While Anne is dealing with her long editorial letter, this bright news for the rest of you.

A couple of my writer friends really keep up on the latest publishing news. I read or skip their emails, depending on my writing mood. Try this one.

“I read in Publishers’ Weekly last week that 70% of books don’t earn out their advance. Then read this today:

And, in traditional publishing—i.e. the “success” stories of those who got contracts with publishing houses—7% of the books publish generate 87% of book sales. This means, she noted, that 93% of all published books sold less than 1,000 copies.”

Hey, if your book sells only 1000 copies you’re in the in crowd, the pressure off. But oh the sales figures are so important for new contracts. Some of those 93% category books are terrific ones that never got the spin and support they needed to reach readers.

Get out the martini shaker indeed.