First Editorial Question: Taking a Different Path to the Dream

On my Facebook page, I asked if anyone had a question they wanted to ask an editor. I’ll answer such questions on Mondays, so feel free to ask more. You can leave them here on the blog or on my Facebook page.

The first question comes from Peter Leverall: Why are so many agents creating ebook publishing companies? Are you afraid that you'll miss a magical manuscript that way?

Let me answer these in reverse order.

2) Do I worry about missing a special book? No.

The main reason is a least partially what may be behind agents starting their own publishing lines: As an editor, I know a lot of good books will never find a home with a traditional publisher. There are simply more well-written, deserving books out there than all publishers put together can possibly publish.

But there’s a flip side of my answer to that question as well. Years ago, long before anyone dreamed of digital publishing, I asked my boss a variation of that question: “Do you worry about turning down a best seller?”

She shook her head. “If you work in this business long enough, you will. I once turned down the picture book version of Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer. But you can’t worry about it, or it’ll drive you crazy. Focus on publishing the best books you can with the goals of your publisher in mind. God will take care of the rest.”

It’s the nature of the beast: Sooner or later, every editor, every publisher, turns down a book that goes on to be the next The Shack. Self-publishing opportunities do not make this any more or less true.

So…is this why so many agencies are starting their own lines?

1) Now…a caveat. To truly know why any one agency is starting to publish a line of books, you’d have to ask them. I’m speculating, based on conversations I’ve had with several.

They, even more than publishers, are on the front line. Agents, as liaisons between authors and publishers, know both sides of the story. They know the limits of our lists and budgets. They understand the market and see well what’s selling where.  And they are, for the most part, sitting on dozens of excellent books that just can’t find a home with a traditional publisher.

They may be part of a genre that doesn’t move well in the stores, such as speculative or cozy mysteries. They may be “off-brand” novels of well-known authors. They may be literary works of art from someone who’s better known as a speaker or non-fiction author. Whatever the reason, they are homeless.

The agencies are uniquely positioned to see if there is a chance for such books to do well in a self-publishing environment. They also know what a struggle that means, and how hard an author will need to work to get the word out. But self-publishing is more of a "long tail" economic environment, much more than traditional publishing is at the moment. That means self-publishing gives some books at least a chance of finding a small market, when they would have had none before.

But it's not easy an "easy way out." According to an October 2012 Bowker report, there were more than 211,000 self-published books released in 2011. Even more in 2012. A few succeeded. A lot more…didn’t.

Being a writer is risky. So is being a publisher. It’s always been that way; the growth of self-publishing has increased those risks for both sides, but there will NEVER be a sure-fire way to succeed in this business. Some folks succeed with a special project; others through sheer determination and perseverance.

I’m biased. I prefer that latter path.