#the publishing industry

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

A metaphor cannot be paraphrased.

-- Percival Everett, Erasure (copyright 2001) [2011 paperback edition, published by Greywolf Press]

Speaking of Irony and black comedy, one of the inciting incidents in this novel is the protagonist (a novelist) looking for his latest work (a satiric retelling of ancient Greek myth) on the shelves of a Borders bookstore, and finding it in the "African American Studies" section, when the only thing "African American" about the book is his photo on the back cover.

And here are the book's rankings on Amazon:

#1 in Self-Help & Psychology Humor #16 in Fiction Satire #147 in Literary Fiction (Books)

... Those last two rankings are at least accurate categories. But that first one... Is it somehow getting into the "Self-Help" section based on the title alone?

I mean, reading good fiction, and momentarily imagining the world through another person's experience, can be good for your mental health. But there is no way that this is a "Self-Help" book.

smh.

[malcolmschmitz]

So, there's a dirty little secret in indie publishing a lot of people won't tell you, and if you aren't aware of it, self-publishing feels even scarier than it actually is.

There's a subset of self-published indie authors who write a ludicrous number of books a year, we're talking double digit releases of full novels, and these folks make a lot of money telling you how you can do the same thing. A lot of them feature in breathless puff pieces about how "competitive" self-publishing is as an industry now.

A lot of these authors aren't being completely honest with you, though. They'll give you secrets for time management and plotting and outlining and marketing and what have you. But the way they're able to write, edit, and publish 10+ books a year, by and large, is that they're hiring ghostwriters.

They're using upwork or fiverr to find people to outline, draft, edit, and market their books. Most of them, presumably, do write some of their own stuff! But many "prolific" indie writers are absolutely using ghostwriters to speed up their process, get higher Amazon best-seller ratings, and, bluntly, make more money faster.

When you see some godawful puff piece floating around about how some indie writer is thinking about having to start using AI to "stay competitive in self-publishing", the part the journalist isn't telling you is that the 'indie writer' in question is planning to use AI instead of paying some guy on Upwork to do the drafting.

If you are writing your books the old fashioned way and are trying to build a readerbase who cares about your work, you don't need to use AI to 'stay competitive', because you're not competing with these people. You're playing an entirely different game.

[hustlemeanokay]

So. Had a kid come into work today to try and return a textbook that they had bought a little over a month ago upon the advice of their advisor. And yeah. That'd be a hard no. For a few reasons. The main one being that our company's policy has no refunds after Oct. 4th for fall quarter textbooks or 48 hours after purchase. I have no idea why it's that way, it just is. I don't make the rule. I just have to enforce it. It sucks. BUT- I did give them the CS# for the company and told them to call them. They could have the power to refund them for the book or give us the authorization to do so. They also did not have a receipt. They went on to explain that it wasn't their fault that they purchased this $200+ textbook that they ultimately didn't end up needing because their advisor told them they'd need it but then later their Professor told them they wouldn't.

Let's recap.

Wants to return a loose leaf textbook that is now unwrapped, thus making it "used" well after the return date.

Doesn't have a receipt.

Claims that because it is not their fault and that the textbook was so expensive, that this should somehow excuse the previous two things.

Okay, so- I get it. It sucks. But... that's just it. It just sucks. There's nothing beyond that. It's an all stop situation. They purchased a book they didn't need. They were told at the time of purchase (because this is what we were telling people at the time before the new policy was released) that they actually only had 48 hours period to return for a refund. And to even do that, the book would have to remain wrapped and they'd have to have their receipt. Yes, the book is expensive. Yes, it sucks they don't need it. But - they kind of shouldn't have listened to their advisor concerning a class that the advisor isn't teaching? Maybe?

--- And this turned into an essay, so I put the rest below the cut.

I mean - I know people mature at different rates and all that but come on. That's like buying a $200 piece of electronics because the pharmacist told you it'd be a good idea. Why would you do that? What would make you think that they'd know what they're talking about? Just because they are physically in the same store?

I know it's cliche and such an "old person thing to say" but seriously - where is the common sense? Does it just not exist anymore? I could write a book on the shit we've seen and had to deal with as I'm sure everyone could who works in customer service. But like... stuff that would just blow your mind. Things like this but way worse. Because we're also dealing with literal children. Children who are acting like adults and want to be treated like adults and get really pissy if you treat them like they are the least bit NOT an adult but then turn around and make inexperienced decisions and expect their excuses to somehow make a difference to the consequences of their actions. They literally act like they know more than you about everything and yet stare at you like you have a third arm growing out of your head when you just tell them that books are arranged by author's last name. Like you just spoke fucking latin to them. Or, and I see this every single day, they scoff or just look so thrown when you indicate that they have to go and get their own book off the shelf. That you aren't going to do it for them. Whether there's no line behind them or a line out the door, they act the same. Or! They come in and ask a question, you give an answer... and then they have the fucking balls to try and argue with you. Like... who works here? You... or me? Because I could have sworn I was the one who works here. That's not a kid thing, either - that's a know-it-all thing. That's an air of entitlement, I'm always right, you're always wrong, I know more, I'm better thing. Or better yet - they ask you a question and you answer and then it's extremely and painfully clear that they didn't hear anything you said. They weren't listening. At all. And what should have only taken one minute tops, turns into fifteen fucking minutes because you're having to repeat yourself over and over and they keep pushing like the answer is going to magically change.

Like this poor kid today - I really did feel for them. It sucks. It's a hard fucking lesson to learn. But nevertheless, a lesson. Take it and learn from it. Money doesn't fucking grow on trees, once it's spent- it's spent so be careful with it. If we could set the prices of textbooks, we would. But we can't. The publishers set the price. We can't. It sucks. But that's reality. The system is fucked. You have to learn how to navigate that system and who knows, maybe you'll be the one who changes it. Maybe this is the catalyst that ignites that change? Doubtful - but maybe.

But then again, they also asked what would happen if we did refund them anyway, going against company policy. And it's like "uh... well, we could get fired for starters" and nothing - nothing on their face at all to indicate that they felt this was something not to be fucked with. To which I straight up said, no offence but they weren't worth my job. And they had the ghaul to look offended by that. Excuse me? You want me to risk my job for you? Like also, I wanted to tell them that they should be acting a little more grateful. I know that seems strange but seriously - we didn't have to be helpful. We could have just been like "no receipt? a month out? HA no." and left it at that. We didn't have to offer a possible solution. We didn't have to basically tell them step by step what to do. We didn't have to try and help them understand that they shouldn't listen to advice like that from an advisor, to only go off of their professor's syllabus. We didn't have to be understanding or compassionate at all. Those were conscious choices. My job would not have been at risk at all if I had just straight up been like "Nope, sorry. Kthnxbaiiiii."

People need to start grasping that concept. The person who's being actually helpful to you? They don't have to be. They can still do their job effectively without being actually helpful. They can just follow company policies and procedures to the letter and call it a day. So, if someone's actually explaining something to you, taking the time to do so - be grateful for it. Be appreciative. You don't have to actually say you are (though that's nice to hear) but damn sure don't act like it's just fucking expected. The phrase "Good Customer Service" isn't required. It's not mandatory. It's not something you're entitled to. That's a conscious choice made by the person you're dealing with. They're choosing to be kind and nice. Not just meh. They're choosing to invest their time into your situation.

Okay - I think I've ranted enough. But man, whew. Seeing what I see, experiencing what I experience, it's just mind blowing.

[lostlegendaerie]

there's something deeply gutting about being a writer right now. watching studio execs brag about starving people like you out of your very house just to not pay you anything above the pennies you currently make. watching some people cheer over AO3 being targeted for a DDOS attack. the complete lack of profitability of writing commissions or writing in general in transformative spaces, especially in contrast to fanart. the pivot of so many social media platforms to be video and image based near-exclusively.

I don't know. it just makes me sad to know that the hobby that kept me alive while growing up homeschooled with dial-up internet and local antenna TV... is only ever gonna be a side job with minimal engagement. I know this site is good about supporting libraries and the concept of books but, do me a favor? Reach out to a writer friend you know. Leave a comment on your last five read stories on your favorite website.

Tell us you care.

[roseworth]

comics are such a good storytelling medium i wish they were good

[maplestreetunofficial]

It might just be down to my aging out of the demographic, it might reflect actual change in the Teens' reading habits, I'm not sure, but it's interesting to me how YA has...receded? fallen? from public consciousness over the past few years

Like in the late 00s to middle teens, you couldn't blink but a trilogy called like The Inheritor Saga would get published and shoot to the top of the NYT bestseller list and get made into a movie starring the most generic white twentysomethings imaginable and that would be the second biggest blockbuster of the summer and then around 2016 or so the trend just ... stopped?

It’s possible that there’s this mass of dystopian YA that came out after 2016/17 that I’m just not aware of because I don’t keep up with what the Teens are reading, but if not it’s ... odd to think an entire genre can spring up and then vanish, basically overnight.

[fantastic-nonsense]

comic sales are down because the industry is inaccessible and expensive, not because piracy exists

Higher piracy rates are what happens when you make buying comics expensive, difficult, platform-dependent, and inherently exclusionary while pretending trades and digital don't count as sales.

if any single comic book company decided to be a competent publishing company for even a year comic piracy rates would plummet

[violent138]

I think Alfred and Bruce greatly enjoy the many offers they get for the life rights to Bruce's story. They brainstorm what a day in the life of Bruce Wayne without any mention of Batman looks like:

Alfred: "Bruce Wayne is religious about getting sixteen hours of sleep."

Bruce: "Bruce Wayne's secret to success number eighty-seven: revolutionize my workers' productivity, by never showing up to the office and sailing the company yacht."

Alfred: "Bruce Wayne insists on eating healthy meals, with models, every lunch. He spends his time bonding with the children over a shared love of--"

Bruce, straight-faced: "Inspiring people to visit dentists."

[vanhelsingapologist]

Publishing has always been a fucking nightmare, but now it’s a layer of hell. It’s not enough that writers be good at what they do. Writers have to maintain an active social media presence and cultivate a following. Be available.

They have to be conventionally attractive enough to look good enough to see on a screen, aesthetically pleasing, kind, funny, up-to-date on trends, socially aware but not so controversial that they turn off a brand from California from slapping their discount code on a video promoting a book.

They have to do all of this with no media training, with little help from the companies that are supposed to be doing this for them.

Of course, a lot of this isn't possible for say, the 40-something mother of two who teaches English at a school and writes on the side. She’s boxed out of an already complex industry that already has enough walls.

On some level, I think authors have always marketed themselves a little, but we’ve reached such a crazy point where we’re demanding the author become the influencer. Accessibility in publishing has narrowed from an inch to a sliver. And that inch was hard enough to get in as is.

[certifiedlibraryposts]

Why do librarians hate James Patterson?

OH I ACTUALLY KNOW THIS or at least I know from what my friends with library/bookselling experience have said, what I've heard is that it's because he writes (or has his name slapped on books written by ghost writers whatever the case may be) So Many God Damn Books that shelving them all is a nightmare

I personally hate him because I read 80% of the Maximum Ride series as a preteen and boy do those books go down the toilet-

[writingwithfolklore]

5 Things about working in a (small) publishing house that surprised me

My experiences definitely aren’t true of the entire industry. I work in a very small, very local publishing house as a marketing assistant, and I’m certain that you’d have a much different experience at Penguin Random House, or even another small house on the other side of the country. That being said, here’s five things that really surprised me about what I’ve seen from the industry so far…

1. Very few of the people who work in publishing are writers

Okay this was one of the biggest surprises but also kind of makes sense? Publishing is a lot about the business side of things—numbers and marketing strategies and event planning, etc. People who are talented in design and accounting and other essential pieces to book publishing aren’t necessarily good at or practiced writers, and not all people who love reading also love writing!

I guess this surprised me so much because I’ve never been a reader without being a writer, but we often actually rely on the author’s writing on their own works (summaries, bios, etc.) to populate the backs of books and other marketing. Including me, there are three writers in my entire office.

2. Big booksellers (think Indigo) release yearly cover palettes for book covers

When we’re deciding the colours for a book cover, one thing that goes into that consideration is actually the different palettes Indigo releases! They have different palettes for different sections they update every year. I imagine it’s to fit a certain look for their shelves for new releases, but it’s not something I had ever really thought about, or thought that they would care about!

3. On that topic—publishing houses don’t sell to readers

My first day in marketing, my manager told me, “you’d think we’re selling to readers” I did think that. She said, “we’re actually selling to bookstores and libraries, they sell to readers.” How the money works is booksellers buy our books to put on their shelf. Everything they don’t sell, they’re allowed to trade back for credit, so we want them to buy big upfront, and then sell big to readers. Every book they send back is inventory we can’t get rid of and a “free” book for them down the line, so we don’t want books to come back!

If you want to support authors and your favourite publishing houses, buy from local bookstores who can’t afford to keep underselling books on their shelves for as long as say Indigo. If you really want to support authors, check out their books from libraries (yes really). Libraries are great because they buy books from publishing houses and can use the same one book to get into the hands of several readers, (in Canada) authors get a small amount every time a book is checked out (up to a certain amount so that the library’s entire budget doesn’t go to one book/author). Often, an author’s largest cheque is from libraries.

Unfortunately in the States authors don’t get the same boon, but still supporting your local libraries is just as good as supporting your local indie bookstores!

4. Soo many people look at covers, and soo much goes into creating them

I’m not really a designer, so I’m certain this wouldn’t surprise those of you who actually do graphic design, but they seriously look at every single detail and how it will benefit or hurt the sales. The placement of blurbs, choice of fonts, colours, subtitles, even the placement of raindrops for a rainy background, everything is discussed and tested and tried several different ways. So yes, DO judge a book by its cover, we work so hard on making covers perfect for the audience we’re trying to reach.

5. Publishing houses don’t necessarily have in-house editors, publicity, or other roles

I had always assumed that every publishing house had its own editors and publicists and what not. That’s probably true for the bigger ones, but if you’re being published by a smaller one (which you may be for your debut) you may be working with freelance editors and publicists who work somewhat with your publishing house and also with others as well. We have one in-house publicist, and no editors!

I wouldn’t turn down a publishing house just because they use freelancers (our freelancers are amazing!) but it’s important that they’re upfront about it. Huge red flag if they say they have in-house editors and they don’t actually—I would pass on a publishing house that lies to you.

Any other questions you have about the industry I’ll try to answer!

[drchucktingle]

doctor chuck! i'm pretty sure this question was asked before but i don't remember the answer - in terms of pre-ordering bury your gays, what venue (amazon, b&n, etc) would provide the most benefit to you to order through?

this HAS been asked but i never hesitate to answer. you can enjoy however you would like on ebook or other way (chuck likes audiobooks) however THE BEST WAY TO BUY A BOOK TO SUPPORT AND AUTHOR FROM A TECHNICAL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE IS THIS:

a hardcover preorder from an indie bookstore

thank you for supporting autistic bi non-dysphoric trans buckaroo art and making that order count. if you have another preferred way of enjoying books THAT IS OKAY TOO but to answer your question and give a little inside publishing industry baseball this is the top way

[skyfallscotland]

Look not to be that person (lol who am I kidding, I'm always that person) but I find it vastly unfair that there are Americans reading chapter twenty-seven of Fourth Wing from Xaden's POV right now.

It's not my fault I was born on another continent (happy about it tho, very nice here) and the fact that some people think it's morally right for everyone else to wait four months to see it makes me very annoyed. You can bet your ass as soon as I see it somewhere I'm plastering that shit all over the internet. Regionalised bonuses are 💩

[andypantsx3]

urgh i was listening to a podcast where they alluded to some published romance authors dunking on other authors for writing "gratuitous" and "less tasteful" smut and it reminded me of the time i also accidentally implied something like that on here while i was talking about the less descriptive vanilla shit i write and i want to build a time machine and go back and break my own fingers before i could type that reeee

[sarafangirlart]

I’m watching Reads with Rachel’s review of “Quicksilver”, booktok’s newest craze, the poor woman is tired lmao, not only is she reading what she knew was a terrible book but she guessed nearly every “plot twist”, backstory and character trait. Every single one of these booktok books are the exact same, the same brooding bad boy, the same chosen one special girl who is super petite, the same half assed world building, all of it.

This is why I hate when ppl are dismissed for criticizing booktok, bc no “at least they’re reading” is not a good defense, these tiktokers read the same trash over and over again and it’s giving them worst and worst taste, it’s making them have less and less media literacy (which reading shouldn’t even do yet here we are) which then makes the whole publishing industry worse bc they will pump out the same trash over and over rather than give unique stories a chance.

[nateconnolly]

A while ago, I made a post about how the "literary" world* will rapidly begin to respect the detective genre just because that kind of story is more difficult to produce with AI.** Detective stories need plot twists, hidden clues, and clear-but-unspoken subtext, all of which seem extra hard to get out of an AI. So to differentiate themselves from the new technology, and show off things that (at least for now) only humans can do well from scratch, literary publishing would suddenly view detective fiction as high art.

I'm gonna add Choose Your Own Adventure stories to that prediction. It seems even harder to get an AI to do anything that relies on such consistency, right?

There are already some literary versions of CYOAs, but for right now, that world mostly views them as lowbrow entertainment, not art. I bet that's going to change purely as a reaction to the new science.

*by which I basically mean MFA-having writers who turn their nose up at Terry Pratchett, and the agents / publishers / editors / critics who exclusively work with that sort of writing.

**I'd contend it's impossible to consistently get anything good out of AI when you're aiming for a book-length story, not without an editing process that takes at least as long as writing the book from scratch.