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The virus and reading/writing

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    The virus and reading/writing

    OTF Books has been self-isolating, but it is not immune.

    Views may vary on whether this is good or bad (it's thumbs up from me) but George RR Martin says he is working on finishing the latest instalment of Game of Thrones. He's been saying that for years, but now he can't go off on media tours and other distractions. He'd better stay healthy.

    On the other hand, those of us who would definitely write the Great Novel if only life didn't keep interfering ... we're running out of excuses. Perhaps there will be a literature boom in a couple of years. Albeit unsold, as our disposable income dries up.

    Today I'm off to the library to do some panic borrowing. It'll be interesting to see what's left on the shelves.

    #2
    I really hope there’s not a boom in the number of fiction titles: we already seem to be swamped with too much new trash and second rate storytelling.

    But maybe I’m wrong, and it’s the sea of self-published ebook drivel I see on my Kindle Store when I’m looking for a cut-price gem that just makes it feel that way. Does anybody actually know how many new (fiction) titles are published each year and whether that number’s climbed much over recent decades?

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      #3
      I saw a tweet from someone who worked at a publisher saying that they were dreading a glut of submissions from people who suddenly have time on their hands.

      I went to the library yesterday and picked up a number of tomes.

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        #4
        Originally posted by Southport Zeb View Post
        I saw a tweet from someone who worked at a publisher saying that they were dreading a glut of submissions from people who suddenly have time on their hands.
        Don't know why they're dreading it - almost all publishers refuse to read unsolicited submissions, they only accept on-spec manuscripts from agents (with a thorough edit already). The bloke who was head of publishing at Little, Brown at the time (around the start of this century, when some publishers would still read unsolicited stuff - this slush pile would usually be assigned to an intern) told me that out of every 1,000 books submitted, maybe one would get offered a book contract.

        If you're a slush pile intern, expect a glut of novels about what it's like to be cooped up in a flat/house with the rest of your family, or what it's like to be cooped up in a flat/house on your own. Actually, if you've any savvy, write a novel called 'The Slush Pile Intern', about what a tough life it is wading through piles of shite manuscripts for next to no money.

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          #5
          I imagine everyone will be writing the book that Imp talks about but almost nobody will want to read it. My guess is that consumption demand will be for escapism or the-old-normal. And nobody will want to read all those old apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic novels that I've always loved. The "I must watch Contagion" surge will be over shortly, and everyone will be diving into their Danielle Steele box-sets rather than supporting the JG Ballard estate.

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