I had this argument with a friend some time back. Writing goes through cycles, hard SF is losing ground in some areas while fantasy sells. Some folks seem to think there is a fantasy conspiracy out there.
What gets published has a lot more to do with economics and the transformation of books into a mass medium. Chain book stores stock a limited amount of genre fiction. What goes on the shelves is what gets pushed by the few major publishing houses which publish stuff from either proven bestellers or new authors who will commit to multi-book deals for cheap. The whole concept of the "middle list," authors who reliable produce steady sales but not bestsellers, has pretty much died away. Sadly, most hard SF was in this "middle list" catagory.
If you are a best seller like Bujold you get published. If you are a mid-lister like Beresford you can't. Some are quite bitter about this. As are their fans.
I recommend they follow in the path of folks like Cory Doctorow and develop alternate distribution mechanisms and alternate means of funding. This, however, is harder than whining against the great conspiracy.
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branchandroot
Scott Lynch is dead on
Date: 2005-12-13 09:25 pm (UTC)What gets published has a lot more to do with economics and the transformation of books into a mass medium. Chain book stores stock a limited amount of genre fiction. What goes on the shelves is what gets pushed by the few major publishing houses which publish stuff from either proven bestellers or new authors who will commit to multi-book deals for cheap. The whole concept of the "middle list," authors who reliable produce steady sales but not bestsellers, has pretty much died away. Sadly, most hard SF was in this "middle list" catagory.
If you are a best seller like Bujold you get published. If you are a mid-lister like Beresford you can't. Some are quite bitter about this. As are their fans.
I recommend they follow in the path of folks like Cory Doctorow and develop alternate distribution mechanisms and alternate means of funding. This, however, is harder than whining against the great conspiracy.