Posted by Robert Hill on July 10, 2002 at 18:15:53 from 195.92.194.15 user eclrh.
In Reply to: Re: Books - publishers posted by Peter H on July 10, 2002 at 15:49:00:
Peter H writes:
> With respect to Prue Eckett, there is no such thing as 'publishing
> genius' - it is a matter of backing hunches. There is no quick-fix
> formula. It's very easy to lose money.
Surely the definition of 'publishing genius' is having better hunches
than other publishers!
There are so many stories of now-famous authors who were only accepted
by the 93rd publisher they tried that I don't know what to think about
this. Maybe there's a lot of chance in who becomes regarded as a good
writer, or who becomes a successful one. Certainly I don't have time
to read more than a fraction of even the books of which I've seen
strongly favourable reviews.
Perhaps it's unwise to admit this in a forum which contains
writers looking for a publisher, but I, and other people I know, have
a policy of not normally reading fiction by new authors, but rather
waiting a few years to let it either become well known or fade into
obscurity. Life is, alas, too short.