THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC’S ONGOING IMPACT ON NYC’S LITERARY COMMUNITY T

Any relief efforts in response to the ed by PEN America and the NYC Literary Action pandemic must include the writers, authors, and lit- Coalition has found that the world’s literary capital erary organizations that have made New York City a is in need of urgent support and funding to reverse pivotal center for literature and the freedom to write. [...] SURVEY FINDINGS New York’s literary community is an integral part of the city’s artistic and cultural life, a draw for tourists IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS and residents alike, and a powerful voice in the fight In late 2020, PEN America and the NYC Literary Ac- for freedom of expression and social justice. [...] The tion Coalition conducted a survey of nearly 500 in- survey found that writers and authors are optimistic dividuals and organizations in New York City, helping about the future of New York, and most are deter- quantify the pandemic’s impact on the city’s literary mined to stay. [...] In 2020, book sales had their best year in a decade, and the use of ebooks and audio- New York City is home to the five biggest publishing books also rose, showing the importance of literature houses in the country and countless literary land- in times of crisis. [...] Although the road to support the literary community is long and layered, our local government can start by taking steps to build a relationship with the literary arts community by: • First, hiring a full-time staff member who can serve as a liaison between the literary community and the Mayor’s office; and • Second, the Mayor’s office must support the liter- ary arts in this pivotal time by adding.