(I’m SO confused … and I work in the self-publishing industry!) Oh geez, did I say that out loud? Please continue to read anyway … though I’m biased, I think I do raise a few interesting points.
My thoughts as they arrived during my agonizing read of the Examiner/Roberts article:
- frustration that self-publishing remains vilified by the media, “elite” authors, and mainstream publishers (who
are not “slumming”*--see below for definition) - amazement that lifetime, traditionally published authors can’t recognize that although finding good
independent authors is like spotting the ol’ needle in the haystack, the average quality of their writing has deteriorated, as well - which leads me off my original path to think about the general decay of modern writing … but save that for another
time, my muse – back to the issue at hand - pain for new authors who haven’t a prayer o fbeing picked up by a mainstream house—not because their writing is bad,
but because they didn’t blanket their keyboard with magic dust before
submitting their book proposal so it would glow among the other hundred on an
editor’s or agent’s desk—their passion is to publish—their DREAM is why they turn to hopefully reputable independent publishing
companies - sigh … but it seems the media, elite authors, and the big houses don’t care about dreams anymore; they’re too busy
quaking in their boots at the scum rising from the bottom of their worst publishing nightmares—that the world might actually progress beyond their narrow
minds and that enterprising and smart new authors (or disgruntled former
traditionally published authors) are embracing their dreams and opting for action
beyond wallpapering their offices with rejection slips—IF they even receive a
reply - get real, people—of course, in the “all are created equal” eyes of self-publishing, there are those whose writing
does not equal eloquence … OK, don’t even equate to bad journaling—but seriously,
I’ve seen that kind of writing in traditionally published books, too (chalk
that up to bad editors and agents???)—and there ARE very talented independent authors—but if we wait for mainstream publishing to pick them up, we may
never know they were here
And what is “slumming”? That’s a mainstream publisher who buys/merges/whatever, a self-publishing company but still slams it, however subtle they may try to be—you know—like the uppity rich kid who crosses the railroad tracks to date the poor servant girl, then brags to his friends about his conquest.
Make no mistake about it, people … it is ALL about money. But readers DON’T CARE HOW a book on the shelf is published—they DO care about good storytellers and informative nonfiction. Is a book self-published? “Fine! Here’s my money, just gimme the book!”
Believe what you want about traditional publishers, they’re not entirely stupid—they’re going where the money and the future of publishing is—SELF PUBLISHING!!!
