I'd also include beta readers in the early/pre release feedback loops - similar to Hollywood audience screenings. There should also be some dynamic threshold switch within a more flexible logistic setup to flip batched print runs to PoD.
The main issue of course (having been involved in similar radical reshaping discussions within pharma for more efficient/safer lab-to-pharmacy pipelines) is shifting the massive inertia of the institutional status quo. Imprint level skunkworks won't cut it, and any disruptor needs to assimilate and digest too much at once - especially the printing and supply chain incumbents. Then there's convincing hundreds of middle managers to risk their whole career on a future many will struggle to grasp.
Predictive sales data and anonymised voting in subs acquisition meetings, plus banning alcohol from expenses claims and PDF attachments from emails, might have greater immediate impact on industry time-to-market efficiency. I'm only half-joking.
Thank you Johnathan,. Yes I agree beta readers would ply a good role. I have also experienced large organisations inertia, it played a major role in all of my consultancies projects and was such a problem we developed analytical tools to analyse corporate culture as part of the research phase of our projects. From what I can see the big publishers have ossified cultures that are very unlikely to change so I am looking for a better way. We authors now create the books, do all the revisions, and then all the marketing of our own work, a skill far removed from writing and one of the deliverables that one used to receive from the publishing houses. For this we hand all of our rights in perpetuity in exchange for a minor percentage return on sales. This is an absurd proposition.
Surprised you mentioned nothing about the bias against new white male writers. I’ve self-published a crime trilogy that I had pitched to many agents, some of whom were kind enough to be blunt about the ban on white men. The trilogy has moved almost 30k copies and is selling more on its own, without promotion, each month. Two of the three received Kirkus Reviews’s “Get it” recommendation, but no one in the industry has shown the remotest interest in any of them. All three would make a good film or together as a series. 🤷♂️
I have no knowledge of that so I am in no position to comment. The conventional publishing industry as a whole has a huge strategic problem that it is failing to deal with and that affects everyone.
Good write-up. Your proposed solution seems feasible. Self-publishing, btw, tends to mirror the publishing nightmare in a slightly different way. Amazon etc. promotes books based on reviews. Few readers post reviews. So we spend tons of time that should go into writing instead posting promos on social media and reading articles like this. Heavy sigh!
Hearing publishing industry horror stories from podcasts like Publishing Rodeo and Print Run are a large part of what pushed me towards indie. Unless you can secure a major contract, you will almost certainly lose out due to lack of marketing, and then "taint" your name going forward.
Speaking of, Print Run just ran an episode on Unboundless - seems they had an interesting idea to bring the orders up front. Unfortunately the company was run by a bunch of venture capital types who basically committed fraud with everyone's money. The idea had merit though.
Very astute analysis and solutions pitch, Steve.
I'd also include beta readers in the early/pre release feedback loops - similar to Hollywood audience screenings. There should also be some dynamic threshold switch within a more flexible logistic setup to flip batched print runs to PoD.
The main issue of course (having been involved in similar radical reshaping discussions within pharma for more efficient/safer lab-to-pharmacy pipelines) is shifting the massive inertia of the institutional status quo. Imprint level skunkworks won't cut it, and any disruptor needs to assimilate and digest too much at once - especially the printing and supply chain incumbents. Then there's convincing hundreds of middle managers to risk their whole career on a future many will struggle to grasp.
Predictive sales data and anonymised voting in subs acquisition meetings, plus banning alcohol from expenses claims and PDF attachments from emails, might have greater immediate impact on industry time-to-market efficiency. I'm only half-joking.
Thank you Johnathan,. Yes I agree beta readers would ply a good role. I have also experienced large organisations inertia, it played a major role in all of my consultancies projects and was such a problem we developed analytical tools to analyse corporate culture as part of the research phase of our projects. From what I can see the big publishers have ossified cultures that are very unlikely to change so I am looking for a better way. We authors now create the books, do all the revisions, and then all the marketing of our own work, a skill far removed from writing and one of the deliverables that one used to receive from the publishing houses. For this we hand all of our rights in perpetuity in exchange for a minor percentage return on sales. This is an absurd proposition.
Surprised you mentioned nothing about the bias against new white male writers. I’ve self-published a crime trilogy that I had pitched to many agents, some of whom were kind enough to be blunt about the ban on white men. The trilogy has moved almost 30k copies and is selling more on its own, without promotion, each month. Two of the three received Kirkus Reviews’s “Get it” recommendation, but no one in the industry has shown the remotest interest in any of them. All three would make a good film or together as a series. 🤷♂️
Fair
I have no knowledge of that so I am in no position to comment. The conventional publishing industry as a whole has a huge strategic problem that it is failing to deal with and that affects everyone.
Good article! Now please follow up with a list of independent presses already using adaptive approaches!👍
If you would like to share your list I can incorporate it
I don’t know of any, but thought you might know of some that were aligned with your suggestion🤷♀️☺️
Excellent.
Cheers Andy!
Good write-up. Your proposed solution seems feasible. Self-publishing, btw, tends to mirror the publishing nightmare in a slightly different way. Amazon etc. promotes books based on reviews. Few readers post reviews. So we spend tons of time that should go into writing instead posting promos on social media and reading articles like this. Heavy sigh!
Hearing publishing industry horror stories from podcasts like Publishing Rodeo and Print Run are a large part of what pushed me towards indie. Unless you can secure a major contract, you will almost certainly lose out due to lack of marketing, and then "taint" your name going forward.
Speaking of, Print Run just ran an episode on Unboundless - seems they had an interesting idea to bring the orders up front. Unfortunately the company was run by a bunch of venture capital types who basically committed fraud with everyone's money. The idea had merit though.
Good piece, thanks for sharing!
Thank you Ian! The whole industry is so behind the curve it amazes me they are all still in business. Ripe for a revolution.
Brilliant ideas, they just need to be implemented.