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For the seventh time in a row, Nicole Witt held a full-day workshop on Rights & Licences for the 16 participants of the Frankfurt Book Fair Invitation Programme (on Sunday before the book fair started). The visitors were publishers from 16 countries across three continents. The workshop helped the participants prepare for dealing with international rights discussions. It covered the main points and potential issues in agreements, including aspects of Artificial Intelligence and the audio book format, along with tips on how to negotiate them. After the talk, participants got to ask questions and sort out specific problems they were facing. Another part of the seminar focused on the roles of different market players like agents and scouts. It discussed how new publishers can connect with business partners, present their books, create pitches, and organize their work and submissions. Following the main presentation, participants had the opportunity for hands-on activities, presenting their own projects and receiving a feedback.
The Frankfurt Book Fair Invitation Programme, with support from the Federal Foreign Office, provides an opportunity for small independent publishing companies from Africa, the Arab world, Asia, and Latin America to take part. For publishing companies in these areas, globalization has both positive and negative aspects. On one hand, reaching the global market seems easier because of widespread communication. On the other hand, the rise of new conglomerates makes it tougher to enter the market.
