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Originally Posted by DiapDealer
The whole problem with this trad versus indie publishing "war" is that traditional publishers always want to paint themselves as the gatekeepers of quality--of art.
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I've heard the gatekeeps of quality part before, but never the gatekeepers of art. Well, maybe some snooty publishing house will make such claims.
The thing is, major publishing houses are in the business to make money. You make money by creating a product that meets consumer expectations, which includes expectations for quality. If they fail at that responsibility long enough they will lose the interest of consumers and the business will fail. In other words, they must be gatekeepers or cultivators.
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They have zero concern with what might "enhance the world." Their gatekeeping role is predicated around what they think they can sell. There's nothing wrong with that -- as long as you don't pretend it's about anything else.
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If it sells, it is because it enhances the world in a way. It may enhance the world by making its reader happy, even though the story is shallow. It may enhance the world by making its buyer feel smart, even though the book sits unopened on the coffee table. Sure there are better ways to enhance the world, but books are limited to touching the lives of people. A book doesn't need to be art to do that, but it does have to reach the reader.