Directors from publisher WSOY taking authors with them to new company

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At least four of Finland’s top authors have decided to part company with the country’s largest publishers WSOY, when two of the company’s directors leave in the spring.
      Literary Director Touko Siltala and his younger brother Publishing Manager Aleksi Siltala have decided to establish a new publishing business later this year. They will take some of WSOY’s most renowned authors to the new company.
     
At least the Finlandia Prize winners Kari Hotakainen (2002), Hannu Raittila (2001), and Pirkko Saisio (2003), as well as the internationally well-known writer Leena Lander have already made a decision on their departure. Some other writers are still considering their position.
      Kari Hotakainen noted that his decision to leave was not easy and has nothing to do with CEO Veli-Pekka Elonen, with whom he has always had good relations.
      Hannu Raittila, Pirkko Saisio, and Leena Lander all said that they will follow Touko Siltala, as they have always been used to cooperating with him.
      However, Hannu Raittila comments further that it is not wise to streamline a publishing company to such an extent that the core of its business - the book - is forgotten. The subtext of the remarks is a perception that WSOY has concentrated increasingly on the lucrative international textbook market and that Finnish fiction has suffered by consequence.
     
CEO Elonen admits that the departure of the Siltala brothers is some sort of a blow to the company. However, he claims that the company will survive the setback.
      While also being aware of the writers’ plans, Elonen points out that the situation may still change before they actually have something to publish.
      Elonen also notes that WSOY has a wealthy literary fund, the best foreign rights department in the country, and other benefits of a major company behind it. Many authors have said that they appreciate such things aside from a close and cordial relationship with key figures like the Siltala brothers.
     
The situation has aroused contradictory feelings among the WSOY authors. Some say that they have noticed some kind of groundswell of dissatisfaction, while others do not wish to comment on the situation in any way.
      WSOY is the leading publisher of general literature in Finland and it belongs to the SanomaWSOY Group, as does Helsingin Sanomat.


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