This is for those who make it their business to know the provenance for future best-sellers. Surfers and lurkers are welcome to browse.
http://bookpagebuzz.blogspot.com/
And a newspaper article about a Cambridge student who wrote her first novel while still doing A-levels (The Icarus Girl).
I actually read about it last year but forgot to blog it down, so here is a rather late entry.
AS I have discussed in my earlier postings, I think there are many interesting tales to be told at a local level that could excite an international audience. One needs to know one's audience, the right publisher and most importantly, maybe the right agent?
I've surfed to many sites belong to publishing houses and I can assure you that no big publishing house worth its salt would take on an unrepresented author, unless if you are planning on academic monographs or you are a close kin of the publisher?
And something more recent. I have seen many articles in Malaysian newspapers (I apologise to my international readers who might not care) touting the latest fad in POD (Print on Demand) publishing. Before that, was E-book publishing as a cost-cutting measure for people desperate to get books out (though some established authors have had their books reprinted as an e-book. I know because I'd be asked if I wanted to review e-books published by a big publishing house. Apparently, most book reviewers didn't like that idea). Somehow, I was rather skeptical as to the whole process. With so many books needing my attention, would I want to buy a book promoted by an unknown author when I am inundated with not-so-good books published by major publishing houses (this is my take as a book reviewer). Somehow, I am old-fashion in the sense that by not going through the editorial process, one might somehow end up with an inferior ware. Not every author is born a Virginia Woolf, and even she has her misses.
Anyhow, two articles on E-Publishing and POD might be of interest in light of the above discussion. Somehow, in some ways, POD books just a stone throw away from vanity publishing (or perhaps adjacent to?). However, the concept of printing books on demand might work for more academic or avant garde works that might not find a ready receptive audience. However, I believe it needs to go hand-in-hand with old fashion reviewing and editing. Meaning, find probable subscribers (or reviewers) for the first print run (wasn't that what they used to do in bygone days?), with some extras for just-in-case, then gauge from there and print more in the next runs. But, working in the production line of publishing, I do realise that it can be more cost-effective to sometimes print in bulk, especially paperbacks.
Any takes on this?
