How the publishing industry was hijacked – and what it cost us

Once upon a time, publishing was about storytelling. A good book stood on its own merit, judged by the strength of its characters, the depth of its themes, and the quality of its prose. But that era is long gone. Over the past decade, mainstream publishing has been transformed—not by a passion for great stories, but by a rigid ideological agenda that prioritises politics over talent.

The result? Countless incredible stories have been lost, buried under the weight of industry gatekeeping. Authors who don't conform to the prevailing narrative are shut out. Characters and plots that challenge the status quo are rewritten or rejected outright. Publishers have shifted from fostering creativity to enforcing conformity, and in doing so, they’ve turned their backs on the very readers they claim to serve.

The cost of ideological publishing

This shift hasn’t just silenced authors; it has robbed readers of the richness that once defined literature. Science fiction, fantasy, crime, and historical fiction—once playgrounds of imagination—are now constrained by checklists. What once made these genres great was their willingness to explore the full spectrum of human nature. Today, that complexity is sacrificed for one-note messaging, and books that don’t fit the mould never see the light of day.

Consider how many brilliant authors have either self-censored or been forced out entirely. How many incredible stories—filled with nuance, conflict, and truth—have been rewritten to fit an approved narrative? How many voices have been erased simply because they didn’t bow to the industry’s demands?

Here’s some examples of fantastic authors being rejected for not being ‘woke’ enough.

And another example. This author’s book has since topped the sci-fi charts over 10 times and he did it as an indy!

And another!

The rise of independent authors

But here’s the good news: the story isn’t over. While traditional publishing locks its doors, independent authors are breaking through the walls. Freed from corporate restrictions, indie writers are creating the books that mainstream publishers refuse to touch. They write what they want, how they want, and—most importantly—what readers actually crave.

Unlike legacy publishers, independent authors aren’t obsessed with quotas and ideological purity tests. They tell stories for the sake of storytelling. They aren’t afraid to write complex heroes, morally grey villains, or worlds that reflect reality in all its messy, unpredictable glory. And that’s why readers are turning to them in droves.

The future of real storytelling

The mainstream publishing industry may never return to what it was. But the spirit of great storytelling is alive and well—it has simply found a new home. Readers no longer need publishers to tell them what they can or can’t read. Platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing, Patreon, and independent bookstores are making it easier than ever for true storytellers to reach their audiences.

And that’s where the real future of fiction lies. Not in corporate boardrooms, but in the hands of the authors who refuse to be silenced—and the readers who refuse to settle for anything less than great stories.

If traditional publishing has chosen to abandon its mission, so be it. We, the storytellers have moved on.

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