The Truth About Publishing

By Stanley Unwin and Stanley Unwim

Book Overview

"The Truth About Publishing" is a seminal work by Stanley Unwin that provides a comprehensive and transparent look into the inner workings of the book trade. Widely regarded as a definitive guide for authors, editors, and industry professionals, the text deconstructs every stage of the publishing lifecycle, from the initial evaluation of a manuscript and the intricacies of contract negotiations to the complexities of production, marketing, and distribution. Unwin's expertise shines through as he explains the economic realities and ethical considerations inherent in bringing literature to the public.

The book explores the delicate relationship between author and publisher, offering practical advice on royalties, rights, and the importance of professional integrity. It also delves into the technical aspects of book manufacturing and the challenges of international sales in the early twentieth century. While reflecting the practices of its era, the work remains a valuable historical resource that captures the foundational principles of modern publishing. It is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of the written word and the business of storytelling.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1026055938
• ISBN13: 9781026055939
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 334 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.2" x 0.7" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

Is it the Book Buisness or the Business of Books?

I'm amazed that nobody has written a review here for this book which is somewhat of a classic in its field.But, then again, I can also imagine people who are avid readers that would find no interest in how the book they are holding in their paw came into being,physically. This is an excellent overviev of what it was to be a book publisher,particularly in Britain.This book was first published in 1926 and revised several times up to 1960.It is heavily influenced by the authors personal experiences as a book publisher who worked the trade from the early part of the 1900's .He was the founder of Unwin and Co.Ltd.of London.He was President of the Publishers Assoc. of Great Britain (1933-5) and President of International Publishers Association (1936-8) He died in 1968.So he knew of what he wrote, and not surprising it was translated into fourteen languages and remains one of the best guidebooks to publishing truths. While many of the principles he discusses remain true to this day;this is a book about the past.It is 80 years since this book was first written,and almost 40 years since the author passed away.The business of books has changed so much since those days and in ways that would have been unimaginable to publishers,authors,distributors, sellers and readers of those times.In spite of that ,the principles are virtually the same. The author deals with the trials,tribulations,challenges,heartaches,satisfactions and rewards of his era and the more they change ,the more they remain the same. While I have nothing to do with the business side of books,I have always been interested in understanding what goes on behind the scene that put the books I enjoy into my hands. A book covering the changes that have occurred ,and how and why they came about during the last 15 years would be interesting. A magazine ,Biblio in 1997,which I believe is now no longer published;ran these interesting stats: Book Sales 1991 1996 % change Independent Bookstores 32% 18% -44% Chain Bookstores 22% 25% +14% Book Clubs 17% 18% +6% Discount Stores 7% 9% +28% Other 7% 10% +30% Food/Drug Stores 5% 5% -- Mail Orders 5% 4% -20% Used Bookstores 3% $5 +33% Warehouse Clubs 3% 6% +100% Wow, what changes,and that was 8 years ago,and probably even outdated, even at that.I wonder what the numbers would look now and in the future. Another interesting article in Writer's Yearbook in 1998 gave these stats: 7 Basic costs of Book Costs Manufacture 10% Distribution 8% Marketing 7.5% Overhead 8% Author's Royalties 10-15% Retailer's Discounts 40-50% Profit before Returns 1.5-16.5% And that is what goes into getting a book to us readers. Thanks to all involved,especia