Arnaud Nourry's Les Nouvelles Editeurs to comprise eight publishers

Les Nouvelles Editeurs (LNE), a “freestanding” group of publishers formed by ex-Hachette Livre chief Arnaud Nourry in June last year, now comprises eight publishing houses. So far, two have been announced: La Tribu and Maison Pop.  

The six remaining houses will be unveiled gradually over the next few months, Nourry said in an interview with the French trade publication Livres Hebdo on Thursday (6th February). Two will specialise in general literature, and one in non-fiction. The others will publish societal essays in addition to non-fiction, children’s books, and comics, manga and graphic novels. 

All except one are first-time publishers. Nourry did not exclude buying existing houses, but stressed that the aim was to help new ones “tempted by the adventure”. All commit to remaining with LNE for at least seven years, when the group will buy them out if they wish.  

Recruits should be 40 to 50 years old and have proven talent and a sale-worthy stable of authors. Nourry fixes no limit to the number of houses the group will comprise and confirmed that the partnership with Simon & Schuster covers a mutual preference for their respective titles. 

Author contracts will be shorter than the standard 70 years after death in France – a position Nourry said he couldn’t defend when he was Hachette chief – and royalties for adult general literature will be at least 10%. They “could be even higher as a result of competition”. But this won’t necessarily be the case for other sectors, which have to take account of specific production and market constraints, he added.  

Looking ahead, Nourry said he planned to hand responsibilities over to his 34-year-old son Ugo in three to five years. Meanwhile, the aim is to publish 20 to 30 books this year, 100 next year and, “if all goes well,” 200 to 250 in 2027.  

Commenting on the stake the holding company Artémis has taken in LNC, he said hadn’t been looking for a financial partner, but “seized the opportunity”. He declined to give figures on investments but added that the LNC founders held the majority of the capital and that the Nourry family held the majority of that.   

LNE announced the arrival of Maison Pop on Wednesday. It will publish popular literature “in all its forms” and will release nine titles in the first year under five difference imprints – Émotion, Iconic, Polar, Voyages and Littérature – starting in May. The house will be run by Virginie Fuertes and Damien Naddeo, who together have 50 years’ experience of trade publishing.