Middle Earth - China’s cultural industry podcast artwork

#92 How writers, bookstore owners, and printers survive in China’s publishing industry (part 1)

Middle Earth - China’s cultural industry podcast

English - September 22, 2023 02:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MB
TV & Film Arts china chinese culture film movies music censorship ipo education the world of chinese Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed


China’s book market is the second largest in the world, with people reading around 6 billion books a year. But how easy is it for small publishers, bookstores, and writers to get a piece of this pie? And how are digital alternatives to physical books impacting writers and small businesses and writers?

 Featuring
- Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆): Writer & Futurist
- Liu Jue: TWOC – Managing editor
- Su Wan (苏皖): Maziren Bookstore (码字人书店) - Owner

To go further
- "The Dark Room Problem" short story written by Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆) and published by The World of Chinese Magazine
- How China’s Small-Town Bookstores Innovate to Survive, article by by The World of Chinese Magazine
- Bookish Dreams: The fantasy of owning an independent bookstore lingers for China’s idealists, article by by The World of Chinese Magazine
- Middle Earth episode #25 How to publish a book in China
- Middle Earth episode #91 How to Publish a Magazine for 100 Issues

Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, please get in touch!

With thanks to Sean Calvo for music support. 

The World of Chinese Magazine
A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.