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Originally Posted by bill_mchale
While I agree that an all ebook world (if it ever exists) will greatly limit the role of the publisher, I think it is unfair to suggest that marketing is all they would have left to do. Personally I think that the most valuable role that publishers traditionally do is the editing of the book; i.e., and we are not talking about just correcting spelling and grammar errors either. Ideally we are talking about helping the author trim and tighten their manuscript (And in some places adding to it). A couple authors have published "uncut" versions of some of their books... often I think to the detriment of the original published version.
Now that being said, there is no particular reason why editors need to be tied to publishers. I can imagine a world where editors are free lancers who are hired by authors before they they finally self publish their books. But even then I am sure publishers might have other valuable roles.
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Bill
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That's exactly what I am saying. For the amount of money that authors give to publishers over the life of a book, an author could hire proof readers, editors and illustrators on their own for much less in the end. It's like paying an HOA fees, or hiring your own landscaper, and other contractors, as needed, for your own SF house. Which is cheaper?
Also, I don't think an all digital world will happen anytime soon, but as the digital world gets bigger, as a publisher, I would resist the very slow demise of my, once, omnipotent publishing power.