{
  "id": 17038970,
  "title": "On the Rise and Fall of Publishing’s “Make Book”",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/on-the-rise-and-fall-of-publishings-make-book",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-29T08:55:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Literary Hub",
    "slug": "literary-hub",
    "url": "https://lithub.com/on-the-rise-and-fall-of-publishings-make-book/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In today's data-driven world, it may seem counterintuitive to assert that intuition holds greater value than numbers. However, the process of creating art has never been about quantifying success. It is the intangible qualities that elevate great books to greatness: one can recognize them when they encounter them. Meanwhile, commerce operates on different principles. This discrepancy exemplifies the challenge publishers face when considering debuts - how to support a writer with no proven track record in an era where social media metrics hold little weight. Often, the only factors to consider are the author's potential and their ability to captivate readers with their unique writing style.\n\nWhen I worked at Simon & Schuster in the early 2000s, I was introduced to the concept of the \"make book.\" This refers to a book that an editor or publisher holds a special place in their heart and endeavors to make a success. Unlike other books, a make book doesn't rely on the author's name or the marketability of their idea. Instead, the editor's task is to share their enthusiasm with the sales, marketing, and other departments, hoping to generate momentum for the book that will eventually reach the broader public. The make book concept is fundamentally optimistic - it believes that a publisher, through a collective effort of love, can transform an uncertain book into a bestseller.\n\nFor a make book to thrive, several conditions must be met. First, the publisher must be willing to invest time and effort in a book that isn't guaranteed to succeed. Second, the broader company culture must value the creation of art. Third, the publishing staff must trust their instincts to identify a book's potential. And finally, there must be confidence in the market to elevate worthy literary material.\n\nViet Thanh Nguyen's The Sympathizer and Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep are prime examples of make books that succeeded. However, these exceptional cases are not the norm. For a make book to truly prosper, readers need to recognize that a breakout debut is merely the beginning of a sustainable career for a new author. It's worth noting that not all make book attempts are successful - aligning all the right factors can be a rare occurrence. But even when publishers pour their resources into these projects, there are countless debuts with million-dollar advances (such as Yesteryear) that fail to make a lasting impact.\n\nIn 2026, it remains true that debuts with modest advances are often classified as make books. These novels are given the necessary care and attention from a staff that believes in nurturing new voices. However, the challenges of corporate consolidation have made it increasingly difficult for make books to break through. At conglomerate publishers, employees may only get to champion one book across multiple imprints, leaving little time to advocate passionately for the titles they genuinely adore.\n\nWith corporate consolidation on the rise, smaller presses have become the natural choice for taking risks on new voices and fostering their growth. This shift is evident in the recent news of Catapult Books shutting down at the end of the month. Throughout its decade of operation, Catapult played a crucial role in launching the careers of numerous prominent writers, including Lauren Oyler, Nicole Chung, Chibundu Onuzo, and Chelsea Bieker. These authors later signed lucrative deals with larger publishers after receiving valuable opportunities from Catapult.\n\nAnnie Hartnett, whose literary works have consistently sold well, also started her career at a smaller press before being acquired by Zando in 2025. The loss of small presses like Catapult puts the future of developing new voices in a precarious position. As another creative press closes its doors, the outlook for nurturing emerging authors appears bleaker. In conclusion, the survival of small, creative presses dedicated to discovering and nurturing talent is vital for maintaining a sustainable publishing landscape.",
  "summary": "In this optimization-obsessed age, it can feel downright subversive to say that gut feelings are more valuable than statistics. But the process of making art was never a numbers game. It’s the unquantifiable qualities that make the great books great:",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}