Years ago, I had a neighbor who paid hundreds of dollars to get one book made with her poetry in it. She literally spent hundreds of dollars to get a single copy of her writing to put on her shelf and be able to say, “I’m published.”
Today, you could do that using Amazon’s publish on demand service “Createspace.” This story stays with me as an example of how things are not right with the publishing industry.
Another example is that people rejected books that went on to sell millions in their franchise – and those people are STILL being shown books to render verdict on! You were unable to recognize several best sellers – isn’t that the very requirement of your job?
I’m not trying to offend, but once it’s clear this is a job you’re not suited for they need to move you to a different position in the publishing industry. Editor, perhaps.
Recommendations
Here are some ideas that I think would most definitely help force a much-needed change.
- Set up talent scout positions. Start with two per publishing company. Prowl social media and blogs, searching for writers. Read their excerpts. If you like what they’re writing, contact them and ask for more! The music industry used to do this until the 1990’s, when they got fat and happy – and now what’s being produced is garbage today. There’s no incentive to write good music – because you probably won’t get signed. The same remains true for writing. Keep in mind the artist you pass on makes money for your competitor.
- Make it easier for new writers.. The Publishing industry claims, like the movie industry, to be “Eagerly searching for the next diamond in the rough”, the new writer with good ideas. Then they put up barriers to make it near impossible to look at new submissions. With that in place, they then complain they’re not getting any new ideas! The problem is, you let a few people in and locked the doors! Of course you’re not getting new ideas when the only people you publish are the ones you’ve already published!
- Adopt a different attitude for new writers. Forsythe commented in an interview that publisher’s eyes glaze over when they get a manuscript from an unpublished author. Instead, they should be eager… “this could be the next great idea!” I understand a lot of what you run into is bad! But many people still buy lottery tickets who’ve never won a million dollars!
- Vanity Press companies should re-brand their businesses to be a publishing house or be outlawed. Seriously. Most of them often fail, while taking your money with them – and “Rights” to a novel they have no rights to. A book company does not charge you money, it gives you money. If they claim to be “Publishers” and not Publish on demand, the answer should always be a firm “No.” Not even, “no thank you.” Vanity Presses are a scam. Get legit, or get shut down. It should be the law.
- Publish On Demand as a tool. Now, publish on demand is what it is, and those should be allowed to remain. Indeed, I’d make a case it might be the RIGHT way for publishers to start asking for manuscripts. “Can you send me a self publish of your work?” Why is this good? Because if they’re serious about their writing, they’ll do a publish on demand, READ IT and add notes in the margins, highlight and cross things out, re-write, then redo. By the time the Publisher gets a copy, it’s good to go!
Conclusion
It’s been said Publish on Demand signals the death knell of traditional publishers. And many are spiraling down the drain already, but not because of publish on demand! Instead, it’s the way publishers have done business for years. It’s a new day, and publishers may well find that implementing these suggestions may see a turnaround, and a golden age of fiction begin!
