The boycott of St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and other related imprints is a direct response to the publisher’s lack of accountability regarding statements made by an employee in their marketing department and their failure to respond to concerns about possible systemic issues within the department.

Is it ok to promote the UK version instead of the US version of book under St. Martin’s Press or related imprints?

No. Participation means withholding the titles entirely.

Are you asking SMP to fire the employee?

No. We are asking the company to address and denounce the Islamophobic and racist statements and behavior, as well as take active steps to protect employees, influencers, readers, and authors from racist and discriminatory behavior. Terminating the employee is not, and has never been, a demand of the boycott.

Won’t this just hurt the authors?

We have modeled this boycott after the one developed by the Harper Collins Union in order to mitigate harm to authors as much as possible. Additionally, we have spoken with SMP authors who are in support of the boycott and have plans to do outreach with SMP authors to find alternate methods of providing support. However, every boycott has repercussions, and authors may still be affected. As the publisher, it is solely the responsibility of Saint Martin’s Press to ensure the success of their contracted authors. SMP could stop the boycott at any time by addressing the issue, or simply divert their existing funds to support their authors. SMP choosing not to market and instead relying on free labor is a telling choice.

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Participation

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Influencers

Participants are asked to withhold ALL reviews of these books until demands are met, including on Goodreads, Storygraph and NetGalley. Additionally, we are asking that participants avoid promoting these books in any way during this time. This includes master lists, reading recaps, and other similar posts.

Book Boxes

When possible, postpone releases/announcements regarding titles under the boycotted publishers. If able to, it is also helpful to refuse/postpone contracts with these publishers as well. If unable to meet these requirements due to established contracts, opt-in to redacting covers and titles in solidarity.

Bookstores

When possible, choose non-SMP titles for display or make an effort to exclude SMP books from your personal recommendations. If allowed, avoid posting about boycotted titles on social media. If possible, please place a flyer in your store front or breakroom.

Podcasts

We are asking that all titles under the boycott be withheld from features on podcasts of all formats. Our suggestion is to redact the title and author and inform your audience that you will reveal both once St. Martin’s Press meets the demands.