We bring you this lovely quote from Richard Nash of Soft Skull Press. He addresses a topic near and dear to our hearts:
I was relieved to learn I wasn’t crazy, that the unorthodox cover worked, but once that relief wore off, I started to realize that far more reader interactions like that are necessary, that the conversation about books that goes on in our culture now, gorgeously exemplified by Jeff’s house here, needs also to be going on much, much more in the whole apparatus that surrounds the words, houses the words, frames the words, makes it more or less likely you’ll read the words. I’m sure most folks don’t want to see inside the sausage factory, but I’m betting there are far far more than we’re currently admitting to the sausage factory, and if we expect y’all to eat our damn sausages, we’re going to have to spend more time with you guys figuring out how best to make them.
- “The Customer Is Always Wrong” – Richard Nash (blogging at Jeff VanderMeer’s place)
3 responses so far ↓
Richard Nash // Aug 28, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Aw shucks. One thing I should add is that our mutual friend Carolyn Kellogg blogged about this on Jacket Copy too and I just wanted to make sure that folks know I’m not saying we need to focus group everything but, you know, even bloody law firms have the bios and photos of partners and associates on their website, but how many publishers have even that. We keep ourselves so separate…and I think we’d be happier in our jobs if we got to connect with readers more…
Kassia Krozser // Aug 28, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Yes, I saw Carolyn’s post just after I grabbed this. Great minds and all that.
I have been somewhat strident on the issue that publishers need to put themselves in the equation. I mean, it’s just plain strange that they aren’t active in the process. Maybe bios and photos won’t work for everyone, but, using you as an example, wouldn’t it be great to hear the enthusiasm, the joy from the people who buy and publish books?
eNotes Book Blog » Blog Archive » Carol Ann Duffy Fights Back! Wait, With Poetry? // Sep 7, 2008 at 3:13 pm
[…] Booksquare, Soft Skull’s Richard Nash has a few things to say, but the most important part is that he […]