"All of the changes in publishing since 1960 are significant. There are far fewer publishers"

Donald E. Westlake’s remark reflects on the seismic shifts in the publishing landscape over several decades. Since 1960, the book industry has experienced transformation in nearly every aspect: technology, distribution, reader accessibility, and the fundamental structure of the publishing business itself. When Westlake notes the significance of these changes, he draws attention to the depth and scope of the evolution, warning against underestimating their collective impact.

The heart of his observation lies in the reduction of the number of publishers. In the early and mid-twentieth century, the US and much of the Western world saw publishing as a highly diversified field, with numerous small presses, regionally-focused houses, and literary publishers. The sheer multiplicity allowed for a variety of voices, idiosyncratic styles, experimental works, and risk-taking. Writers often found champions among editors at smaller houses, leading to the discovery of significant new talent and the proliferation of unique narratives.

However, as Westlake highlights, the following decades brought consolidation. Large publishing conglomerates absorbed or eliminated many independent players. The industry’s growing focus on profitability, competition with new entertainment forms, and the mounting costs of printing, distribution, and marketing forced smaller publishers out or compelled them to merge. As a result, editorial risk-taking diminished and the market grew homogenized, with bestsellers and celebrity-driven content increasingly prioritized over experimental or midlist works.

Fewer publishers also means fewer opportunities for new authors, and less space for unconventional stories. The market’s gatekeeping intensifies, making the path into print more difficult for those outside mainstream trends. Meanwhile, quality and diversity can suffer, as business decisions shift toward meeting broad, commercial expectations rather than nurturing niche or avant-garde voices.

Ultimately, Westlake’s reflection underscores a tension: while advances in technology and society have revolutionized how stories are produced and consumed, the narrowing of the powerful gatekeepers may have diminished the breadth of literary culture, concentrating influence and opportunity in fewer, larger hands.