“the literary establishment”
When we write, “the literary establishment,” we’re referring to a group of organizations, companies, administrative professionals, influencers and creatives who act as powerful neoliberal gatekeepers in the world of books. Literary establishment members include but are not limited to: literary agents, editors at publishing houses, founders and managers of popular book clubs, operators of reputable literary journals, creative writing professors and program administrators at universities, book critics at legacy media outlets, commercially and critically successful authors, book store owners and operators, etc.
