Andy LePeau, editorial director of Christian publisher InterVarsity Press, muses on the dangers of success in publishing.
He comments that “a bestseller can distort the vision and purpose of a publisher,” “runaway growth can lead to bankruptcy,” publishers can act like a bestseller will last forever, and that a bestseller can give you the false belief you know what you’re doing….
PW?
I think there was a very similar opinion piece in the back of Publisher’s Weekly just recently.
Re:PW?
The best sellers certainly distort what libraries select so why not the publisher too?
It will be hard for Zondervan to keep its Christian focus after the success of Rick Warren. It will forever be looking for the next BIG purpose. It was taken over years ago by HarperCollins now owned by Murdoch, so I suppose it drifted some time back.