[Rimbaud]

In my time as both student and lecturer I have been involved with the publishing industry several times. I have even had the privilege of reading some scripts that were never eventually released and asked my opinion thereof. Many of the proof-readers, talent-scouts and copy-editors I have encountered are true enthusiasts about books and about the aesthetic joy that a well written piece of literature can produce. Unfortunately, you're are right, these people and those arguments have no effect on the wallet holders.

Even further up; I have friends even in the 'wallet-opening' areas of the industry and moreoften than not their hands are tied. They often have a quota of books that they are allowed to release each year that aren't expected to reach the higher echelons of sales figures, ie the ones where they are allowed a judgement call. After that they simply have to churn out proven money spinners.

The smaller publishing houses are inevitably swallowed by the larger. It will take quite a book/author/entrepeneur to change the situation as I view it.