Author Selection

I'd like to see Del Rey try at least one new author a year.

 

Ya, those and the "Tales of.." books.

The thing with authors is that no matter how much certain ones get accused of focusing on "their characters" (Mary Sue-ing), each author has a group of characters, or just one or two, that they like and use. That's why having a lot of different ones is good. I think we have a good assortment now, with different authors having their own areas of expertise, so it's sort of a big puzzle of the GFFA, and each author has their own piece they put into it. Sometimes the puzzle needs to get bigger, or add different things, hence new authors. But a new author should be taught well about the GFFA, and tested out on some short stories or stuff like that.

 

While I think it's unlikely that the old AJs would start up again, there is at least the Insider mag where a short story could be put in every issue to do a little bit of that.


As to the original question, I'm along a similar thought line that's a mix of some the previous posters in terms of doing a certain amount per contract while making the choice of when specific to needs. Arcs like NJO or LotF you'd want established authors since they'd be used to working with the LFL/DR system, but maybe chucking in one new author for it would allow someone to be able to shine while drawing on the experience of those who've been there before. Then using the one-shot books in the larger era sets (mainly the Sith and Prequel eras, as well as the time before the Sith era) to give other new authors space to do something individual without having to conform to too much continuity and previous style. Ideally something like a 30/70 to 50/50 mix of new to previous authors would give us some great new stories/authors while also sating our want for more stories from those who have impressed us before.