Feb. 28th, 2003 06:46 am
10 Things Wrong with S/F Publishing today
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johnstonmr1. Too many otherwise good books are being published with crappy titles. The title is not an add-on, folks. It's a part of the story. An evocative title can sell a book. A crappy title can leave a good book on the shelves.
2. Too many Star Trek novels. Blech.
3. Author's names should never be bigger than the title, I don't care who they are. I know the Author is what sells many books -- I, who follow several authors like others follow sports stars, understand this -- but it's still ugly and stupid, IMO.
4. Too many mediocre books are flooding the market. Crap fantasy is at an all-time high, crap SF is just behind it. Now, admittedly, Sturgeon's Law says the same thing is happening in other genres, but let's face it, other than a few authors, I don't follow other genres much.
5. Too many idiots still see the genre as kid's stuff. This is galling. Recently I was accosted at work while trying to peacefully read through lunch by some woman who haughtily informed me that she used to read SF, but then grew up. Her supervisor (currently reading Return of the King) and I shared a tolerantly annoyed look and went back to reading.
6. Too many of the classics of SF publishing are now out-of-print.
7. Too many cover artists are still painting covers that have little to no relevance to the story inside.
8. Robert Jordan is still writing and being published.
9. I've yet to finish a story.
10. It still pays less than professional sports. ;)
2. Too many Star Trek novels. Blech.
3. Author's names should never be bigger than the title, I don't care who they are. I know the Author is what sells many books -- I, who follow several authors like others follow sports stars, understand this -- but it's still ugly and stupid, IMO.
4. Too many mediocre books are flooding the market. Crap fantasy is at an all-time high, crap SF is just behind it. Now, admittedly, Sturgeon's Law says the same thing is happening in other genres, but let's face it, other than a few authors, I don't follow other genres much.
5. Too many idiots still see the genre as kid's stuff. This is galling. Recently I was accosted at work while trying to peacefully read through lunch by some woman who haughtily informed me that she used to read SF, but then grew up. Her supervisor (currently reading Return of the King) and I shared a tolerantly annoyed look and went back to reading.
6. Too many of the classics of SF publishing are now out-of-print.
7. Too many cover artists are still painting covers that have little to no relevance to the story inside.
8. Robert Jordan is still writing and being published.
9. I've yet to finish a story.
10. It still pays less than professional sports. ;)
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