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Sunday, July 1, 2012

Geniuses versus Mediocrities: Who Wins?

In this single historical rejection, we have the problem of publishing summed up very nicely:
Catch – 22 by Joseph Heller: "I haven’t really the foggiest idea about what the man is trying to say… Apparently the author intends it to be funny – possibly even satire – but it is really not funny on any intellectual level … From your long publishing experience you will know that it is less disastrous to turn down a work of genius than to turn down talented mediocrities."
(The clue phone rings for you.)

2 comments:

heynonnynonymous said...

Most editors wouldn't know a genius if it bit them in the face. Mediocrity, however, is another thing. Plenty of that on the "book" "shelves" these days. Just pick a book...any book.

Anonymous said...

stephen king comes to mind...