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iamthezoidberg t1_iwcywyz wrote

How political is the writing space as it relates to what books get pushed/get put on a stand in B&N while others hide on shelves/etc?

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franhawthorne OP t1_iwd60hg wrote

I'm not an expert on the inner workings of the publishing industry, sorry. But as a former business writer, I'd guess (based on my knowledge of how businesses in general operate) that politics with a capital P -- Democratic, Republican, Libertarian etc -- is irrelevant to book publishing, placement and marketing. What matters, as always, is potential sales: Is the author famous? Is it a hot topic? Is the book backed by a major publisher?

I hope this helps. Thanks for being part of my AMA.

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iamthezoidberg t1_iwdjnnj wrote

Ah, my apologies! I worded that super poorly in my haste to get my question out there haha. I meant moreso the inner political workings of the publishing industry, not so much with the capital P. Thank you for your answer!

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franhawthorne OP t1_iwienke wrote

Yes, that's what I figured. And really, it's like the small-p politics of any ethical business -- how can they make the most money turning out products they won't be completely ashamed of.

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