There’s a lot of hate toward traditional publishers on the internet. The latest one is here, from seeming chief hater JA Konrath.
I don’t get the hate. Sure, the whole thing about publishing can be frustrating. There’s no guarantee you’ll ever sell a book to a publisher and when you do, there’s no guarantee it will be successful. I remember what it is like to have a rejection from a publisher. Had one just last year, AFTER I’d had three books published. And don’t get me started on rejections from agents…
Yep, it sucks. It surely, surely does. And self-publishing is a very viable option for a lot of people (I’ve self-published some short stories and I am sure will do more). There’s also lots of other alternatives – you don’t have to go with the big six, for example. Particularly in America, where a small press publisher probably has a bigger print run than a big publisher here in Australia. And there’s folks like Amazon who are becoming publishers as well as booksellers.
All of which makes for a really interesting time at the moment. And it also makes for a lot of uncertainty. People are still trying to find the pattern in all this. The old ways aren’t working the same any more, but they’re not so rotten they should be tossed away either. And like all great changes, the larger the corporation the harder it is to adjust.
But the vitriol that has arisen countless times against ‘traditional publishers’ astounds me. Apart from the fact that being that filled with hate can’t feel good, it’s a pointless exercise.
Traditional publishing will not die. There are still plenty of folks – both authors and readers – who are very happy with the model and while everyone (including the publishers themselves) would like a few tweaks, it’s a system that works.
This isn’t either/or. It’s gonna be both.
Here’s what I love about traditional publishing:
a) Being part of the history of it all. For example, here in Australia I’m published with HarperVoyager. That puts me squarely within the history of the development of the genre in this country. The establishment of HarperVoyager in Australia more than 16 years ago played a huge part in the growth of Australian authors and Australian stories. Voyager is responsible for seeing into print authors such as Sara Douglass, Jennifer Fallon, Sean Williams, Trudi Canavan, Kylie Chan, Karen Miller, Traci Harding, Fiona McIntosh, Garth Nix, Duncan Lay, Louise Cusack, Glenda Larke, Ian Irvine, Joel Shepherd, Tony Shillitoe, KJ Taylor… And the list goes on and on. I wouldn’t have those links, that sense of community, if I wasn’t a Voyager author
b) Having experience at my back. No less than two different editors look over my books, and it gets proofed by several more. There’s a lot of eyes looking over my work, ensuring it is at its best. Then there’s the graphic designers, the typesetters, the publicity and sales force, all working to get the best book possible out there. And all at no cost TO ME!
c) Distribution. The majority of book sales are STILL paper and even when the pendulum swings, the paperback won’t die. Bookstores need to make choices about the books they carry and the name of a traditional publisher is one they can trust. Walk into any major bookstore in Australia and if they don’t have my books on the shelf, they can order them in for you.
d) Vindication. Yep, it’s a great feeling to have someone with years of experience and a reputation for finding great authors and great books to say to you ‘yes, you’re good enough’. Really, a GREAT feeling.
I love that I am a traditionally published author. I get a great deal of satisfaction from it. I’m immensely proud to be a part of the juggernaut that is Voyager here in Australia. Some of the folks at HarperCollins Australia are amongst my greatest allies and cheerleaders and I will be forever in debt to them.
Do I think traditional publishing is perfect? No, but neither is self-publishing or even small press publishing. Do I wish everything would just fall into my lap, easy as pie? Of course. I AM human.
Maybe one day, I will make the decision to turn my back on traditional publishing but I am sure that when I do, I won’t be wasting time and energy hating on it.
That’s going to damage no one but me.
Until then – I am happy to be published by one of the ‘big six’. They are still my first choice for current and future publishing. And I hope that we’ll be working together for many years to come.
