Quote:
Originally Posted by crossi
There are other options than only relying on BPHs pick books or just expecting readers to sort through thousands of books themselves. What about magazines that provide a brief synopsis and rating of books being published that month? Like Romantic Times, or Locus Magazine? They usually focus on particular genres and in those magazines there are particular reviewer whose tastes usually match mine. In each edition there are usually enough recommended books to fill my needs. Genre specific magazines and websites for books could easily fill that role of the publisher and since there could be a lot more of them than publishers readers could have more choice in finding ones whose tastes match their own.
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Contrary to popular myth, BPHs don't select manuscripts for quality. (Just ask Snooki or a zillion politicians) They select them for sales potential, preferably "proven" sales potential.
And, as you point out, readers know exactly how to find the books they like.
The only people who worry about how others will find the "right" books is the people concerned with telling people what they are supposed to like.
Like these folks:
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cul...ackson-problem
And a counter:
http://www.theatlantic.com/education...assics/381959/
Whether it be YA or Indies being badmouthed, the underlying argument is the same:
People should not be allowed to choose their own reading. They should only read what the establishment decides is "good".