Who Makes Up The Publishing Industry?

A decade ago it was clear as to who was in the book publishing industry.  It was comprised of professional publicists, editors, publishers, literary agents and authors.  Now, the industry has gotten much bigger, more diverse, and it seems to be filled by individuals whom 10 years ago wouldn’t have been in publishing.

Publishing is no longer just about traditional print publishers with gatekeepers.  The club is not so exclusive anymore.  There are millions of authors, book packagers, book distributors, publishing consultants, ghost writers, digital marketers, e-book publishers, social media experts, POD, etc.  Many people wear multiple hats.  Lines of division are blurred and barriers have been obliterated.  Anyone can join the party – and it seems they have.

There is a general feeling that publishing is split – between printed books and e-books, between bookstores and online sales outlets, between traditional publishers and self-publishers, and between those who market their books successfully and those who languish in obscurity.  As the industry undergoes its most radical transformation ever, it is being influenced by people who lack the kind of pedigree that past generations had. The do-it-your-selfers don’t need to pass anyone’s test or to gain someone’s approval.  They are entrepreneurs seeking to rewrite the standards. This leaves us with both innovation and creativity never seen before, but it also leaves us with poorly edited books that never should have seen daylight.

I wonder if the next generation of college graduates will pursue a career in book publishing and if they’ll elect to work for others or just publish on their own.  Anything is possible these days.

Interview With Children’s Author  Alan Brunwin

1.      What inspired you to become a children’s book author?  I believe its gift a special gift, going back in time, I had three young. Children and every night as tired as I was being out working hard all day.  They only wanted me to tell them a story at bedtime, can you imagine that every night when your deadbeat but you do anything for your Kids. It wasn’t till later years  I had a vision that gave me a story and told me I must write, so here we are today. My advice for new authors is if you’re doing it just for the money forget it, because it will not happen in the majority of cases no matter how hard you try, you have got to be able to go inside that story your writing or telling, be part of it allow your body and mind to become a character in that story, it’s a lovely world to go too. That’s why I enjoy writing children’s stories.  I can travel the universe for free.

2.      What is your latest book called and what is it about? “That’s the way I’ve been made” It’s a story about a little toy duck called Simon, he lives with his two friends in a bathe tub, Binny bear and Bunty the elephant. One day Simon decides to go out into the real world to see what its like. As he paddles happily along on a real stream. other Duckling’s sitting in their nests start calling him names, This has never happened to Simon before and feels sad and wants to go back to his friends Binny and Bunty who never call him names, ………and the story goes on from there, but it all turns around after Simon saves them all from the fox, it has a good message in the particular story and I just wish it was read in every Home or school in the world, because it shows children in a gently way that name calling and saying horrible things to one another really hurt someone’s feelings. It’s just a great picture story book, it’s been read in schools, libraries etc etc. Soon it will have a top Celebrity voicing over the story which will get it a lot more press coverage, because my goal is to get Kids Corner UK of the ground inspiring children into a creative world, especially those children that hardly get a look in on life. 

3.      What do you love most about writing words that help shape the minds of young children? I don’t think we should keep bashing the kids minds with you have to learn this and learn that, give them a bit of fun as well and that’s what I do with some of my stories like “Snellie’s new Home” its just fun, Snellie snail for what ever he does nothing goes right trying to find a home, but as all children’s stories should end it does HAPPY! You can still write in fun mode and still get a message across to children.

4.      What advice do you have for struggling writers?  Always  believe in yourself, even if you get knock backs and we all got them, just go forward with your head held high. If you get rejected by a book company don’t worry about it, I have many times, I tell my friends I have everyone and     I’m not embarrassed by it, because I will not allow anyone to destroy my belief of my good work. Don’t beg a publisher to publish your book, your worth more than that, keep your pride. Most publisher are looking for someone with a celebrity background for a start, because it makes them fast money from  instant sales, when or if they ever take on someone who has never had media coverage before they are not really happy with that situation. And me, I done my way and always will, just like “Frank Sinatra’s” song.

5.      How is writing children’s books so much different from writing for adults? I have never wrote adult books but recently I  browsed through some at the local Library, tell you the truth I was shocked, a young Arthur was writing about and how the main character was having sex in the bedroom right down to the last details. Well some of these so called authors obviously have not lived life to the full, so there’s not much they can write about, that’s as far as their brain takes them, Sex, err! Sex, err! Get it. If you put your mind to it, you could write a brilliant novel with out an X certificate pasted on it, where has all the imagination and inspiration gone in some of these so called authors.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person.