> Maybe we need a venture publishing industry. I've spoken with professional authors and editors, and I get the impression that the typical mid-range fiction p

> Maybe we need a venture publishing industry. I've spoken with professional authors and editors, and I get the impression that the typical mid-range fiction publishing house pretty much _is_ a "venture publishing" operation. They buy books from lots of authors, many of whom disappear without a trace. The bulk of their profits comes from a handful of well-known authors.