Let Them Eat Cake

I took today's title from a quote attributed to Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France. Supposedly, it was her response when told the peasants had no bread and were starving.  While the quote isn't real, it is endemic of the disconnect between those in power and the general public.

Over two hundred years later, leaders are making the same mistakes. Look at how the Occupy Wall Street protests are spreading across the country.

What the PTBs don't get is that the loss of one leader isn't going to stop the revolution. Nowhere was the more prevelent than Publishers Weekly's gleeful headline last Friday: 'Konrath to Take Hiatus From Telling Authors To Abandon Publishers.'

Just because Joe stops blogging for a while (and frankly, I'll be surprised if he lasts more than two weeks) doesn't mean writers will accept bad contracts and crappy deals. Not to mention, there are plenty of other bloggers like Bob Mayer, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Dean Wesley Smith, and Passive Guy who are trying to educate the writing public.  And these folks aren't going away any time soon.

Last week I talked to two friends, both whom had books with a certain publisher.  In both cases, these ladies were now self-publishing.  Apparently, their former publisher is sending out e-mails to their authors or former authors asking for submissions. At least for one publisher, it's sinking in that they do need writers.

The real question is will the publishing industry as a whole get a clue before the guillotine is sharpened.