Publishers Closing Doors

Small businesses all over are closing, so publishing won't be any different. Hopefully they're just full on projects right now.

Everything is in flux right now because of the poor economy, and of course that includes the publishing industry. Who knows when and how this thing will bottom out? Because of consolidation and the closing of doors it seems there will be fewer publishing companies. If true, fewer publishing companies will probably lead to less personnel, including editors. I would imagine that less books will be bought and published than in prior years, and while this will affect most all writers, it only makes sense that unpublished writers will suffer the most, with some exceptions. While I hope I am wrong in every way imaginable, and although books will continue to be bought and published, I think we would be doing ourselves a disservice if we didn't acknowledge the fact that the publishing industry is a business, not unlike many other types. Their primary reason for being is to buy product, produce and subsequently sell said product, and make profit. The less outlets for sale, the less the demand for product, the less money put into publicity and marketing, etc., the less new books publishing companies will buy. I hate to say it, but that is how it seems to me, a writer.

I noticed Penguin recently closed their doors, so it's not just the smaller houses either.

Don't worry too much about it. Literary agents, while on top of what's going on in this industry, say that though times are bad, times have been worse for our line of work. So keep your chin up and find that perfect publishing house!

Good luck and happy writing!