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Reposted by Tajja Isen

Longreads @longreads.com · 7d

"If buying the debut is a rollicking night at the craps table, then the sophomore project is the sober morning after. Gone is the clean slate."

@tajjaisen.bsky.social for @thewalrus.ca: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 8d

screaming

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Reposted by Tajja Isen

Eva Holland @evaholland.bsky.social · 8d

"If buying the debut is a rollicking night at the craps table, then the sophomore project is the sober morning after. Gone is the clean slate."

Hoo boy, did this @tajjaisen.bsky.social piece ever hit me where I live.

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 8d

Thank you and I'm sorry!!!

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Zoe Whittall @zoewhittall.bsky.social · 10d

I’m really grateful writers are talking about this. The experience of selling books after a big success v books that didn’t do the same numbers was heartbreaking. I know you’re only as good as your recent booknet numbers but it was still super weird to be treated differently by the same people.

The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 10d

What happens when a book you poured years into tanks? In publishing, that failure doesn’t just disappear—it follows you. As @tajjaisen.bsky.social explains, writers carry failure on their record, “no matter the reasons for the flop.” thewalrus.ca/the-publishing-i...

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

alas, I had a word count limit! It easily could've been twice as long. Thanks for sharing.

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

Aligns with my understanding, which is that it'd more or less be like debuting twice—but maybe with a little extra oomph if the academic title did well.

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

Thanks for sharing, Lincoln—I look forward to reading your piece!

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Lincoln Michel @thelincoln.bsky.social · 11d

Good, if depressing, piece on the industry here.

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Reposted by Tajja Isen

Matt Greene @arealmattgreene.bsky.social · 11d

If I'd read this piece 10 years ago I'd have understood my career very differently. If I'd read it 12 years ago I might not have agreed for my first book to be published in the way it was. We still don't talk about this stuff because it can feel embarrassing, but the author always picks up the bill

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

2 20

Reposted by Tajja Isen

Anca L. Szilágyi @ancaszilagyi.bsky.social · 11d

"The book business may be centred in New York, but the logic is pure Las Vegas."

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

at times I felt like a conspiracy theorist so this is hella validating ... thank you again, it really means a lot!!!

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Drew Broussard @drewsof.bsky.social · 11d

One of the best pieces I've read about the state of the industry. Absolutely spectacular stuff and aiming at a problem we *desperately* need to solve (and which is, thankfully, an easy problem to solve... if the industry simply puts its muscle to it)

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

Drew!!! Thank you so much for this. (And for pointing out that, yes, this is an *extremely* solvable problem)

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

honestly the piece could've easily been twice as long (and thank you, Molly, hugely!!!)

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Molly Templeton @mollytempleton.com · 11d

I have a downright unwieldy number of thoughts but mostly I just think everyone in any corner of publishing should probably read this

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

2 14 59

Reposted by Tajja Isen

Nicole Chung @nicolechung.bsky.social · 11d

“Publishers, as McGrath says, have always been risk averse. But with higher pressure to find a sure thing, more writers who may have been able to sell a book five or ten years ago, whether to a corporate or an independent press, are being left out in the cold.” @tajjaisen.bsky.social @thewalrus.ca

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Reposted by Tajja Isen

Erika Swyler @erikaswyler.bsky.social · 11d

All of this.
If you never see another book from me, it won't be because I haven't written one.

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

2 6 28

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

That's so kind of you, Laura; thank you!!!

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Caroline Casey @cacasey.bsky.social · 11d

love love to see friend / client @invisibooks.bsky.social here making the case for the role small presses play in making writing careers (if not piles of money)

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

@longreads.com

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

Thank you for reading, Ruth!

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Matt Bell @mdbell79.bsky.social · 11d

Lots of good reporting here from @tajjaisen.bsky.social, as always.

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Reposted by Tajja Isen

Maris Kreizman @maris.bsky.social · 11d

Tajia is always right. Literature is an art (sometimes) that is entirely dependent on data.

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

4 32

Reposted by Tajja Isen

Adrienne Celt @celtadri.bsky.social · 11d

Tajja's pieces always hit

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 11d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

1 4