The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1959-04-30
NOTE TO JOE BARNES AT SIMON g. scHUsTER -
The Book Publishing Business
BY Robert 6. Spivack


most of major corporations during the years since World War
the net income of the American book publishing industry
mains remarkably low return investment OF three per cent
considered better than normal
great many explanations have been offered for the failure
of book publishers TO get rich or stay ch they start out thai
way sense of course, anyone who goes into book publish
ng unless is obscene literature, does so as public SERVICE
Or maybe because he has idea he wants TO promote In any
case man could get better return this investment if he
simply put his money in savings bank
There have been many suggestions the for the
failure of the American public to buy literature All kinds OF
pessms ideas about the decline of culture the compdc-
ency induced by prosperity and the wearnesswhal attitude
of many public officials advanced the why books
don't SELL In country of 100000 people sale of 10000
books by an author is regarded as extraordinary.
Since every newspapema suppose is either frustrated
novelist noncon writer got around TO exploring the SUBJ
ect of how books sell and why? Also my cUousy has been
hetted because recently have become consulting editor tor
New York publisher firm Basic Books nc and years ago
was offered achance to become publisher my right.
book like any idea = is precious and delicate thing.
The author while writing it. must be handled carefully and can
NOT be dealt with by brute force The nurng OF the book as
grows from little word to another is slow process re-
qunu phenomenal patience Finally when the end result there
for the public see the book remains booksellers shelf
and nobody bothers TO buy it.
Ultimately the book ends up at some bargain sale One SUPER
market in Chicago, understand, offering 24voume
encyclopedia at 24c volume Another store the midwest
some books are cheaper than potatoes
is THE PUBLIC ENTIRELY TO BLAME? = would not deny
that the nation feels lazy these days and that people don't want
to buy books that are going worry Them much But do
deny that the nation not bascay serious than it ever
has been before not actvsf better informed and better
able TO appraiSe events.
If people don't buy books read very much it may be
because the book publishers themselves have not made their
products very attractive AS example, publisher printed
GATHERS Fleece of Gold He ended up barely selling 10000
copies But he changed the title Quest of the Blond Mistress
and Immediately sold $4,000 copies.
Then there the matter OF overpcng For years publish
e of various chdrens encyclopedias have been coming
door trying sell their books ranging from 10 to 20 volumes
per set The asking price high $500 one case and
$500 in another The former set comparatively super
fcia but it did lot of Subjects The $500 set was too
adult for children of pre-teen age.
Now publishing firm, Golden Books has put OUT
chden encyclopedia that sells for about ST. per book with
the whole set costing less than $35 It's just good as the $500
set although does not many Subjects The firm,
understand already has thousands of advance orders
When you buy book, you not buying thing but
dream whether its your idea Of what is in the authors
mind his The who buys the Quest Of the Blond Mistress
thinking Of something pleasant and he is curious see what
the writer had in mind But Fleece of Cold that Just doesn't
send YOU bad title ruin the sales of good book
inclined when hear |aments from book publishers to suggest
ook inward angel and maybe they will find the source of
their troubles