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Originally Posted by garygibsonsf
Traditional publishing houses aren't going anywhere because they're absolutely and fundamentally necessary to the quality of the books you read, regardless of the means of delivery.
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Exactly. Traditional publishing houses improve the quality of the books that are being published not only by deciding which books they're going to buy, but also by editing these books. Editors are the guys who help authors to make the best of their books by providing valuable feedback. And they're not just anybody, they're professionals who know the market and who know what sells. And they understand stories. You might sigh and groan when you get an eight-page revision letter from your editor, but you know that his suggestions are going to improve the novel. I wouldn't want to a novel published that hasn't gone through the editorial process before.
Yes, an author might have beta readers, an author might have a crit group, but still, ideally your most valuable ally is your editor.
nekokami wrote:
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I have a hard time imagining anyone with decent taste in books being willing to spend hours each week voluntarily sifting through the slush pile without compensation.
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Editors do. They usually go through the slush pile in their free time.
Steve Jordan wrote:
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Publishers do make decisions as to who would and would not get published... but those decisions weren't based simply on quality, they were really based on sale-ability and publisher profitability... which we all know aren't necessarily the same thing.
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Of course, sale-ability plays a role for traditional publishing houses. Still, I dare say many if not most of the manuscripts that are sent to publishers are of poor quality. And given the horror stories that you hear from editors, quite a number also reflect a distinct lack of professionalism (no, you don't send in a handwritten ms; no, you don't send in a ms sprinkled with perfume; and -- gosh -- pink paper is also a Very Bad Idea)