Nicolaus Copernicus told us nearly 600 years ago that we—Earthlings—do not inhabit the center of the universe. We occupy territory that revolves around the center, the

Sun. In publishing, those who produce the books sometimes forget the lesson of Copernicus. It’s easy to see ourselves as the center of the publishing universe with authors, agents, printers, distributors, librarians, and booksellers orbiting our offices. Now that our offices are in our humble homes, with computer keyboards disinfected daily by our Purell-soaked fingers, it’s a good time to reflect on who is at the center of our business. It’s creatives. The people who write well, draw well, photograph well, and imagine well. We have no business without them. We have no purpose without them. But they need us, too. The warmth of the Sun is only appreciated because planets like Earth exist.