Whenever you encounter information about any subject, the first step is to check the source.
Unsurprisingly, a favorable political poll sometimes (often?) originates from a source with a vested interest in or closely aligned with the group most likely to benefit from the good news. There are relatively few unbiased, objective sources of polling research.
For the same reason, the first question you should ask about any information related to book publishing is, “Who is this from?”
About 15-20 years ago, I recall a situation when a publishing group released annual industry data that always showed positive results and solid growth. The group behind it needed to put the best face in front of the public, so …
They made it up—not entirely, but they knew the available data was incomplete, so they extrapolated conclusions to make it look as good as possible. Many segments of the “research industrial complex” in all walks of life do this.
I’ve learned to approach research like a journalist when dealing with information about the publishing industry.
Check the source. Seek multiple sources. Let the information take you where it takes you, and don’t look for information that only supports your preset opinions.
Always ask who conducted the research and what their methodology is. Fight the temptation to look at one biased study to fuel your opinions. In other words, at the same time, have a healthy skepticism about what you learn and an openness to learning something new.
If you see some research that the “Hottest Book Category for Next Year” originates from the National Association of the Hottest Book Category, it requires some skepticism and further research.
Similarly, a research piece on Christian books conducted by a group known for their anti-Christian bias should likely be taken with a grain of salt.
Readers of this agency blog should understand that the opinions expressed come from the perspective of people with a background in traditional publishing and who work exclusively in the traditional publishing world as agents.
I’ve written this before, but the worst advice is the same advice given to everyone:
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- The best route for everyone is to have an agent.
- No one needs an agent.
- The traditional publishing route is the best road to take.
- Self-publishing is the best route to take.
- Every aspiring author needs to have a considerable author marketing platform before you write.
- The platform doesn’t matter; it’s only about the book’s content.
As an agent in the traditional publishing book market, I would disagree with every one of the above statements since they all contain a healthy dose of “it depends” built in.
The point is that authors need to be students of the industry they are working in. It would be foolish to think you can compete (yes, it’s a competition) in a mature, highly saturated industry with no knowledge of how it works.
This doesn’t mean you need to be an expert; but a wise approach would be to take your time, involve seeking multiple sources, and have a willingness to change your mind.
