Jan 3, 2023
A perceptive devotee of the podcast told
me last week that he thought I was an ignoramus.
'You don't think it takes talent to
be a photographer (referring to something said during this
conversation with Michael Torosian, maker of fine press photography
books,
here)?'
'I do think it takes talent,' I
responded. 'I just don't know how much. The case hasn't been made
very well I don't think for photographers. Besides, true artistic
genius is rare, regardless of what field you're talking
about.'
'Why are you singling out
photography then?'
'Well,' I averred, 'as Alexey
Brodovitch, Conde Nast's great art director once put it: 'To learn
yourself is more difficult than to listen to a teacher...Please
take everything I say with a grain of salt. My way of guiding
people is by irritation. I will try to irritate you, to explore
you... the more disagreement the more we
learn.'
The idea is that when you
intentionally irritate someone they often respond with their best
work. I like to try this on every now and again during an
interview.'
In fact, I tried it on last week, albeit
unintentionally, during a conversation with Richard
Charkin when I suggested that the relative success of his
new publishing experiment might be attributable, in part at least,
to the fact that he, and most of his clients, have
money.
Richard has achieved much over the years
during a creditable,
significant career. He got to the very top of the publishing
world. Nothing more satisfying to him though, I'm guessing, than
having launched and operated Mensch, his thriving little
'micro' publishing house.
I wanted to know how he was getting on
after four years at the helm, what he'd learned, and, as it turns
out, whether or not others could duplicate what he's done without
the benefit of his special place both in the publishing
constellation and in the world at large.
The conversation commences with a
mission statement; then some meaningless platitudes about books,
communicating and making the world a better place; then we talk
about how much Richard invested up front in Mensch; about the
criteria he uses for choosing which books to publish; about
personality and commissioning books; about emails and what they
mean; rejecting submissions; working with journalists, celebrities
and non-celebrities; saving author proofs; growing backlists;
hiring publicists; using print-on-demand; achieving diversity in
the publishing industry; Rovers, Minis, and yes, fairness, plus
much, much more.
I was left with the impression that
money has far less to do with creating a thriving publishing
enterprise than does prudence, personality and good, new
technology. Yes, it helps to be wonderfully communicative and
outgoing, like Richard is, and observant. But what's inspiring here
I think, the lesson if you will, is that if you follow Richard's
lead, pay attention to what's going on around you, let others know
what you're up to, keep tabs on technology, the chances are pretty
good you'll be able to do some decent damage, and do it without
having to spend a whole lot of money
You may not get rich, but you can change
the world, hopefully for the better, just as Richard's
doing.