Thread: THE SPECTRUM OF PUBLISHING POSSIBILITIES

Originally Posted by froman

Does this mean that they can change your story without your consent?

Very late in the day to respond to this question, but I think it needs answering.

Reputable publishers will run all edits past the author for approval. Nothing gets changed without your consent. HOWEVER there will be times when you are given a fairly direct choice:

Publisher: "Ms Rowling, we love your new book Harry Potter and the Cauldron of Magic Mushrooms, but we're concerned that the title is a drug reference and the scene where Harry injects himself with Unicorn blood and rapes Hermione is a little strong. Then there is the episode with Snape and the 12 year old boy in bed together..."

Rowling: "They are important scenes and I will not change them."

Publisher: "As it stands the book is not commercially viable. Good luck finding another publisher."

They can and do change your writing to suit themselves. They have purchased the right to do so. They might sugar coat it, but they have the last word. Sucks.
And they don't do it when "choose another publisher" is an option. They do it after the papers are signed and the editing is being done by some drone that had nothing to do with the acquisition and might even resent the fact that your book was even acquired.


BTW, why would it be "late" to contribute to a sticky post? Isn't that what "stickiness" is for?

Originally Posted by The Wrong Writer

They can and do change your writing to suit themselves.

Not so. Unless you've had a bad experience you'd like to share, I've never heard of that. Publishers are often quite bullish about their choice of title, for obvious reasons, but editing tenmds to be a collaborative provess, which is why the author is sent galleys to approve or disapprove final copy. And generally, they won't change anything; they'll suggest to you what may need to be changed and let you get on with it.

Not so. Unless you've had a bad experience you'd like to share, I've never heard of that.

I hear it all the time.
There are reams of horror stories about this stuff on most websites where people post who have reached that point in their writing careers. AbsoluteWrite, for example.
It's a constant bitchkitty when authors gather.
The myth is "collaboration", and when it happens writers mention it in their front pages. Obviously nobody writes an acknowledgement to a nazi editor with a confrontative or competitive relationship, but it happens.

Take a close look at a contract sometime. From a big house. With an eye to: who has the final say over what hits print. Push come to shove.

Originally Posted by Mike C

Publisher: "Ms Rowling, we love your new book Harry Potter and the Cauldron of Magic Mushrooms, but we're concerned that the title is a drug reference and the scene where Harry injects himself with Unicorn blood and rapes Hermione is a little strong. Then there is the episode with Snape and the 12 year old boy in bed together..."

Rowling: "They are important scenes and I will not change them."

Publisher: "As it stands the book is not commercially viable. Good luck finding another publisher."

Seems like we all missed out here.. to date, no one has published this awesome book. I can hardly wait..


I think most new writers are more likely to steer towards online publishing. The ease of use, cost, and ability to retain rights.. makes it hard to pass up. I'm not suggesting that it's a better way to go, but for some (most?), it may be the only option to get 'published'.

I wonder how many people have written great works, or even just 'a book', and never had it reach a shelf. How many unread books are out there... how many people have pushed aside their dream because of the publishing industry?

We're already in the digital age, and it will soon be common for people to have portable digital readers that holds hundreds of thousands of books. I agree that there's a certain elegance in a paper book, but digital readers offer so much more.

As this trend increases, publishing houses will falter and the average writer will succeed more often. By 'average' I mean in people, not writing style.

I'm in favour of digital readers, online book purchases, and an influx of writers that become popular because people love their work, not because they chanced upon a publisher that picked up their book.