Publishers & booksellers count on big name authors in 2009
I have always been told, no matter I do in life, to never put all my eggs in one basket. This applies mostly to investing money (something I do very little of), but can also apply to jobs, hobbies and many other facets of life – even writing! I always hear that writers should write a variety of material to keep their minds fresh, but also so they don’t become dependent on one particular genre or one particular market.
The publishing industry, on the other hand, must have been "on vacation" the day they taught the lesson on not putting all your eggs into one basket. At least, that is what this article from the Wall Street Journal appears to suggest.
The worry is that such big-name titles represent only 20% of total retail sales, says New York literary agent Laurence Kirshbaum. Unless readers also embrace mysteries, romance novels and other genres, the literary landscape may grow much darker. "You can’t have a party only with hors d’oeuvres, you need the whole meal," he says.
Basically, the article is saying that publishers and booksellers alike are becoming dependent on a few titles to bring in the customers (and the revenue!). And while the article doesn’t say it right out, there has been a long standing criticism that publishers tend to stick with "safe bets", authors they know can deliver popular books that will rake in a lot of money. At the same time, they become wary of looking for new and fresh authors that could be the next Stephen King or John Grisham (for example).
Don’t get me wrong, I can hardly fault the publishers and booksellers for going for these big-name authors. They sell a lot of books for a reason. I have read books by many of the authors coming out with highly anticipated books and have really enjoyed them. They write good stories that are very entertaining and are perfect for enjoying on a rainy day.
And aside from your popular authors, there are also a good number of non-fiction books coming out, which tend to sell better than fiction anyway:
Kathryn Popoff, a vice president at Borders Group Inc., says nonfiction titles could provide the spark. "They sweep in and can really make your season," she says.
I think that both publishers and booksellers will pull out of this economic mess still fairly well off. That’s not to say a few feathers won’t be ruffled. But there will always be a market for books, it’s just a matter of striking a fine balance between giving the public what it wants, and taking chances on new stuff that could be the next big thing!
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