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It is, I believe, a safe statement to make that there are currently five large conglomerations who jointly hold rein on mainstream, or "traditional" publishing today.

From them, hundreds of imprints abound. Yet, it is those same five publishing concerns who control the purse-strings, and therefore the future of most writers today. They have, for nearly two hundred years, maintained their position as the "final" voice in traditional publishing around the globe.

Yet, new writing, and new writers appear each day. While some 2,500 titles will find their way onto bookshelves from the "traditional" avenues, many hundreds of thousands of equally worthy titles get not so much as the sideways glance. Agents do not accept unsolicited manuscripts, and publishers do not accept un-agented authors. There is a death-grip on our industry.

This serves several purposes, I believe. It is fair to say that first among the several reasons is the preservation of the profit. Publishing is, by its very nature, an extremely profitable venture. Anyone claiming otherwise need look only to the briefest history of the subject. could a publishing company, in existence since 18xx, truly survive throughout the turbulent financial times of the world since then without amassing a war chest? And, shouldn't they? I am not here to bash publishers at all. I am grateful for them. Many hours of entertainment have been granted me by some truly inspired writing. Don't miss my point.

The reality I wish to discuss is not the 2,500 titles that will make it onto the bookshelves. I wish to discuss the 25,000 that will not make it. Yes, this number still maintains the 10% of completed manuscripts that should be published.

Publishing-on-Demand , or vanity publishing, or whatever you choose to call it has put a pressure upon the traditional publisher that I find enlightening. In the past very few years, the traditional publishers have touted the vagaries of POD by killing it with faint praise. This is no more than the Wizard refusing to allow the scarecrow behind the curtain. Have no doubt, there is something very powerful happening in the publishing world today.

To their credit, by Pooh-poohing POD publishing, traditional publishers have created their own demise. the first time a publisher suggested a writer self-publish, test the waters, and show some sales, the long time current of limitations for publishers was assured. Why?

Because those writers DID self-publish. Writers discovered that the bells and whistles

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