Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
When I say the authors should be paying the publishers, I am not assuming the cost will be the same as what publishers pay to produce a book, including the entire print-based process, support of transportation, warehousing, etc, etc. The publishers basically would charge for editing and packaging services, period. We're talking about a few hundred dollars to a thousand, not much more. And it would be completely optional... if you don't think your work needs their services, don't use 'em. Or maybe just pay for proofing services, or just packaging. It's the author's choice, and it won't impact their ability to release their books... it will just make them better books. The idea would be for the author to make enough in sales to pay for the editing costs, or to accept them as operating losses.
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The problem is that the publishers will be unable to compete price-wise with freelancers who currently provide the services to the publishers. Consequently, publishers will disappear and become freelancers themselves. Authors will have difficulty in determining freelancer skills, just as they do now. Additionally, you assume that authors are willing to absorb all these costs. My experience is that most authors are unwilling to absorb any editorial or production costs, preferring to ask their neighbor to give it a once over and to sell their best effort no matter how poor an effort it is.
Steve, the biggest problems I see with your plan are (a) getting authors to spend their own money on these services, (b) authors getting sufficient competitive distribution, and (c) authors devoting sufficient time and effort to self-promotion to recoup any of the costs they have prepaid (which leads us back to (a)).
As for the idea of authors accepting operating losses, if they don't do that now, why do you think they will do it in the future?
Yes, there are some authors who are willing to do (and currently do) just what you suggest and there are some authors who are quite capable of doing everything themselves and doing so successfully. But such authors are in the very small minority.
I also think there is one other aspect that hasn't been fully explored: the commercial value of carrying the, for example, Random House imprint on your book. Under your plan, it is likely that authors will be unable to sell any book for more than a dollar or two. This is a money-losing proposition if the author has all of the marketing, editorial, and production costs to front and absorb. The imprint of an established publisher helps create a market value for a book, something that is missing in your scheme.
I wish your plan was more viable; as a freelance editor and typesetter of 25 years' experience, it would likely increase my business. Unfortunately, I do not see it being viable but for a handful of authors.