Wednesday, 2 July 2025 Books+Publishing @booksandpublishing
Wiley Australia has acquired world rights to Clear In Tension, a nonfiction title by Tim Duggan, in a deal between Wiley publisher Lucy Raymond and Lou Johnson at Key People Literary Management.
According to the publisher, Clear In Tension outlines pathways to grow individually, in family settings and within professional workplaces. Duggan platforms interviews with experts and suggests frameworks for readers to implement when up against conflict.
‘It introduces 10 fresh ways to rethink our traditional approach to resolving and managing conflict, and targets professionals (30s – 40s) dealing with workplace tensions, internal conflicts and constantly shifting relationships,’ said the publisher.
Based in Mallorca with his husband, Duggan is author of Cult Status, Killer Thinking and Work Backwards (all Pantera), cofounder of media venture Junkee Media, and chair of the Digital Publishers Alliance. Cult Status was awarded the Best Entrepreneurship and Small Business Book at the 2021 Australian Business Book Awards.
Discussing Clear In Tension, Duggan said: ‘We live in an increasingly conflicted world, and every week I write about different types of tension in the workplace for my weekly column in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age. But the deeper I’ve gone into this topic, the more I’ve realised how bad we are with it and how transformative it is when we improve our relationship with tension.
‘This book starts with a confession: Like many people, I usually avoid conflict. Most of us run away from difficult conversations and messy outcomes. But I am a curious journalist at heart, and I adore getting to the heart of big, important topics to help others understand them. What I now know, after years of hard-earned experience and research, is that instead of running away from the blunt edges of friction, we need to welcome its uncomfortable truths into our lives to learn how to remain clear during moments of tension.’
The publisher said, ‘Conflict is everywhere: at work, in relationships and within ourselves. Yet most people avoid it, misunderstand it, or feel unequipped to handle it. Clear In Tension meets this moment by reframing conflict as a source of growth, creativity, and connection. It offers a timely, transformative shift in how we navigate the tension and polarisation that defines modern life. Tim possesses the key qualities that define breakthrough books like Atomic Habits [James Clear, Penguin]: brilliant clarity in tackling complex subjects. This book builds on his proven strengths of insight, optimism and actionable wisdom while tackling one of the most essential yet overlooked skills of our time.’
Wiley plans to release Clear in Tension in September 2026.
Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions