An unmailed Letter to publishers..

Dear Publishing Giant who has not yet outsourced off shore...or have you?

I am avid reader and author and the time has come to speak up.
As the largest publishing house in the country I would have thought that someone out of the fifteen hundred staffers you employ, someone would have thought about the new trends the public is leaning toward.

First let me say, I totally understand the AGENT ONLY concept. Of course that doesn’t take into account that even AGENTS only want to work with big names and tried and true. Everything is a money making business and publishing is in the business of making money, everyone knows that. But has ANYONE taken the time to find out what the public really wants? I think not.
It’s the same old thing with the same authors and the plot lines.

And what’s this about ALL editors using the same tired LINES, “we want something new” or “We want a new voice and/or concept.” And when they get it, they won’t even consider taking a chance on it because you are either not (currently) published, or
E-PUBLISHED, (which by the way is the wave of the future if the forests keep burning down the way they are and if IPODS have anything to do with it).

I read somewhere that you said: Best Ways to Make Money: Underpay writers. “The most-profitable books are highly successful authors early in their career with a contract that doesn’t reflect their success,” says Olson. Some writers sign multi-book contracts, which pay off big if the first book’s a blockbuster.

Okay, well even new writers would take that low pay hit for a chance.

You also said: Out of every eight books, one is very profitable, one is very unprofitable, and six either break even or lose money.
True, I can see why, can you?

You are based in New York City, the fastest, and one of the wealthiest cities in the country. People work fast, walk fast, and talk fast. Trust me on this one, THEY WANT A FAST READ!
Ever think about short stories?

This country is in misery, they need some laughter. Relax your
high brow standards just a little and allow people to tell human every day stories. Not necessarily the horrid, the abuse, the schizophrenic. Why not think about smaller books, faster interesting reads.

If you want to know what people want, query book clubs and writing organizations and writers who are not NORA ROBERTS and JAMES PATTERSON affiliated. (Although, I really do like these authors.)

You need to trust me on this one. People are sick of the same old stuff. If R&D Department of J&J (and other pharmaceutical companies) HAVE to come up with a new concept (gimmick) on their all ready established products, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to do the same.

You are held to a higher standard, and we readers and writers have always respected you, but you have to see the light. Shorter is going to be better. Short stories (intertwined) are a good thing.

At your next meeting, ask your editors about their new ideas and see what they come up with that will keep the reading public reading YOUR BOOKS.


Respectfully