Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Dear K,

We keep talking about the publishing industry and then get depressed and have to change the subject to happier things. There are, thankfully, happier things in both our lives. But shit... I'm afraid I'm going to depress you again. I found this story while searching for news about the publishing house where my novel is supposedly being read. Go take a look at this. http://www.wowowow.com/books/sara-nelson-houghton-mifflin-harcourt-stop-presses-148411

What do you think about them apples?

Peace,
Sarah

4 comments:

michael salinger said...

Y'know - Sara and I were talking about this yesterday - Just maybe this could be a good thing. Maybe some smaller literary minded publishers will step in to fill the void. We've had a decade of consolidation - perhaps the beast's density has reached saturation and it'll bust up again.

How's that for a hopeful spin?

sarah willis said...

Hi Michael,

I like your positive spin. I'm all for the smaller presses. I shop at independent stores when I can, go only to independent restaurants. The consolation of publishing houses into just a few big corporations is certainly scary. But I wonder how the small publishers are doing these days. They've got to be hurting, too. But maybe when the big guys fall, there will be more light for the smaller guys--like in a forest. I just worry about the big trees falling down and the whole forest being knocked down right with them.

Peace,
Sarah

sarah willis said...

oops, I meant consolidation. Can't figure out how to go back and change it. My bad.

Karen Sandstrom said...

Sarah - I'm with Michael on this. I actually think it could be a good thing, especially if it weeds out the acquisition of crap books that ought never be published in the first place. But also, this IS a recession. Things recede. All my financial-expert friends say they sure again, eventually. Take heart.