Chasing the glittering literary prizes

Sheila O’Reilly: a bookseller's perspective

As an editor are you aiming high? Are you aiming to be the editor who commissions the next Bailey’s winner or the winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize*? Will achieving that accolade for your author matter to your career? But more importantly for Mr Finance of the 6th floor will it sell books?
The short answer is yes, the slightly longer answer is yes but, and the very long answer follows.