The thing you don't realize, my dear girl, is that I have…
““The thing you don't realize, my dear girl, is that I have been forced by the economic realities to start taking publishing very seriously. For example, it has been brought to my attention that our ability to continue to pay the hordes of people employed by M&S (God knows how many mouths have to be fed) depends directly on the number of copies of your new book [Life Before Man] that we are able to sell between September and Christmas. In past I have been able to treat this whole thing as a fun game. I have never been troubled by the cavalier explanations about lost manuscripts and fuck-ups of various sorts. Now I have learned that this is a deadly serious game. I don't laugh at jokes about the Canadian postal service. I cry. (in a letter to author Margaret Atwood, dated February, 1979)””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Economic pressures turned publishing from a hobby into a high‑stakes business, forcing seriousness about sales and profitability.
In simple terms: Publishing became a serious, profit‑driven venture.
Key Takeaway
Take publishing seriously.
Themes
business
creativity
stress
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
business
philosophical
When to use this quote
- book launches
- financial planning
- creative writing
- career decisions
- industry analysis
Key Concepts
market dynamics
author‑publisher relations
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance art and commerce?
- What strategies protect creative integrity?
A Different Perspective
Creative freedom may be compromised by profit focus.