Unprofessionalism hurts everyone

I have a friend. He is a writer and takes his writing fairly seriously. He sends out work occasionally. Has a few published books with reputable publishers.

But he has a problematic attitude toward the publishing business. The problem is he does not care about it. His main focus is his writing, as it should be if you are a writer. The problem comes, though, when you now jump the line and submit your work to publishers. Publishers are business people, business people who love good writing, which is nice, but they are primarily business people.

The thing with my friend is he forgets that. He steps into that relationship all starry-eyed and thankful. “Look at these lovely people who want to publish my book! Aren’t they wonderful and oh so kind?” They might be wonderful and kind but that is not a priority. Again, I cannot stress this enough: they are business people in a business where they want to sell books and make a profit, the biggest profit that they can. That is not evil. That is not cheating. That is business.

Editor's Comment
Prosecutors deserve better

These legal professionals, who are entrusted with upholding the rule of law, face numerous challenges that compromise their ability to effectively carry out their duties.Elsewhere in this edition, we carry a story on the lamentations of the officers of court.The prosecutors have raised a number of concerns, calling for urgent attention from all relevant stakeholders, including the President, Minister of Justice and the Attorney General. Their...

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