Bethanne Patrick

Jane Austen, Rejected Novelist?
July 25, 2007

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an author in possession of a finished manuscript, must be in want of a book contract. 

But that author had better have a good agent, because these days even Jane Austen would have a tough time getting published.

At least that's what David Lassman concluded after a literary experiment in which he submitted thinly disguised opening chapters of Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, and Persuasion to 18 publishers, all of whom rejected the submissions (and kudos to the sole man -- pun very much intended -- who cautioned Lassman's nom de Jane "Allison Laydee" to check his work against Miss Austen's and avoid plagiarism).

(I have to confess that given this week's "Potterdammerung" -- wish I'd coined that, but it's courtesy of a Gawker comment -- I'm particularly amused to see that J.K. Rowling's literary agency, Christopher Little, responded to Allison Laydee's submission with a note indicating they were "not confident of placing this material with a publisher.")

Publisher Andrew Franklin of Profile Books wrote a truly interesting piece in The Independent about why Lassman's Austen experiment turned out as it did. 

“Publishers turn down masterpieces every day and miss the opportunity to publish great bestsellers,” writes Franklin. “But if I spent my life fretting about the ones that got away I would never attend to the fish in the net… The sort of person who lies awake worrying about the books that they are not publishing is not cut out for the job and should confine themselves to running a cosy literary society.”

Franklin continues, pointing out that the sheer volume of submissions and published books today make it impossible for editors and publishers to find every masterpiece, and really, "the first duty of every publisher should be to publish fewer, rather than more, new titles." The numbers game makes it tough all over. Most of us would agree that it's harder than ever to get good writing, let alone subtle, nuanced, great literature, into the hands of readers.

But before I unleash my inner curmudgeon again, let me emphasize Franklin's final point: "In publishing, time and context are all." 

I love Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, but we've already discussed the fact that some people believe it is dated.  Which of your favorites would or wouldn't make it past an editorial assistant today? 

                                                     

Posted by Bethanne Patrick on July 25, 2007 | Comments (7)