'A publisher who writes is like a cow in a milk bar.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A publisher who also writes is in a conflict of interest, like an animal expected to produce profit while being part of the product itself.
- In plain terms
- Publishers who write are in a strange and contradictory position.
- What can you take from it?
- Avoid roles where you profit from evaluating your own work.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Have you ever been in a role that conflicted with your output?
- Who benefits when a judge also writes the law?
Another view
The metaphor is vivid but may oversimplify the complex role of editor-authors.
More from Arthur Koestler
'Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.'
Permalink to quote #12 'Courage is never to let your actions be influenced by your fears.
Permalink to quote #14 'The most persistent sound which reverberates through man's history is the beating of war drums.'
Permalink to quote #11
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