From Litro UK: Daniel T. O’Brien, Executive Director of the Independent Publishers Caucus, speaks with Eric Akoto about independent publishing, AI slop, shrinking discoverability, booksellers, libraries and the infrastructure that keeps serious books visible.
The interview was first published on Litro’s UK site as part of our continuing coverage of independent publishing, cultural memory and discoverability. We are sharing it with Litro USA readers because the pressures Daniel describes are directly relevant to the American independent press ecosystem: rising costs, crowded catalogues, automated recommendation systems, and the growing difficulty of getting serious books in front of readers.
O’Brien’s answers are especially sharp on the human networks that still matter: booksellers, librarians, independent media, advocacy campaigns and the collective work of keeping difficult books alive long enough to find their audience.
“We’re seeing the proliferation of AI slop across the marketplace making all of our jobs harder.”
Read the full interview on Litro UK.
FAQ
Who is Daniel T. O’Brien?
Daniel T. O’Brien is Executive Director of the Independent Publishers Caucus, an organisation supporting independent publishers in the United States.
What does the interview cover?
The interview covers independent publishing, AI-generated books, shrinking discoverability, booksellers, libraries, archives and the systems that help serious books reach readers.
Why does this matter to Litro USA readers?
Independent presses remain central to American literary culture, especially for politically urgent, formally ambitious, translated and culturally specific work that larger commercial systems may overlook.
