English-medium writing being published and forming part of the culture of Wales. Just as good Welsh writing is preferable to bad English, good English writing is preferable to bad Welsh and there seems to be a feeling among some English-medium writers in Wales that the latter fact is being ignored. The Support Mechanisms Available To Writers In Wales Including Playwrights And Screenplay Writers The principal reaction to this point has been to ask 'what support’ There are writers' groups around the country but their effectiveness is questionable; there seems to be no financial support for English-medium writers. All writers, if their work is to contribute to the culture of the country, need exposure to an audience and it is here that the internet is having an impact. We have several writers (although none yet in Wales) who have their own websites which link to our own. The Assembly may, for instance, be able to sponsor a website dedicated to the promotion of English-medium writers (which would no doubt need to be mirrored by a similar service for thaw working in Welsh, doubling the cost) which would provide a page for each writer to give biographical details, a bibliography, links to his own website (if he has one) and that of his publisher or e-publisher. It is a matter of fact that many authors who have sought out Deunant Books have found our website in a publication such as the Writers And Artists Yearbook. It may perhaps be possible for the Assembly to fill the void created by the absence of such a publication specifically for Wales, either as a traditional book or as a website - or indeed both. The Support Mechanisms For The Production And Marketing Of New Writing Including Private Sector Support This is an area in which we as a business are very heavily involved. We are, because of constraints on cashflow, obliged to market the new writing showcased on our website in the most cost-effective way possible. According to the local business support agencies there is little financial support and what is available is at the end of an application process that involves a greater commitment of time than is justified by the ultimate financial support received. Those business support agencies are entirely reactive and never proactive: in order to discover if a particular activity might attract grant aid it is necessary for us as a business to make an approach. We have never received any information that is unsolicited about potential help and there is always the feeling that the local enterprise agencies are wholly unaware of what might be available from entities such as Cultural Enterprise (who, to be taken seriously, ought to have advisers available for more than one or two days a week and then only for some 46 weeks a year). It may be that there is more support available than we are aware of. If this is the case then the information dissemination process is weak and ineffective. Whether or not this is so it is certainly true to say that a full picture of what is available can only be established by initiating constant contact with Gouty Economic Development Departments, Local Enterprise Agencies, WDA Business Support Executives, Finance Wales plc, Cultural Enterprise and the myriad other agencies and `schemes' in operation at any one time since, from an end-user's perspective, each of these separate entities in this fragmented business support system seems to want to protect its independence and therefore its existence in preference to sharing knowledge and information. My days are sufficiently full with attending to the needs of a business and I do not have time to maintain that level of constant contact. We market work that appears on our website by way of editorial coverage in newspapers and to date have been successful in achieving coverage, articles about our business, our writers or new work appearing in the Press on average at least every two weeks. It is a time-consuming process that often ends in failure, just as it often ends in success. To a large degree we are undertaking the roles of publisher and literary agent, which we find necessary because many of our authors have little spare money to spend on promotion of their work. There seem to be no literary agents in Wales to undertake any of this work and there seems to be no mechanism by means of which the work of unpublished Welsh writers can be brought to the attention of literary agents elsewhere. It has already been said that views expressed in this submission may be influenced by Deunant Books and its authors being in the field of electronic books. The e-book is a relatively recent innovation that is already popular in North America and Australia, and which is growing in popularity here. The rate of growth will accelerate as the cost of hand-held computers - PDAs - falls in real terns. It has been suggested that the new medium can be encouraged by the establishment of literary prizes for electronic books; this would give a welcome boost to the marketing of new writing and additional credibility to the medium. As an Assembly-driven initiative it would attract sponsorship from the private sector where sponsorship is seen as a socially responsible form of public relations activity. The Mechanisms For Raising Public Awareness Of English-medium Welsh Literature and Writers As with the comments made under the previous two headings, the feedback we have received from our authors is that they are unaware of any currently existing mechanisms to achieve this objective. In order to raise public awareness the public first needs to be aware that there is an issue of which they should have at least some knowledge. Much of the Press coverage that we have obtained has been off the Arts pages of newspapers, which is an important step in the process described in the rather self-evident previous sentence. Those who read the general news pages are more numerous than those who take note of items on dedicated Arts pages, but nevertheless newspapers and television - the traditional media - have a huge role to play. Television arts programmes are perceived to be 'highbrow', whether or not that perception is deserved, and there is scope for the popular TV channels (BBC1 Wales and HTV) to be encouraged to devote a little more time to popularising the written word at times when audiences are higher, although care needs to be exercised to avoid further accusations of 'dumbing down'. Programmes towards midnight do not attract the target audience, whereas between-programme fillers, say, on BBC1 Wales, perhaps of only 30 seconds duration or less, may well be possible when a larger number of viewers are watching. The BBC does not rely on advertising revenue for its income and is in a unique position to help with raising public awareness of new writing. The newer medium of the internet is invaluable if it is promoted and used correctly. Routing traffic to the most appropriate sites, such as our own, efficiently and quickly should be an objective of the Assembly-driven website referred to above. There are events such as the National Eisteddfod which, although a Welsh language celebration, may be used to advantage. The question that needs to be asked is whether the National Eisteddfod is a celebration of Welsh culture or merely of the Welsh language. In recent years it seems to have been hijacked by language activists for the latter purpose but perhaps it falls to Deunant Books to say that Wales cannot afford this linguistic apartheid. The words 'Welsh culture' have become synonymous with 'Welsh language culture' and that has the effects of, firstly, marginalising English-medium work and, secondly, invoking feelings of superiority and inferiority. Support for a minority language is necessary if it is not to die out, but denial of exposure of English-medium work at such a high-profile event is counter-productive. The existence of the network of County Arts Forums should not be ignored. I am a member of the steering group charged with establishing a Forum in Denbighshire and one of its objectives will be to bridge the gap between artist, be he in the performing arts or a craftsperson or a writer, and his potential audience. Throughout the gestation period of the Denbighshire Forum this will be uppermost in our collective minds and your Committee should bear in mind that County Forums are a direct link with arts practitioners, including those writers who choose to take part. Barriers And Opportunities That Currently Exist It has been repeatedly said in feedback to us that publishers based in Wales prefer to concentrate on Welsh language work and 'special interest' books, for example local history, locally inspired poetry and Welsh history. A Welsh author of English language novels must look outside Wales if he seeks a traditional publishing contract or literary agent, thereby diluting, or being perceived to be diluting, the Welshness of his work. We have sought to change this a little by providing an e-publishing alternative but it is not a complete answer given current attitudes to e-books. Publishers are reluctant to risk an untried talent and while this may be sound commercial judgement it is frustrating for authors. This is the biggest barrier to English-medium writing and its biggest opportunity would be exposure if the means existed. Perhaps the many film and TV production companies in Wales can be induced to look more seriously at the English-medium writing being produced locally. Perhaps businesses such as Deunant Books do represent the biggest currently existing opportunity. Links With Other Sectors - Education And Tourism Tourism is a major industry in Wales and while there are a number of major attractions tourism businesses follow the pattern of Welsh businesses generally - the majority are small and widely spread. It is difficult to see how an effective link with the tourism sector can be created, other than by the production of a regularly updated and replaced guide to Welsh writers and where their work can be bought. With the efficiency of full colour digital printing the cost of producing a series of regional guides to English-medium writers working in North, Mid and South Wales should not be prohibitive, but any such guide needs to be as comprehensive as possible. This will not be achieved if a fee is charged to each individual writer and this will discriminate in favour of the already successful and those able to afford to pay. Schools, colleges and universities are a very different matter. The opportunity exists, now as it has always done, to instill in very young children a love for the written word, and for this purpose the means of delivery (paper or electronic) is irrelevant as is the language. A child who learns to enjoy reading in Welsh will enjoy reading in English, French, German or any other language his linguistic skills permit. At the opposite end of the educational spectrum, our universities are home to young people from all over the UK and further afield and these people are in a position to learn to appreciate Welsh culture. The majority will not learn Welsh during their university years so English is the language in which that culture must be delivered. It is important that prejudice is not allowed to influence exposure to culture at any stage of the educational process. Fears have been expressed that only certain types of 'culture' will be favoured; this concern was raised particularly by a writer whose background is in education and he has witnessed that prejudice at first hand. Deunant Books is already active in this area and we are arranging a short story competition for High School pupils for Autumn 2003. The school curriculum is demanding but given the will links between those involved in writing professionally and the education sector can be created. The Role of Relevant Players Including The Voluntary and Private Sectors Any definition of a "relevant player' is likely to be imprecise but it will include writers, the film and TV sector, publishers, potential sponsors, County Councils, the Assembly and such voluntary organisations as writers’ groups and County Arts Forums. Writers:- Their role is self-evident in that it is the work of writers that adds to that which we call 'Welsh culture'. However, a writer can take a greater role by promoting his work himself, talking to others, be it formally or informally, about the art of writing and by encouraging appreciation of writing generally. Some writers are blessed with a great talent far creating enthusiasm, promotional work, etc., others are not. Those who are not so blessed should not be regarded as lesser talents than those who are merely because of that one factor. The Film And TV Sector:- Wales is home to two major television channels broadcasting in English yet those channels seem to do little to support English-medium writing in Wales; they could do more by popularising their arts programmes as already discussed. There is also a thriving film and television production sector, largely centred on Cardiff in the south and the Bangor/Caernarfon area in the north. Companies in the north seem heavily biased towards Welsh language productions, perhaps understandably, but both centres could offer a greater feeling of accessibility to writers. Sgrin is the umbrella organisation for these companies and could perhaps be developed into a clearing house or meeting point between film companies and writers. Most writers, particularly those who are unpublished, have little knowledge of the requirements of these companies or of where that knowledge may be obtained; the companies themselves have no incentive to explain, repeatedly, what those requirements are. Publishers:- Publishers of newspapers have a responsibility to report news items and there are times when a writer's activities become news. At Deunant Books we have found that electronic publication is itself often considered newsworthy. It is acknowledged that newspaper publication is a business like any other and survives on circulation levels - these dictate income from sales of newspapers and the rates that can be charged for advertisements - but there is an element of social responsibility that most local newspapers will accept. Therefore they will include in their pages items which may not be commercially justifiable. Promotion of the work of local writers by way of editorial coverage may occasionally come under this heading and it is pleasing to see how often newspapers are prepared to do this. The way grants are awarded to traditional book publishers needs to be re-examined carefully to ensure that English-medium writers are not unfairly disadvantaged compared to Welsh language writers in Wales and writers elsewhere in the UK. This is a matter that the Assembly needs to consider with the Welsh Books Council. The electronic media, such as ourselves, can do much that the traditional publishing industry cannot. We do not suffer from print runs, nor do we use paper. Our books can be bought by anyone with access to a computer and a credit card wherever in the world he may be and the purchaser can be reading his newly bought book within a few minutes of logging onto the website. We cannot speak for other, similar, businesses but we have been in correspondence with the National Library in Aberystwyth in the matter of lodgement of books published electronically. We have indicated our willingness to lodge copies of all our books but have heard nothing more from the Library. It is an issue that needs to be addressed but it is not for us to tell the Library what should be done; in fairness to our authors their work should be in the National Library and we have, many months ago, said that we would supply, that work. Perhaps the Committee should recognise that e-publishing is a vibrant new industry and instruct the National Library accordingly; it is, after all, the repository of much of what we understand as 'Welsh culture'. There are specialist literary magazines circulating in Wales which all seem to aim for a readership which may not appreciate 'mass appeal' work. As we publish both mass appeal and more intellectually challenging work we see a need for an organ to act as a voice for the Welsh writer of English-medium novels designed to appeal to the average person. Potential Sponsors:- Under this generic heading are those companies who seek to increase their profile by sponsorship of events: within the context of the Committee's remit those events will be literary festivals, general arts festivals with a literary aspect and literary competitions. To have any lasting value to writers, these events need to recur regularly and predictably, particularly competitions as these do seem to be sporadic and established to benefit the sponsor rather than the writer. A regular competition with a consistent format that guarantees exposure to category winners would be advantageous to its participants and to its sponsor, but such an event needs to be managed by an entity whose responsibilities include securing and retaining appropriate sponsorship. County Councils:- If links with other sectors are to be effective, particularly links to the education sector, control needs to be with those who control those other sectors. Tourism is less complex, but anything that involves children is, quite properly, a sensitive area that needs to be in the hands of professionals who understand the needs of children, including their need to be protected, and the concerns of parents and guardians. This is a role which only County Councils can assume, but the feedback we have received suggests strongly that there would be great reluctance to expose too much to the dead hand of bureaucracy. The National Assembly:- The fact that the Committee is part of the Assembly demonstrates clearly that the Assembly has a part to play. Indeed, it must take the lead in protecting and developing Welsh culture in all its forms and irrespective of language. It must guide without influencing cultural development, facilitate cultural activity without judgement or prejudice; if it is able to do this it will ensure that Wales continues to be a culturally fulfilling country in which to live. The Voluntary Sector:- The role of County Arts Forums has already been discussed: they are the medium through which arts practitioners can come together to share ideas, problems and solutions and through which those practitioners can reach their audience as effectively as possible. For writers, a Forum gives direct access to decision makers at County and Assembly level; its most important contribution is to reduce the sense of isolation felt by so many writers. The same is true of writers' groups, which, being more focussed on the art of writing, can offer support, criticism, teaching and access to successful writers who tour such groups. There seems to be little uniform structure to writers' groups around Wales and it would be potentially very helpful if the Assembly could institute, or delegate to the County Councils the institution of, a register of such groups - perhaps maintained on the website referred to earlier -and ensure contact between groups and County Arts Forums. If tourism links are to be effective, as suggested earlier, it is necessary for someone to know who is writing what, for inclusion in information to be made available to visitors. This action will catch all those writers known to groups around the country. Promotion Of New Writing Or The 'Classics' "Surely the classics were new writing once." This has been said to us several times. The classics will look after themselves and will be reprinted or reissued by the new electronic media for as long as demand exists. Publishers will only publish what will sell. Classic literature will always need a degree of promotion, for instance in schools (where most of us learn about such books) or by sympathetic TV adaptation, but work of such merit that it becomes classic will always attract a steady stream of buyers. There are no influences on which new writing can rely and it is quite obvious that a very high degree of priority should be given to the promotion of new writing. If this is not so it will act as an insurmountable disincentive to aspiring writers and Wales has, without doubt, a deep and rich vein of new writing talent. Without a realistic expectation that words written will be read, even the most talented writers will see no point in pursuing a lonely and often difficult task. Support For Maintaining Classic English-medium Welsh Writing It seems reasonable to assume that any well-rounded educational programme should be able to include at some point in the eleven years between age five and age sixteen an introduction to classic literature in English, including Shakespeare, Dickens, Orwell and the rest, and an introduction to the culture of Wales including English-medium writing. it is inconceivable that any Welsh school could release its pupils into the world without at least some knowledge of Dylan Thomas. This is an issue of education, whereas the promotion of new writing has more in common with supporting a Welsh business sector as it competes in a global market. Conclusion Much has been said in this submission as a result of consultation with writers whose work appears on our website (a list appears in the appendix to this submission), but there are perhaps three main, simple points that arise from those consultations which much of the foregoing detail supports. Those three points are:  English-medium Welsh writing is a valuable resource for this and future generations; English-medium writing should not be treated any differently to writing in the Welsh language; and Writing in Wales, irrespective of language should be treated as a business sector that competes globally and should be supported accordingly. Yours faithfully L M BROAD PROPRIETOR, DEUNANT BOOKS Appendix Welsh authors on the Deunant Books website Tom Austin Cardiff
R T Barton Denbigh
A & J Bennett Boncath
Ron Bennett Wrexham (ex-pat in Lincolnshire)
Les Broad Denbigh
Torquil Cowan Carmel
Lillie Evans Bangor
Elwyn Griffiths Caernarfon
Les Jones Kinmel Bay
Shirley Jones Tonyrefail
Gareth Llewellyn Wrexham (ex-pat in Taunton
David Lovegrace Trefnant
Stephen Lurvey Newport
Michael Parry Flint
Karl Pegg Felinheli
Margaret Radburn Corwen
Michael Ratcliffe Wrexham
Anna Roberts Mostyn
Ralph Thomas Blackwood
Tudor Williams Abergele