Scribe Media’s chief experience officer Meghan McCracken has resigned, writing in a LinkedIn post, “My work there is done.” The company officially ceased operations in May, due to an Article 9 sale, but planned to continue until its assets were transferred to new ownership. The 87 laid off employees received no severance and some freelancers remain unpaid. McCracken writes, “Feeling a lot right now, but mostly feeling so much for our authors, freelancers, and all our current and laid off Crew. My sole driving motivation these past three weeks was taking care of all of them. I had a lot […]
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Harper Collins Makes Real Estate Changes, Will Not Renew Office Leases In San Francisco and Grand Rapids
Harper Collins is closing some of its current offices, with plans to not renew leases in San Francisco and Grand Rapids. In these two locations, as well as Boston, the company is “evaluating the business needs for flexible space as needed.” The company’s Montage space in Scranton/Moosic, PA will be relocated to a different building. CEO Brian Murray writes in a memo to staff: “While we still believe in the importance of in-office collaboration, especially in a creative industry like ours, we recognize the necessity of streamlining our office footprint so that we can continue to invest in the business.” […]
Former Scribe Media CEO JeVon McCormick Apologizes, Says Company Will Continue To Operate Through Asset Sale
Former Scribe Media ceo and president JeVon McCormick, who resigned when the company ceased official operations and laid off 87 employees two weeks ago, has apologized in a LinkedIn post, saying the way the layoffs were conducted “is not aligned with the values of Scribe” and naming himself as the company’s main shareholder. He writes, “I deeply apologize for not speaking out to authors, Scribe and Libra Crew members, and Scribe and Libra freelancers much sooner. The Scribe Crew that remains with the company has been working long, exhausting hours this past week answering the questions I should have been […]
Abrams Lays Off More Staff
Abrams has done another round of layoffs across departments, following a round in April. The company declined to comment on the number of people fired. They say in a statement, “Abrams, like many in publishing, is having a challenging year. Consequently, Abrams has implemented workforce reduction measures affecting departments across the company. Changes to our operating structure are important to set the foundation of growth for the company. While we are deeply aware of the concerns this raises with our employees, we are also aware that the future of our business depends on these changes which will lead to finding […]
Tartt’s Agent Debunks Rumors of New Novel
A Goodreads page for an untitled Donna Tartt novel sparked rumors (and hopes) online that a surprise book would be published this week, incredulous as that might seem. Tartt’s agent Nicole Aragi confirmed the posting is false. “This is not true and we’re working on getting it pulled,” she stated. The page listed Tartt’s publisher as Knopf, though she moved to Little, Brown with The Goldfinch, which published in 2013. It also listed the release day as June 1, a Thursday.
Scribe Employees Launch “Petition For Financial Justice”
Following sweeping layoffs and announcement of an Article 9 sale at Scribe Media, some of the remaining employees have launched a “Petition for Financial Justice” demanding severance and other benefits for their 87 fired colleagues. Notably, the petitioners assert that, “There was no severance pay for the employees who were laid off, and all benefits and tech access were immediately cut.” They write, “As the remaining dedicated crew members of Scribe Media, we prioritize the welfare of our laid-off colleagues. Therefore, we firmly demand that all proceeds from the sale of Scribe Media be exclusively allocated to ensure financial justice […]