It’s interesting being both a writer and a publisher. I see
both sides of the story. Occasionally we have to do things that might seem
unfriendly towards the writer but actually we are working on the same side.
Returns
We offer our books sale or return to book shops. We keep our
fingers crossed that they don’t return them. They’re usually not fit to be sold
afterwards and even if they are, the mechanics of warehousing can be complex.
Many publishers will charge back the cost of returns against the writer’s
royalties. So, it’s in our mutual interest to avoid this. Perhaps we don’t need
to be so keen to see our books get into bookshops except where we know we shall
definitely sell.
