Yesterday I did not do much. I missed the two writing groups I usually take part in because I was spending time on e-mails and I had not written anything I wanted to share with them yet. I did have some interesting ideas as I wrote my personal journal, though. In the evening, at a book store in Hyde Park, the local chapter of SCBWI, Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators, of which I am a member, was hosting an event with the founder of namelos, Stephen Roxburgh.
Mr Roxburgh described his background as an editor and publisher and how he came to found the company which provides editorial services for authors and assists those who are able to work with him to get published. He told us how since the publishing industry has been taken over by six large International companies it has become harder for authors to get published, which is why there is such an increase in the self-publish, print on demand business. As he said, editors working for the large publishers do not have the time, are not trained to, and do not edit work that comes into the publishing house, as they did in the past. They are paid to find the best work that will make the most income for the publisher; so, even good work does not make it through the selection process and work which would have a limited audience is rejected.
Mr. Roxburgh and his employees edit, (for a fee), work that is submitted to them and will either publish it themselves or suggest markets where the author can be most likely be published and promote the work. They will publish work the way the author wants it done, including e-books, which as he explained is revolutionizing the publishing field and will be more acceptable for future generations of readers. His presentation was informative and useful and I am sure that many of those in the SCBWI will become clients of his If I was not in the writing course now, I would want to submit my work to him.
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