The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-31
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.
A New York Publisher Discusses
the Trade Outlook.
Her Fame Would Not Cause Her Book to Sell
Enormous Profits Made by Publish
ers - The Latest Move.

r. Worthington, the New York pub
Usher, who is spending couple of months
on this coast for his health, is at the Lick
House, where he was seen yesterday after
noon by a CALL reporter. When questioned
In regard to the latest news in the book
world, he said:
There has been a decided reaction Of late
IN the public taste, and the demand now is
Tor better class of books. When l say
better l mean just what 1 say. Better
authors and better bindings are both called
Tor, and the great rage for cheap, sensa-
tlonal stories has abated in the most decided
degree. A few years ago the market was
Hooded with novels of the most lurid de-
scription, and the public went wild over the
productions of certain female writers whose
chief claims TO attention lay i'll the fact that
they had veutured farther than any of their
predecessors. One of them in particular
succeeded in inducing certain editor of an
influential journal to call her to task for her
holiness. and in review covering a couple
oil columns her book was severely handled.
Inc result was an enormous sale for her
DOCK, but she has strved in vain for fur
ther notoriety. Her later efforts have fallen
nat In the public estimation, and she no
longer commands any large number of
readers.
POOR MANAGEMENT
"Still, however. many books fall fiat, be-
cause of the poor management displayed in
placing them upon the market l have in
nina the case OF young woman who wrote
a most clever novel and who attempted to
handle it herself. She is clever writer,
aud IN addition TO that enjoyed the distinc-
ton of being the champion female lawn
tennis DlaVpF nf Great Rrtain and Iralann
Owing TO n0toriety thus achieved she con-
ceYed the idea of becoming her own pub
Usher, believing that her fame as lawn
tennis player would sell her book for her.
Accordingly the novel was placed upon the
market, and alter seven months work the
clever author found that she had sold 80
copies and was out of pocket about $1,000
In this extremity she appealed TO me- Alter
some little negotiation | agreed to place the
book upon the market, and issued an
edition of 5000. This was soon Exhausted,
and another 5000 is going rapidly. The book
is really clever, but like all other enterprises
1t merely needed little pushing"
MARVELLOUS SUCCESS.
The conversation turned upon the relative
profits of authors and publishers. and Mr..
Worthington referred to ben Hur" as the
most noted example of later day pubica-
tons. the success of this book" said Mr..
Worthingtop, has been phenomenal. The
demand for it, which has been extraordi.
nary at all times, shows no indications of
diminution, and Harper Brothers are
crowded with orders for 1t month after
month General Wallace has made some
money, but the publishers have absorbed
the larger amount. l am told that they have
sold up to date about 800. 600 copies, from
each Of which the author probably derives
a profit of 10 cents. His earnings have
ueen, therefore, about $4,000 in all, while
Harper Brothers have cleared far more.
From the sale of each book they realize
about 80 cents. The cost of publication is
about 20 cents. Add to this the royalty of
about 10 cents which goes TO the author.
and they have left TO their credit 90 cents
copy, or clear profit of nearly S300,00O."
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.
Mr.. WOrthington also spoke of the In
ternatiOnal Copyright Bill as passed by the
last Congress, and gave it DIS his opinion
that it would benefit rather than injure the
trade
'The reason for this" he sal !. sis obvi-
Gus. The publishers must of necessity de-
pend upon the writers, AID no writer can
be expected to turn out his best work unless
he is encouraged. Above all other people
they need protection, and while this will
necessarily advance the price of books to
greater or less extent it viii only be in line
with the demand for better class of books,
to which | have already referred
"AnOther thing | may say is that | do not
q Des"ut London, enabic authors
to become their own publishers, will result
in any loss to the trade. Writers. as A rule,
know but little of business methods, and
they Will find it losing venture from the
start"