Yellowface, Publishing Politics, and Why I’m Not Playing the Game
I’ve just finished Yellowface by Rebecca Kuang - a book hailed as a razor-sharp takedown of the publishing industry. It’s been called bold, brave, and biting.
But here’s the thing: I didn’t think it was any of those things.
The premise is clunky, the characters are borderline caricatures, and the main character is - to put it politely - deeply irritating. The plot twists are so implausible they verge on parody. And judging by the number of one- and two-star reviews, I’m not alone in thinking this.
Yet it’s everywhere. Bestsellers lists. Window displays. Social media campaigns. A million copies sold and counting.
It’s hard not to notice the irony. A book criticising the publishing machine becomes a prime example of exactly how that machine operates: all marketing, all momentum - regardless of quality.
Now to be clear, my issue isn’t with Kuang personally. She’s clearly talented, and this blog isn’t a personal attack. It’s about the way the industry behaves - and how books like this are elevated not because they’re exceptional, but because they’ve been chosen to be visible. Pre-packaged controversy. Faux disruption. A neat story behind the story.
Meanwhile, brilliant authors with original voices are overlooked because they’re not “marketable enough” or “don’t fit the list.”
This is what gets to me.
I don’t care what box you tick. I don’t care how old you are, what you look like, or what background you come from. I care about four things:
Is the book good? Not provocative for the sake of it - actually good.
Does it have a market? Publishing is still a business, and books need readers, I’m not selling fairy dust after all.
Have I published something similar already? I don’t believe in pitting my own authors against each other, unless it’s an unusual situation and both authors agree.
Can I work with the author? Because a great book with a nightmare author is not worth the headache. I like my authors and I work closely with them.
This year so far, 90% of my authors have been women. My most recent was 84 years old. Last year, the list was more mixed - and included a writer whose background mirrors Kuang’s in many ways. But I didn’t shout about it, because that’s not the point. I don’t publish people. I publish books.
A book should be published because it deserves to be - not because someone thinks it’ll make headlines, or because it ticks a diversity checkbox.
The big six still dominate what gets seen, stocked, and sold - and what readers are even allowed to discover. But there’s a whole world beyond that.
So if you’re tired of overhyped fiction and the same five names recycled endlessly, here’s a thought: skip the trendy table next time you’re in a bookshop.
Find something from an independent. Something without a marketing budget. Something that’s been published because it’s worth reading - not because someone decided it would be good PR. Shop around indie publishers (there’s quite a few of us) and see what they’re selling.
Support the indies. Don’t follow the sheep. We’re where the genuinely good stuff lives.