The Reading Room | Barbara Solomon | Talks at Google

TL;DR

Barbara Probs Solomon discusses her experience as a writer and the innovative publishing process behind her literary magazine, Reading Room.

Transcript

DONNER: Welcome to Authors@Google. I'm Marc Donner and I'm here to introduce Barbara Probs Solomon. I've known Barbara many years as a family friend and I've actually been learning a little bit about her amazing career and the time that we've been preparing for this visit. As a teenager, shortly after the end of World War II, Barbara did a rathe... Read More

Key Insights

• 💆 The conventional publishing industry is no longer the only path to getting published.
• 💦 Literary writers have historically been more passive in promoting their work compared to other artists.
• 😕 Vanity publishing should not be confused with writers taking their own initiative to publish.
• 🙊 Spanish literature is relatively unknown in the English-speaking world due to historical and cultural factors.
• 😮 The rise of technology and the internet brings both challenges and opportunities for readers to find quality content.
• 😒 The Reading Room uses a combination of old-fashioned techniques and new technology to publish its literary magazine.
• 👅 The magazine's content selection is based on the passions and taste of the editors, resulting in an idiosyncratic approach.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired Barbara Probs Solomon to go to Europe as a teenager?

Barbara Probs Solomon was inspired by her father's experience in the trenches of World War I and her mother's artistic background. She also had a natural curiosity about Europe.

Q: How did Barbara Probs Solomon navigate the publishing industry as a writer?

Barbara Probs Solomon believed in multiple submitting her work to different publishers, despite the conventional rule of submitting to one at a time. She was willing to explain her reasoning if multiple publishers showed interest in her work.

Q: Why is Spanish literature relatively unknown in the English-speaking world?

Barbara Probs Solomon suggests that the focus on English and French literature, as well as historical conflicts with Spain, contributed to the lack of knowledge about Spanish literature.

Q: How does Barbara Probs Solomon select content for Reading Room?

Barbara Probs Solomon and her team at Reading Room receive submissions from various sources, including interns and writers who come to them. They have an idiosyncratic approach to selecting and categorizing content for each issue.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Barbara Probs Solomon went to Europe as a teenager to understand the aftermath of World War II, where she got involved in activism and rescue efforts.

• She became a world famous writer in the US, and now celebrates the new edition of her literary magazine Reading Room, which uses a unique publishing process.

• Reading Room is produced by the authors themselves, with on-demand printing and distribution through online bookstores.