01. Commerce & Controversy
The only chance
At a time of globalisation with big international groups, the only chance for independent publishing houses to survive is to have a clear profile with interesting and controversial books of high quality.
The competence of a publishing house
Readers are not interested in the name of the publishing house. But for booksellers and journalists, the most important transmission-channels in bringing books to the readers, the profile and competence of a publishing house is an important factor.
Book or internet?
A text does not necessarily have to be published as a book: being available on the internet can be good enough.
A big opportunity
Small publishers in the US have a big opportunity to assert a real identity. Or do you have to be an optimist to see it that way?
Controversial views made less dangerous
Globalization means that controversial views are more widely disseminated or repressed. Or, more insidiously, they are packaged or appropriated in a way that makes them less dangerous. Or not?
The one-sided polemical punch
Controversy and polemical bite are major selling points for books in the US. The unfortunate consequence is that books that argue with nuance, balance and fair play are considered not commercial and are often not publicized in the way books with a one-sided polemical punch are.