Session: 123456789101112131415161718192021         Page 157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186187188189190191192193194195196197198199200201202203204205 of 1029

And yet you did in a sense.

Yes, in a sense, but I've always told this story to kids in college: “One thing to remember. Don't go into the other fellow's business. Do what you want. But then because somebody else has made a great success in something like publishing, let's say, don't immediately think you can do it, too.” This is one of the curses of the publishing business-- copying, imitating. Somebody will have a successful series; three other publishers copy it immediately. We made a huge success of Beginner Books. Harper's and Grossett and Dunlap immediately began I-Can-Read books and series just like ours. We had the jump on them.

Is this copying going on all the time?

Of course. Every time a book comes out that's a little different and is a success, ten imitations come out immediately. When Lolita was a success, books about nymphets became the rage. When a book came out about The Lost Weekend, the next year there were ten novels about drunks. This is always done.