The State of Things
10:38 am
Mon April 1, 2013

Sci-Fi Publisher Leaves Catholic Faith For Fantastic Worlds

Jim Minz
Jim Minz
Credit ktempest, via Flickr.com, Creative Commons
Jim Minz, senior editor at Baen Publishing, discusses his life and the evolution of book publishing

Jim Minz’s childhood in small-town West Bend, Wisconsin prepared him for two things: game shows and science fiction.

West Bend was home to the West Bend Company – the maker of small appliances which were regularly featured as consolation prize on game shows.

Other than that fun fact, Minz’s childhood was filled mostly with faith and fantasy. He was a Catholic devotee and, at one point, even wanted to enter the priesthood. But girls, and eventually, scandal in
the church, led him to part ways with Catholicism. Fortunately, books, such as the “Lord of the Rings” -- as well as many tombs of science fiction -- firmly fixed him in an imaginary world of possibility.

In college, he had the opportunity to work with an experienced sci-fi publisher, Jim Frenkel. From there, he moved on to Tor Publishing in New York City, followed by Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, and finally Baen Publishing in Wake Forest.

It’s here in North Carolina that he’s really found his niche. Baen publishing, founded by sci-fi great Jim Baen, has been at the forefront of the e-book revolution and continues to find new ways to innovate in
the changing world of book publishing.

“Baen has always been a traditional publisher,” he said. “…on the other hand as soon as the e-book revolution started…Jim got it from a very early stage.”

Baen was selling e-books before most publishers, including in the form of CD-ROMS in the back of some print copies.

While many worry about the future of print books and are concerned that e-books could lead to copyright infringement, Minz isn’t concerned.

“The real problem isn’t that someone wants to steal your book,” he said. “The real problem is finding someone who wants to bother to buy your book in the first place.”

 

Related program:
http://wunc.org/post/sci-fi-publisher-leaves-catholic-faith-fantastic-worlds
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