The way we distribute now.

From the Poetry Foundation, Janaka Stucky on the realities of poetry publishing expressed in units.

Publishing 2100

If readers of literature are to be grateful to this clustered and chaotic age for anything, it may well be the innovation imposed upon publishers who find themselves simultaneously confined by harsh economic conditions and freed by technologies that allow them to do things for almost nothing that used to be very expensive. Here from the Guardian are four models in small press publishing, each of which are notable for how they confront the economic and technical realities of the current marketplace and each of which are notable for how they may affect what sorts of work get published.

The first, Unbound, uses a subscription method, by which readers can go to their website and pledge money toward the publishing of a book. Then in return for his or her stake the pledger receives a copy of the published book, a signed copy, an invite to the launch party, depending on the amount given. Subscription publishing is nothing new. It is, according to the article, how Samuel Johnson’s dictionary was published. And it can boast as its most attractive advantage full funding of a book before it comes to print. However, to succeed a title must generate enough buzz to meet its projected cost and thus far Unbound has mainly relied on well-known names, such as former Python Terry Jones to clear that bar. Nevertheless, at a time when survival has become the primary preoccupation of all sorts of businesses, there is something refreshing about a model that is by its very nature self-supporting.

Many American readers are already familiar with Melville House. Here the Guardian highlights the publisher's “hybrid book,” an intriguing publishing model in which readers purchase a bound book and then unleash “illuminations” by scanning a QR code. These enhancements are comprised of “an anthology of readings and illustrations that explain the cultural milieu and legacy of the particular novella.” The idea of a book coming packaged with the equivalent of DVD extras inspires a certain degree of ambivalence. While I was excited at the idea of an anthology of five classic novellas—including those by Chekov and Conrad—all titled “The Duel,” I can’t imagine wanting to read the book more knowing there will be pictures.

The third model is the British venture Boxfiction, billed as a “TV series you can read.” The less said the better. Similarly, the new Penguin Shorts go the ebook one better, not only are they digital but they’re short. “All we can do is respond to what the market wants,” says founder Venetia Butterfield. Which is certainly one way of looking at it.