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Podnews podcasting news @podnews.net · 1d

City St George’s, University of London students work with UNFPA to launch podcast series on women’s issues https://podnews.net/press-release/womens-world

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

The ep I co-produced, Investing in Change, is about how male investors fail to see the value in female-centred medical research & tech.

I met the wonderful Mariam Torosyan whose app Safe YOU supports domestic violence victims. It's already saved one woman's life: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...

Investing in Change

Podcast Episode · Women's World: Equity By Design · 13/10/2025 · 28m

podcasts.apple.com

chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

Earlier this year me and my fellow MA podcasters worked with
@unfpa.org to make a series about the persistent gender gap in several areas including sport, medicine and technology. We met brilliant women who are working to change that.

All 5 episodes are out now: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...

Women's World: Equity By Design

Society & Culture Podcast · Mind the gender gap! Rachel Shelley is our guide through the issues that are holding women back in multiple areas: sport, health, technology, disability access and financin...

podcasts.apple.com

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

Maybe that's why I like 'em

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah it ultimately just comes off as gatekeeping. I say, let us throw open the gates and smash their hinges! I want SFF fans reading romance and campus novels, I want airport thriller readers to pick up a Fitzcarraldo!

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

Dont make me walk all round the alphabet on the main shelves only to have to plod off to the section reserved for the SFF cognescenti!

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

I suppose the fury is with McEwan, Ishiguro, Atwood doing SFF/dystopia, but... they've been writing genre novels for yonks.

Everyone should take *my* unhinged literary view, which is that genre doesn't exist, it's a marketing tool, there needn't be separate sections in the bookshop

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

Yes wish that social media cliche would die already. Along with the supposed opposition between High Literature and SFF. It's bizarre when commercial romantasy dominates bestseller lists and titles like Orbital, Our Wives Under the Sea, Under the Eye of the Big Bird are on prize lists

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

The people aren’t reading or going into bookshops! Otherwise they’d see it’s half Eastern European feminist literature and zeitgeisty Japanese feminist novels about lady serial killers

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

I have a controversial inkling that maybe we no longer need the Women's Prize per se (though I wouldn't get rid of any prizes as it leads to precious media coverage). Maybe for nonfiction? But I sort of feel we are seeing parity with female authors getting deals/coverage? Am I wrong?

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

Very odd if they're going on the basis of old degree reading lists. Even the GCSE reading list is quite varied and up-to-date, no? If they want to make a statement on what the intelligentsia calls Literature, maybe they look at current prizes...

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

Far more of an issue is a finer point about promotion and bestseller lists. Probably lots of female authors but black/Asian writers likely not getting as much promo to build sustainable careers. But in terms of what's held up as "Literature" - do we really still think it's old white men?!

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah, this is an odd stereotype on social media about what's currently published. There's a wide variety of fiction not merely on shelves but on tables, prize shortlists. Translated fiction is getting a big push. It's not perfectly representative but I don't see the male, pale, stale thing on lists?

Rob Palk @robpalk.bsky.social · 1d

There's loads of capital L literature written by people who aren't "straight white (often older) men" and it's weird that people feel the need to pretend otherwise

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 5d

a woman wearing a blue and white floral dress stands in front of a sign that says natural beauty

ALT: a woman wearing a blue and white floral dress stands in front of a sign that says natural beauty

media.tenor.com

chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 5d

Agreed, surely you go into the creative industries to be... creative!

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 5d

I've heard a prominent podcaster saying he uses it for his scriptwriting...

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 5d

To my mind time-saving AI in pre/post-prod workflow processes isn't the issue, more the problem of cutting out the creativity and development and humanity in the actual making/writing

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 5d

I do think descript etc isn't as amazing as everyone claims, but all the transcription software I've used is useful as a first pass then can go through and correct. It's useful too as a workflow for referring to while editing! (Never tried editing text to speech...)

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 5d

Ah yes, odd, as transcription software of some kind has been around for yonks! I do think that when people use AI for research/rewriting etc it's unfortunate cos you miss out on the chance to think things through, discover unexpected things etc and make better stuff. AI circumvents serendipity

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 5d

I’m against specifically generative AI, but I do feel concerned all AI uses excessive energy/water. But it’s in everything now!

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 6d

My theory: the crap idea you throw in as a bluff to make the best idea go through got chosen by Sales instead

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 6d

'must I?'

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Reposted

Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 6d

Just found out from @chloesackur.bsky.social: there's a new kidlit podcast in town! From @rachelparris.bsky.social & Children's Book project www.instagram.com/childrensboo... First guest @laurenlaverne.bsky.social, check it out! feeds.acast.com/public/shows... #UKKidLit #KidLitUK

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 8d

It’s cos publishing is very much a cagey business with lots going on behind the scenes that everyone takes to their grave. Another “code” is when celebs/brand name authors mention in endmatter “with thanks to XYZ” = “thanks to my ghostwriter”

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chloesackur.bsky.social @chloesackur.bsky.social · 8d

Hehe I knew about this but afaik only in America. In Britain the deals are just “nice” unless you’re Richard Osman

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