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A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: Why are publishers reluctant to take on first-time authors?

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    It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.  This week follows an email conversation with a young lady who had a mildly interesting book, but it needed some work and she had no platform. When I suggested that she might want to get some help first from a developmental editor, she balked. When I stated that without a platform and with no name recognition, she would not be a candidate for traditional publication (i.e. with us), she turned hostile stated in a huff something along the lines like, "Well, something just has to change!" No, sweetie, it is not going to change (I did not really say that to her; in fact, I did not respond at all.) Many p ublishers are reluctant to tak