Last year's rules stated that each publisher of a longlisted title should make no fewer than 1,000 copies of that title available within 10 days of the announcement of the longlist. Some booksellers complained about the availability of some titles which were not released until some weeks after the longlist had been revealed, and blamed the prize for failing to enforce its own rules.
Now, the rules state only that if a book is published in print before the longlist is announced, an e-book must be made available within 10 days of the announcement. If publication comes after the longlist announcement, the publisher "must make the novel available for sale as an e-book", but without a time frame being specified. If a book is already available as an e-book before the announcement, 1,000 copies must then be made available in print 10 days after the announcement. The prize rules go on to say: "If it is published after the announcement of the longlist, then on publication there must be the minimum of 1,000 print copies available for retail sale."
Dotti Irving, c.e.o. of Four Colman Getty, said: "We discussed it with the advisory committee, which includes publishers and agents, and it was thought that you couldn't ensure print availability with the longlist announcement, because too many big titles are scheduled over the summer, and there's nothing wrong with some anticipation. But the rules encourage publishers to make copies available as soon as possible."
The prize has also adjusted the time limits on publication dates for books originally published outside the UK. Under the new rules, books must have been originally published outside the UK no more than two years before the UK publication date in order to be eligible. For this year, no books originally published before 1st October 2012 will be eligible.
Several of the eligibility rules clarify who counts as a publisher and who as a self-publisher; self-publishers are not eligible to enter for the prize. According to the new rules, a publisher is "in part defined as producing at least two literary fiction novels by different writers in the year." Smaller presses, which may perhaps publish only a single literary novel in a year, will be able to submit books only through the call-in process.
As well as a publisher having to produce two novels by different authors in a year, a further regulation specifies: "Self-published novels are not eligible where the author is the publisher. If the publisher is a company which has been specifically set up to publish the novel in question, and/or the author is the person who owns the majority shareholding or otherwise controls the company, the novel is ineligible." Last year's rules stated that: "Self published books are not eligible where the author is the publisher or where a company has been specifically set up to publish that book."
A spokesperson said that while self-published books were not eligible, the prize was still keen for small presses to enter titles: "Self-published novels are not eligible for the prize but the prize organisers are very keen to ensure that small publishers are included in the process. For example, if as a small publisher you only publish one literary fiction novel a year, you are encouraged to submit that novel as a call-in title for the judges consideration."
Deadlines for completing entry forms for submissions and for entering final novels have been brought forward to 6th March and 19th June this year. Ion Trewin, literary director of the Booker Prize Foundation, said the move was "to give the judges extra reading time."
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