A View Inside Publishing

The Barnes & Noble Review published an essay this morning by Daniel Menaker, the former editor-in-chief of Random House. The piece disassembles publishing into its sub-optimized pieces: Editors competing with editors. The chasm between creative and commercial, both in acquisition and execution. The author's search for acceptance and recognition in a shrinking pool of readers who care. People in publishing read these sorts of pieces because they are refreshingly honest and give voice to the frustrations we all have with the competing interests of profit, pride, and potential. Authors, both current and want-to-be, are well served by reading Menaker's words. Jonathan Karp, the publisher at Hachette's Twelve imprint, delivered a similar, but more prescriptive missive in April equally worthy of your attention.