The business of publishing is one that still retains its unique charm. It is every aspiring author’s dream to write a book that inspires a publisher enough to select it for publishing.
The pandemic hit the publishing industry hard. The publishing industry is a heavily physical one, from printing to distribution to final sale. The pandemic hit all areas of the supply chain; even if books were printed already, bookshops and other distribution channels were closed.
The Morning Brunch spoke with Perera-Hussein Publishing House Precedent Partner Sam Perera, to find out how the publishing industry and particularly independent publishing houses can work their way through this time and build an effective system in the face of the new normal.
Perera-Hussein Publishing House is a small, independent outfit which has earned a reputation for publishing world-class fiction. Many books by its often first-time authors have been nominated for local or international prizes. Their active list can be found on www.pererahussein.com and in a few bookshops across the English-speaking world.
How do independent publishers like Perera-Hussein typically work?
Perera-Hussein prides itself on giving readers a selection of books that will awaken their interest in multiple domains. Our focus is to always be culturally relevant and yet, at the same time, appeal to readers across the world. We actively look for manuscripts that reflect this ethos.
How has the independent publishing industry been impacted by the pandemic?
Like every other business, we have been impacted greatly. A good way to cope is to concentrate on selling our already published books. It is crucial that every project bears fruit. Until the situation stabilises, we have adopted a strategy of putting new projects on hold.
That said, given the confidence we have in our product, since the end of the lockdown, we have released three new books: My Van Gogh by award-winning author Chandani Lokuge, The House of a Thousand Memories by a new author Sunil Tantirige, and just last week, The Many Faces of the Kandyan Kingdom by Emeritus Prof. Gananath Obeyesekere.
What are the most important things for authors and publishers to consider at a time like this?
Readers are ever more critical and discerning, and in today’s troubled economic climate, an author’s work has to be truly outstanding in order to succeed. From a publisher’s perspective, work that “could appeal” has to be weighed against a piece of work that has a “high chance” to appeal to a broad cross section of readers and as always, Perera-Hussein will concentrate on bringing out books that find acceptance among demanding readers.
On physical publishing versus online publishing; is this situation a case for independent publishing houses to go online completely?
Many books on the Perera-Hussein backlist already exist as e-books and are hosted on every conceivable platform. My personal opinion is that while e-books may see a rise in popularity, the paper book will always have its diehard fans. The challenge for us would be to balance the two forms to cater to all aspects or preferences of our readers.
What are the biggest challenges independent publishers are facing off the back of the pandemic?
All publishers have come to rely on bookshops as primary sales outlets. With fears of the pandemic abound, browsing in physical bookshops might be restricted until such time bookshops set up adequate precautions to minimise community spread of the virus.
A question publishers ask themselves is: What is a book? Today, they will add the question: What is a bookshop? With more and more people shopping online, that is the obvious medium to develop.
What advice does Perera-Hussein have for authors and publishers trying to make it in the new normal?
We live in uncertain times with constantly changing parameters. The formula to “make it” keeps changing. However, excellence is a worthy goal to strive for and one that will always put more cards on your side.
