I think we can all agree, stupid people are everywhere. Even in publishing. Especially in publishing! And nothing makes putative authors' blood boil more than hearing about a six-figure deal based on a gimmick, a movie, a (god forbid) blog, or something else that doesn't smack of years and years workshop-attending, literary-magazine courting, and MFA-garnering. What are these publishers thinking, doling out (comparatively) measly advances to mid-career writers who've spent years honing their craft and then shelling out the big bucks to whatever corporation is putting together BoratSecret?

Well, they're thinking about the bottom line -- and here's why their approach makes sense (well, as much as anything ever does)

(from Unsolicited at Gawker).