Nova Scotia publishers see tenfold increase in provincial support
11 publishers will share as much as $1.1M from creative industries fund
Nova Scotia authors and publishers are celebrating what they say is a tenfold increase in support from the province to create and market their books.
So far, 11 of the province's 15 publishers have applied for a share of the $2 million in the creative industries fund, which was launched earlier this year. The government has approved up to $1.1 million for the publishers.
Terrilee Bulger, co-owner of Nimbus, said that amount is 10 times what has traditionally been available from the province to create and market books.
"This is bringing us to a level of being competitive with other publishers across the country, which is fantastic," she said.
'That's a big increase'
The fund covers up to half the cost of producing or marketing a book.
Bulger said the promise of help will allow Nimbus to come out with more books this fall than its typical 16.
"We're creating 20 new books this fall," said Bulger. "That's a big increase for us. Probably about four new books for the fall."
Nimbus will use the money to hire publicists across the country to market its books, hire more staff and pay for a lot more marketing campaigns.
"It's going to result in being able to create more books and do a lot more with the books that we are creating," said Bulger.
Hopes to sell books elsewhere
Former Winnipeg resident Caitlin Forsey said the new program has allowed her to move to Nova Scotia to write her sociology textbook.
"I don't think it would have been published as quickly," said Caitlin Forsey. "I think the goal was always to write this book but it allows me live in Nova Scotia, which is really important to me and it allows me to write it in a shorter time."
Home-grown author Allan Billard is hoping he and other writers will be able to sell further afield.
"There's only so many books you can sell to Nova Scotians because there are only so many Nova Scotians," he said.