Sunday, June 28, 2009

Traditional v. Self-Publishing: A Suggestion | Part 4

Michael Cader gave a wonderful speech at BEA. In it, he floated the notion that independent publishers would soon be producing more books as a whole than traditional ones. It's a point worth noting. The market is being flooded with properties. How do you break out? You break out by forming strategic partnerships.

Another thought: Most people also surmise that eventually more and more traditionally published writers are going to independently publish because they're frustrated with the present publishing model. Another likelihood.

But again: both sides would be better off working together than against one another.

Most of Cader's talk was about how publishers have to rethink their advertising methods. How they have to find new ways to understand their readers and bring added value to their books. None of his speech was about reevaluating the relationship between publishers and authors. Understandable. However, it's time we addressed that topic. It's time the triad of publishers, agents and authors considered a new way of relating to one another, a new way in which risk, as well as control, are shared.

Actually, there's nothing new in this idea. Other creative industries have moved toward this relationship restructuring. Under the old Hollywood system, actors were signed to one studio, which groomed them and built their career.

Now actors set up their own production studios. They find and develop their own dramatic materials, properties that showcase their talent. They work with others, as part of a team, to put together funding, and take care of production, distribution and placement. The more powerful actors are full-fledged business partners with the studios. Responsibility, risk and gain are shared.

This came about because the old Hollywood system died out. Now, the old publishing system is also collapsing, too. We're desperate for a new business model. It's right there in front of us. All we have to do is reach out and grasp it.

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