Your Morning Dose of Publishing Optimism

By Neal 

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“As a self-proclaimed media junkie, I find what’s going on in the media terribly interesting. I liken it to the introduction of mass market paperbacks. At the time, everyone said it was going to mean the end of hardcovers. Hardly. I’ve been in publishing for 30 years, and ever since I walked in the door of my first job at Lippincott and Crowell, I’ve heard rumors of the death of publishing lurking in every corner. And here we are. Hardcovers didn’t die—everything just shifted around, market shares changed, and there was room for everyone.

“I think and hope that the same will be true of content delivery on the internet. Sure, the print and broadcast outlets that I’m used to working with are suffering. But I don’t think they’re going away. It’s all just going to shift—and keep shifting.”

Thanks to Novelists, Inc. for sending us an excerpt from the speech independent literary publicist Scott Manning gave at its 20th anniversary conference last weekend in St. Louis, Missouri. And for the photo!