Publisher's Synopsis
Printers were powerful figures in the creation of early modern books: they determined the physical appearance of books, changed content, and even altered or eliminated the name of the author to suit their own commercial and cultural interests. These interventions encouraged the birth of modern notions of authorship, for they compelled writers, editors, and printers to confront questions of textual ownership and authority. In the publication of female authors, however, book producers had to grapple with new concerns about authority and value since female authors were few and far between and their appeal was far from guaranteed. Certainly, the novelty of female authors could represent both an economic and cultural niche for the enterprising printer, but that same novelty in a culture unaccustomed to women's literary production was also a risky investment.
