BookBrunch

Do publishers have a duty to aim for excellence? Or not to publish dross? Lynda La Plante (BookBrunch story) and Nigel Farndale (Telegraph) believe so. Farndale does not swallow the argument that ghostwritten novels by Katie Price, say, might encourage fans to trade up to more demanding works: "More likely, those who plough their way through a badly written celebrity novel will be put off reading for good." The theory that readers might say, "I tried a novel once; it was rubbish; never again" seems a little far-fetched to me. But arguments on this subject are always based on unprovable assumptions.

Katie Price and Martine McCutcheon would be unwelcome novelists if they diverted resources away from more worthwhile projects. But publishing is not a zero sum game. If, for the sake of argument, excellent writers are finding it increasingly difficult to get contracts or promotional support from publishers, they must look beyond Katie and Martine to find the cause.