New York, NY, December 13, 2015 – Next October, to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of Taylor Swift’s first record and the first decade of her career, Swift’s fans, in collaboration with Simon & Schuster, will team up to publish the first major book about the seven-time Grammy winner who New York magazine has declared “the biggest pop star in the world.” An oversized and beautifully illustrated volume with the feel of a scrapbook, the yet-to-be-titled book will be created by fans, for fans. The publisher is inviting fellow Swifties around the country to help produce the book in a number of ways and to join the conversation online using the hashtag #SwiftFanBook.

• Title contest: The book’s title will be determined by a contest. Fans are invited to submit the title they think the book should have, along with a brief essay of 250 words or less in support of their title, with the winning title to be chosen by Simon & Schuster. The fan who wins will receive a $2,500 payment and credit in the published book. This contest will run from December 13, 2015, through January 13, 2016, and entries may be made at SwiftFanBook.com.

• Honorary authorship contest: Although the book is a group effort, Simon & Schuster is looking for one super-Swiftie to serve as its honorary author and the face of the book to the public. That fan, whose name will appear on the cover and will work with the staff at S&S to select content for the book, and then promote the published book in the media, will also be determined by a contest. Fans who think they have the passion, knowledge, creativity, and charisma to be the honorary author of the book can make their case in a video of three minutes or less to be uploaded at SwiftFanBook.com. The winner will be chosen by Simon & Schuster and receive a $10,000 payment. At the time of publication, the author will be flown to New York for a press tour, a book signing in Manhattan, potential appearances on major media outlets, and more. This contest will run from December 13, 2015, through January 13, 2016.

• Cover contest: Once the book’s title and author have been determined and announced, fans with a flair for graphic design may create the cover they think the book should have. The winning cover design may be used on the published book, with the designer to receive credit on the book jacket and a $5,000 payment. This contest will run from February 1, 2016, through March 1, 2016, and submissions should be uploaded at SwiftFanBook.com.

The text of the book will collect the best writing that has been published about Swift over the past ten years: a mix of magazine profiles, Q&As, reviews, humor pieces, poems, lists, and other ephemera, ranging from the first press release for Taylor Swift in 2006 to work by writers such as Sasha Frere-Jones, Ann Powers, Lizzie Widdicombe, Chuck Klosterman, Jody Rosen, Jada Yuan, and more. Fans who would like to suggest a favorite piece of writing about Taylor can email tips@swiftfanbook.com.

In order to find the best fan photos and illustrations of Swift for use in the book, Simon & Schuster would like to hear from fans who are serious photographers and have personally taken a large number of high-resolution photographs of Swift (photos taken on phones are not high-quality enough to meet book production standards) over the entirety of her career, as well as fans who have created unique illustrations or other works of art in homage to the artist. If that is you, please write to images@swiftfanbook.com and tell us about your photo library or your artwork. The publisher will select hundreds of illustrations to appear in the book and pay a fee, credit the copyright holder in the book, and provide a free copy of the book to each copyright holder whose work is included.

“I’ve loved Taylor Swift’s work from the first song she released in 2006,” says Jofie Ferrari-Adler, the Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster who is overseeing the project. “Like many of my favorite artists, she is first and foremost an extraordinary writer, and I can’t wait until she decides to publish her own books. But until that day arrives, I hope that other Swifties around the country will want to get involved and help us make this book a worthy celebration of her first ten years. Think of this project as a very elaborate mash note.”

The book will be published on October 24, 2016, the ten-year anniversary of the release of Swift’s first record, Taylor Swift. The book is available for preorder at www.SwiftFanBook.com. More details and contest rules are available at www.SwiftFanBook.com.

Long live.

*This book is a tribute to Taylor Swift, but she is not involved in its creation, nor has she authorized, sponsored, or endorsed it.*

 

Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.
Contact: Cary Goldstein, Simon & Schuster, 212-698-1122
Cary.Goldstein@simonandschuster.com