With respect to the controversial publishing chapter
in the Les Murray biography, isn't there a point of
etiquette being broken (presumably with Les Murray's
permission) regarding reader's reports.
As these are written by publisher's readers to assist
in publishing decisions on unpublished works, would
it not be an act of common decency to secure permission
from the author of a munuscript before quoting them.
Obviously you can quote them to the author, in a letter
of acceptance/rejection... But unpublished poets or
unsuccesful submitters have rights and should be
extended common decency.
Those with expert knowledge of Australian poetry
can make out whom exactly these reader's reports were
assessing. It seems to me to be an abuse of the rights
of submitting poets to have these made public, especially
the more damning one's Les wrote for Angus & Robertson.
These unsuccesful submitters are having insult added to
injury, out of what should be private literary correspondence
entering the public arena.
The Australian Society of authors should to my mind take issue
with Professor Peter Alexander over the ethics of making
internal publishing reports public.
what do other poets think about this?
Hugh Tolhurst
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