Big Idea: What Publishers Can Learn from the 1864 Webster's Dictionary

By John Morse

Book Business asked industry thought leaders to discuss the big ideas that are changing the book industry. We are excited about the future of publishing, and we hope these essays invigorate you with new and illuminating perspectives on that future. View the complete essay collection here.

The big ideas I am thinking about are actually old big ideas. They are the big ideas that underlie a remarkable dictionary published 150 years ago, the 1864 revision of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. This dictionary is noteworthy for being the dictionary that established the model for what all succeeding unabridged dictionaries would be. Its success flows from three big ideas...

Big Idea #1: Be willing to abandon previous notions of what makes a product good.
The 1864 edition of the Unabridged Dictionary was the first major revision of the dictionary after the death of Noah Webster. As such, the editors and publishers had a decision: Would they remain committed to the editorial policies and practices of Noah Webster, or would they strike out in new directions?

It was not an easy choice. They knew that there were profound problems with the dictionary as Noah left it. On the other hand, Webster was renowned as a dictionary-maker, and there were strong voices that argued against radical change.

Happily, the voices for change prevailed. The editors and publishers embraced new scholarship, introduced new features, and established new rules for how dictionary information should be presented. As a result, they embarked on one of the biggest dictionary revisions ever undertaken, crossing out much of Webster's text and essentially rewriting the dictionary.

Big Idea #2: Be willing to change the way you do things.
Up until then, dictionaries were written by just one person, whether it was Samuel Johnson, Noah Webster, or others. But the scope of the 1864 edition was going to go far beyond what one person could do. So, for the first time, an entire staff of definers, editors, subject specialists, researchers, and proofreaders was assembled to take on the task. It was a daunting organizational challenge, carrying with it great costs and risks. Fortunately, an able leader was found, and a seemingly impossible project was completed within a few years of his appointment.