"Five hundred copies [the average print run of a poetry collection]…"
It might be worth adding that print runs of 500 are the norm in Canada because (I believe) the Canada Council demands it of the publishers it funds. This is what a publisher of poetry who wanted to switch to printing-on-demand but could not once told me. Extrapolating from the American numbers probably gets closer to the truth of how many books actually sell here.
Beaulieu does mention a number of presses are starting to do runs of 250-300 copies, so it's possible the funders are offering a bit more flex, but I think you're substantively correct here: it's another example of how the Canadian funding system distorts publishing practices in this country. (Obviously the free market offers its own terrors.)
"Five hundred copies [the average print run of a poetry collection]…"
It might be worth adding that print runs of 500 are the norm in Canada because (I believe) the Canada Council demands it of the publishers it funds. This is what a publisher of poetry who wanted to switch to printing-on-demand but could not once told me. Extrapolating from the American numbers probably gets closer to the truth of how many books actually sell here.
Beaulieu does mention a number of presses are starting to do runs of 250-300 copies, so it's possible the funders are offering a bit more flex, but I think you're substantively correct here: it's another example of how the Canadian funding system distorts publishing practices in this country. (Obviously the free market offers its own terrors.)
Le doy una lectura en cuanto pueda y comento. Abrazo!
Just fantastic critical riches here, thank you!