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Hachette’s Leaked “Manifesto” at Digital Book World

A bit of a contretemps over a leaked document at Digital Book World illustrates the divide between what publishers think they offer — support, backing, quality assurance, marketing — and what self-publishers think traditional publishers bring to the table.

Prepared by Hachette as part of a presentation for agents, the document enumerates the publisher’s roles as it sees them:

  1. Curator: We find and nurture talent
  2. Venture Capitalist: We fund the author’s writing process
  3. Sales and Distribution Specialist: We ensure widest possible audience
  4. Brand Builder and Copyright Watchdog: We build author brands and protect their intellectual property

Shortly after the document began circulating, outspoken self-published authors J.A. Kornrath and Barry Eisler responded by “fisking” the document, i.e., deconstructing it line-by-line.

Konrath also shared this advice for publishers with Digital Book World’s Jeremy Greenfield:

Publishers should stop trying to convince themselves and others that they’re relevant, and start actually being relevant. Here’s how:

  1. Offer much better royalties to authors.
  2. Release titles faster. It can take 18 months after a book is turned in to be published. I can do it myself in a week.
  3. Use up-to-date accounting methods that are trackable by the author, and pay royalties monthly.
  4. Lower e-book prices.
  5. Stop futilely fighting piracy.
  6. Start marketing effectively. Ads and catalogue copy aren’t enough. Neither is your imprint’s Twitter feed.

Via Digital Book World.

Filed Under: ePublishing

Charlie Rogers Charlie Rogers

Chief content officer, editor-in-chief, managing editor, launch manager, and product strategist on dozens of digital ventures, for companies including NBC, Conde Nast, Time Warner, Martha Stewart and Random House.
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