Among the aspects of this brave new world least popular is ownership of small, dedicated companies by huge, multifaceted corporations. Many see this tendency as resulting in a more mediocre culture. Resisting this rising tide of conglomerates are the few, the proud, the independent book publishers running houses that remain oases of individual taste and passion.
At the bottom of it the big difference between mass corporate owners and independent owners is quite straightforward. The latter is built upon or run by someone working there out of some sort of interest in actual books. That leaves at least some room for surprising, individualistic books that didn't have to pass a focus group. Perhaps a book will slip into existence based on a refined taste rather than a cross section of consumers.
It is not at all unusual to find small publishing houses owned and largely staffed by graduates of Master's of Fine Arts programs. Many of these might have entered their program hoping to produce work so exceptional so soon that they would end up teaching their art on the college or elite high school level. This fortune befalls few today, leaving graduates seeking employment that will keep them fed while writing their poetry or crafting their sculpture.
The ranks of the MFA grads swell while the relative number of academic posts lags behind. Simultaneous to this is a dramatic drop in the number of people in the symphony hall, the number of subscribers to poetry magazines, even indie film theaters. Every year the need to support arts institutions and build new ones grows more clear.
More and more graduates are looking at the economics of the arts squarely and concluding that the real front lines of the arts lie in the means of their production. If only poets read poetry, it is an open question whether poetry truly exists. Increasingly, MFA programs themselves offer their students training in how to publish a magazine or run a book publishing house.
A lot of the difficulty lies in the ubiquity of the personal computer. There's no question that it has made the arts more widely available. However, the internet has proven itself a liability to efforts to monetize much fine art.
Many express concern about yet another of electronic media's ill effects upon the public interest in fine literature. There is much that suggests the public attention span is becoming eroded by the quick-cut ethos of big budget movies, video games, and TV. There are tens of millions of moviegoers who simply cannot sit through a black and white movie, and silent movies are simply out of the question. So is attending a play, or reading a modern poem.
The new century both gives and takes, and the new generation of artists is savvy to exploit any opportunity. Many who keep the small houses alive, working against the cultural headwind, are nostalgic for a more culturally appreciative past. But tomorrow appears to be the domain of the self-publisher, his and her own author, marketer, publisher, and, often less fortunately, editor.
At the bottom of it the big difference between mass corporate owners and independent owners is quite straightforward. The latter is built upon or run by someone working there out of some sort of interest in actual books. That leaves at least some room for surprising, individualistic books that didn't have to pass a focus group. Perhaps a book will slip into existence based on a refined taste rather than a cross section of consumers.
It is not at all unusual to find small publishing houses owned and largely staffed by graduates of Master's of Fine Arts programs. Many of these might have entered their program hoping to produce work so exceptional so soon that they would end up teaching their art on the college or elite high school level. This fortune befalls few today, leaving graduates seeking employment that will keep them fed while writing their poetry or crafting their sculpture.
The ranks of the MFA grads swell while the relative number of academic posts lags behind. Simultaneous to this is a dramatic drop in the number of people in the symphony hall, the number of subscribers to poetry magazines, even indie film theaters. Every year the need to support arts institutions and build new ones grows more clear.
More and more graduates are looking at the economics of the arts squarely and concluding that the real front lines of the arts lie in the means of their production. If only poets read poetry, it is an open question whether poetry truly exists. Increasingly, MFA programs themselves offer their students training in how to publish a magazine or run a book publishing house.
A lot of the difficulty lies in the ubiquity of the personal computer. There's no question that it has made the arts more widely available. However, the internet has proven itself a liability to efforts to monetize much fine art.
Many express concern about yet another of electronic media's ill effects upon the public interest in fine literature. There is much that suggests the public attention span is becoming eroded by the quick-cut ethos of big budget movies, video games, and TV. There are tens of millions of moviegoers who simply cannot sit through a black and white movie, and silent movies are simply out of the question. So is attending a play, or reading a modern poem.
The new century both gives and takes, and the new generation of artists is savvy to exploit any opportunity. Many who keep the small houses alive, working against the cultural headwind, are nostalgic for a more culturally appreciative past. But tomorrow appears to be the domain of the self-publisher, his and her own author, marketer, publisher, and, often less fortunately, editor.
About the Author:
You can visit whitebirdpublications.com for more helpful information about Independent Book Publishers Reflect The Tradition.
0 comments