MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Are book publishers still relevant in new world?

netscorer · 08-17-2007, 08:51 PM

To Everyone,

thanks for sharing your thoughts and first-hand experience. I did not say that editors would not be required. It is definitely a very needed job. I remember Asimov's memoirs where he mentioned the struggles of getting published until one of the Sci-Fi magazine editors noticed his work. I think a lot of talented authors did not make it through just because their work did not seem to be sellable and it's a shame.
I think that if authors can post their books on open portals, more people may notice them and start encouraging them to produce better works. Very few aspiring writers dream right away of earning money from their work. Most simply want the recognition of their talent, want to bring their ideas to the world around them and going through the publishing house sieve may be too difficult a test to pass by the starting author.

To Nekokami,

I am not sure how familiar you are with Russian Sci-Fi. If you like serious, even philosophical Sci-Fi, try Strugatsky brothers. You might be already familiar with their work by reference if you watched Starkovsky's Stalker. It was done based on their novel Roadside Picnic (Roadside Picnic and other texts on the official site of Strugatsky brothers). They are widely acknowledged as the most influential Russian Sci-Fi writers and you won't be dissapointed reading any of their work. Very, very philosophial (Simak could only wish his books were that deep).

08-17-2007, 08:51 PM	#11
netscorer Russian reader Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony Reader	To Everyone, thanks for sharing your thoughts and first-hand experience. I did not say that editors would not be required. It is definitely a very needed job. I remember Asimov's memoirs where he mentioned the struggles of getting published until one of the Sci-Fi magazine editors noticed his work. I think a lot of talented authors did not make it through just because their work did not seem to be sellable and it's a shame. I think that if authors can post their books on open portals, more people may notice them and start encouraging them to produce better works. Very few aspiring writers dream right away of earning money from their work. Most simply want the recognition of their talent, want to bring their ideas to the world around them and going through the publishing house sieve may be too difficult a test to pass by the starting author. To Nekokami, I am not sure how familiar you are with Russian Sci-Fi. If you like serious, even philosophical Sci-Fi, try Strugatsky brothers. You might be already familiar with their work by reference if you watched Starkovsky's Stalker. It was done based on their novel Roadside Picnic (Roadside Picnic and other texts on the official site of Strugatsky brothers). They are widely acknowledged as the most influential Russian Sci-Fi writers and you won't be dissapointed reading any of their work. Very, very philosophial (Simak could only wish his books were that deep).