Amit Chaudhuri’s sharp critique of the annual prize-winning circus that is the Booker prize was refreshingly courageous (Why have writers taken their eye off the real prize?, 16 August). As we know, the demise of smaller publishers and the resulting domination of the field of literature by multinational book-producing factories has also spelt the demise of literary editors who, in the past, nurtured new talent and were willing to go against the grain of market predictions. But the Guardian itself is guilty of promoting exactly the circus Chaudhuri is critiquing. Not only do you give the Booker and other literary competitions undue coverage, but in the choice of authors you promote and book reviews you publish, you recycle the same few “big” authors who have already profited from the marketing of their work. When will you perhaps attempt to do what literary agents did formerly and push the boat out for new, young and promising writers? You are in a unique position to do so.
John Green
London
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
