Based upon a unique empirical study on diversity in UK publishing involving
over 110 interviews with publishers, this paper explores the obstacles facing
authors of colour. While the underrepresentation of authors from minoritized
backgrounds is generally seen as a problem of acquisition, we identify what
political economist Nicholas Garnham calls the “cultural distribution” stage as the
most critical for authors of colour. Specifically, we demonstrate how racialized
assumptions about audiences as articulated and mobilized by people working in
promotion, sales, and retail impede the progress of these authors. We argue that
racial inequalities in publishing are a product of how racially and ethnically
minoritized audiences are undervalued, culturally as well as economically. Adopting
a postcolonial cultural economy approach, we identify the areas where antiracist
activism needs to be focused in order to address racial inequalities in publishing
in a more impactful way.