Wednesday 14 January 2015

Leipzig Book Fair Embraces (German-Speaking) Bloggers

Leipzig is Germany's big spring book fair, bigger than the London Book Fair but smaller than Frankfurt and more inward-looking than both – an important date for the German publishing industry and for readers, who are much more welcome there than at other fairs. The fair has just announced its buchmesse:blogger initiative, embracing (German-speaking) book bloggers by providing them with their own lounge in one of the halls. The space will apparently enable (German-speaking) book bloggers to network with each other and with industry professionals, including nominees for the SERAPH Prize for fantastic literature and the Prize of the Leipzig Book Fair – after the winners are announced, I believe.

Before that, however, they have another initiative by the name of Bloggerpaten. (German-speaking) book bloggers can apply to "accompany the Prize of the Leipzig Book Fair", which consists of getting a free copy of one of the fifteen nominated books and getting your review published on the Book Fair website. Plus a one-day book fair ticket and "the possibility of coveted tickets for the opening ceremony" and a seat with their name on it at the prize announcement ceremony.

(German-speaking) book bloggers can apply for accreditation in advance, to get trade visitor tickets and entrance to the bloggers' lounge. 

It's just sour grapes but I wish these initiatives (like the Open Mike blog and the initiative around the German Book Prize), as encouraging as they may or may not be, wouldn't expressly exclude me. They are, however, recognition of the progress German-speaking book bloggers have made over the past few years.

1 comment:

Harvey Morrell said...

I think you speak German or you couldn't be a translator from German to English. :)

Maybe you could do a bilingual version of your blog, like Ilse does with her food blog where you would post a translation beneath the original.

For what it's worth, I think you should have been included.