tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post2045549462523339757..comments2023-09-12T06:18:38.552-04:00Comments on The World in the Satin Bag: Why I'm Going Indie: An Anti-Self-Publisher's PerspectiveAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-50647139275807178742011-06-24T00:24:53.677-04:002011-06-24T00:24:53.677-04:00I don't think there's anything wrong with ...I don't think there's anything wrong with the submission process. I think the problem is that a lot of what is getting picked up shouldn't be published at all, while a lot of really great works of art or left to fester or the authors are sent on their way to try new avenues. Publisher are adapting to the sensationalist model, which is unsustainable in any realistic sense. They're simply losing their way with readers. That's not universal, though. Some publishers do just fine, but others...are only doing fine because they are publishing garbage. This has become more apparent to me in the last few years.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-8411065445634256402011-06-24T00:14:47.540-04:002011-06-24T00:14:47.540-04:00The submission process is a good system in that no...The submission process is a good system in that no-one's ever come up with a better one. I had some pretty awful experiences with it, so was glad to leave it behind, but I certainly haven't been able to suggest a more efficient system.<br /><br />Going a few years in the submission process is generally a good move. The time it takes gives many writers a chance to mature in the craft, and impersonal rejection letters are likely easier to take than scathing reviews out there in public. For those who can do it, putting out a few books with a publisher first, before making the step into self-publishing, is a win/win situation - you bring yourself up to 'commercial publication quality', the publishers establish your reputation with readers, and then self-publication becomes a very viable prospect if that's what you want to do.<br /><br />But remaining eternally in submission is not a good thing. Publishers simply cannot publish every 'good' book, especially when they have to balance difficult market factors. Too often writers are told that if the book is publishable, it will be picked up eventually, and all they need to do is stick with submitting.<br /><br />And, of course, writers are told that if it's not picked up, it's not "good enough". I was fortunate in my own self-publishing efforts to have the validation of being an Aurealis finalist, which I can point to and say: "See! Not that bad!".<br /><br />Still, self-publishing is just another option. Taking an advantage of all options can't be a bad thing.Andrea K Hösthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01535131780314094508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-2752730165608796172011-06-23T19:04:48.946-04:002011-06-23T19:04:48.946-04:00Andrea: I've heard a lot of SPers say they we...Andrea: I've heard a lot of SPers say they went that route because they wanted to control. I happen to like that too, though I wouldn't say it would be my top reason for SPing. It might be as I publish more, but I'm sort of new to all this in any realistic sense.<br /><br />I'm also less concerned with the submission process. I have my issues with it, and in a lot of ways I think it's a good system, but I try to distance myself from incorporating that into my rationale for SPing anything.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-41403642742440360672011-06-23T00:22:41.589-04:002011-06-23T00:22:41.589-04:00One of the major things which attracted me to self...One of the major things which attracted me to self-publishing was control.<br /><br />An author going through a publisher has little to no control over cover, publishing timeframe, issues such as DRM for ebooks, or whether their next book in a series will go forward. I love having the final say over all those things.<br /><br />I have overall very positive reviews, and get a kick out of reading them. One of my self-published novels was a finalist for the Aurealis Awards for best fantasy novel 2010 (beating out a solid number of traditionally published books).<br /><br />I can't pretend to be a self-publishing success story in terms of sales, but it allowed me to leave behind the tremendous negativity of the submission process. It allows me to finish a series without worrying whether a group of accountants will judge it not profitable enough. It lets me have my books on my own bookshelf, and see the reaction of others reading and enjoying them.<br /><br />I'm tremendously happy to have self-published.Andrea K Hösthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01535131780314094508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-74992611656172784102011-06-20T09:02:32.135-04:002011-06-20T09:02:32.135-04:00Hey Ben. Thanks for the comment. I still like th...Hey Ben. Thanks for the comment. I still like the gatekeepers, in all honesty. I think we need ways to ensure quality material gets to the consumer. I fear that gatekeeping is falling to the wayside, though, what with all kinds of books being published these days that damn well don't deserve the publisher's label on them. The problem with SPing, for me (still), is that the burden is placed on the consumer to find the good books, which is not how I want people to discover great fiction. I'm hoping a podcast will alleviate some of those concerns over WISB. Maybe not.<br /><br />But perhaps ebooks are changing the field well enough that more and more good books are reaching readers than bad?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-77519774000396823232011-06-20T08:43:35.463-04:002011-06-20T08:43:35.463-04:00Hi Shaun,
For the sake of being snippy-snappy, I ...Hi Shaun,<br /><br />For the sake of being snippy-snappy, I think "indie" is the term self-published authors used to sound more hip. I've self-published two e-books, although I'm happy to use the terms interchangeably - since I like being hip, and everything.<br /><br />That said, I think your reasons to self-/indie-/e-pub are sound. Simply the knowledge I've gained from publishing two little short stories (that were - sob-story here - rejected by any and all comers) is worth the fact that I haven't sold a one of them. Personally, I still hedge my bets on the traditional scheme and favour it in my professional strategy/goal-making (if nothing else, it's made me a lot more money so far; though obviously there's a lot more considerations, too). But no matter how you dice it, the ability to self-publish has become a powerful force: it's free, it's not too hard, and you can put out whatever you like - no gatekeepers allowed. That's something any budding author ought to take note of.Ben Godbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15450579203940093977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-40208772743729381802011-06-19T21:03:04.786-04:002011-06-19T21:03:04.786-04:00Hey Sheila! Thanks for the happy wishes. I hope ...Hey Sheila! Thanks for the happy wishes. I hope it works out. We'll see. Either way, I'm going to try!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-46779895504431219202011-06-19T20:05:24.891-04:002011-06-19T20:05:24.891-04:00Wow, the world is definitely changing! Good luck w...Wow, the world is definitely changing! Good luck with your new ventures.<br /><br />Love the Lynn Price post! There is so much confusion in the industry right now, much of it sown by the vanity/subsidy publishers.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16813084292265103896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-21005009571373009492011-06-19T17:49:58.710-04:002011-06-19T17:49:58.710-04:00No harm done. It's useful to know there are d...No harm done. It's useful to know there are differences between the two terms. I'll have to figure out if I'm really indie or an SPer. I'm leaning towards indie, but that's just because it sounds nice.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-74710301722031176062011-06-19T17:46:51.461-04:002011-06-19T17:46:51.461-04:00Haha, ok ;) I thought after I hit the 'publish...Haha, ok ;) I thought after I hit the 'publish' button my comment might have sounded a little short and snippy, but honestly I didn't mean it that way! Maybe I'm spending too much time on Twitter, I'm starting to think in 140 character blocks :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-32096881239845465332011-06-19T17:11:41.351-04:002011-06-19T17:11:41.351-04:00Thanks for the link. I'll check it out. I kn...Thanks for the link. I'll check it out. I know there's a difference, but I used both terms for my own diabolical purposes.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571452656553970472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33813337.post-27305825997874130222011-06-19T17:04:56.568-04:002011-06-19T17:04:56.568-04:00One comment. "Indie" and "self-pub&...One comment. "Indie" and "self-pub" are two different things. See Lynn Price's blog, http://behlerblog.com/2011/03/30/theyve-screwed-up-all-our-words/ for a thorough explanation of all the publishing terms. <br /><br />I still need to get her book, but her blog is just excellent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com