Guest Blogger: Who needs a publisher?

 Today we're happy to have back with us Jeff Gerke, president of Marcher Lord Press (a tiny publishing house that just got a finalist in the Christy Awards, even though he's up against the Big Boys!). Jeff was at a conference recently, and sent this my way...

I wish you'd been at the Colorado Christian Writers' Conference with me last week. I was amazed at the change in attitude regarding self-publishing. The mood was sort of...who needs a publisher?

Traditionally, publishers have been a good thing to have because they'll pay the author and get the author's book into bookstores. But those things are changing. New authors are finding it almost impossible to get contracts. Advances have dropped (some to as little as $3,000). Brick-and-mortar bookstores are becoming a less-important part of the scenario, especially with one of the giant chains apparently 180 days late in paying their bills (as someone said in a panel). Who buys books at bookstores anymore anyway? It's all on Amazon. So as long as you're there, who needs to go to bookstores?

The other thing that kept coming up is the fact that publishers will keep whatever is earned by a book, since most books will never make back their advance. However, those few that do earn back their advance will make only $1 per book in royalties. Contrast that with self-publishing, where you keep everything beyond the cost of printing the book -- the payout is more like $8 per book or higher.

Most publishers aren't wanting to publish an author unless s/he's got a large "platform," sometimes even for novelists. If you can't guarantee 10,000 in sales, you may be told "don't bother." My question (which I asked over the microphone on at least one panel) is this: if you have 10,000 in guaranteed sales, what do you need a publisher for?

I even went so far as to predict that in 3-5 years these same publishers who have been saying that self-publishing is a bad career move for a writer will instead be pleading with people to come to them: "Please consider publishing with us. We have this, this, and this we can offer." I am saddened when I hear editors and authors talking about "real publishers" and books that are "actually published" (as opposed to self-published). Yes, I know what they mean... but I can't see how anything approaching arrogance pleases God. The climate has so changed that many people are realizing they don't need publishers. Publishers need authors! Most may be only 5-10 years from obsolescence anyway. Maybe 3-5 years. They're holding on to an old model, and it's a model that no longer works. 

The new model is for consumers to self-publish. Now, many of them will just post their Word documents to the web, sort of a YouTube approach. It will just be raw words, and though some may be good, most will be unpolished and weak. But many will eventually realize that a great edit, a professional-looking interior typeset, and a terrific cover design will help them sell more copies. 

That's where people like me come in. Smaller, nimbler, working on a new model. I offer all those services, and others like BelieversPress and Winepress become attractive to potential authors. Something to think about when you consider the future of publishing. 

 

Okay, so you may not agree with Jeff. But we'd love to know what you think. Tell us in the "comments" section...

Comments

[patriciazell]

I am ambivalent about Jeff's points. Yes, I can see the benefit of self-publishing, but I know myself. My lack of publishing know-how and lack of time may do a real disservice to my book. While some publishers may be lingering in the "dark ages," some are not. I figure that if my book is good enough for a publisher (who has much more access to the market than I do), then it's good to go. But, if it's not, I just update it in it's original form--a blog. I'll just focus my effort on promoting my blog.

Rest assured, I am going to seek an agent next month as soon as I write my proposal. I want to give my book my best shot, and if an agent/publisher wants it, I will be thrilled. I can't lose either way--that's a great place to be!

[Melissa]

Self-publishing isn't anything new. It has been around as long as I have -- and that's a long time! The only thing new is online distribution. But just because self-publishers can make their books available online doesn't mean that people will find them -- or that they will buy the book when they do.

Do I think the publishing industry is going to change? Absolutely. Do I think traditional publishers will become obsolete? Not a chance. Why? Because they're the measuring stick for quality. Yes, there may be some self-pubbed treasures, but I'm not going to sort through the dreck to find them.

Even if brick and morter stores go the way of the dodo, there will still HAVE to be gatekeepers. There will HAVE to be a way to find the quality. All writers are not created equal, and all books are not created equal. There's a reason that of the hundreds of thousands of self-pubbed books printed each year, success stories measure in the single digits -- and, sorry folks, it isn't just marketing.

[Sean]

Jeff makes a point I have been trying to get my mind around for some time. If an author already has 10,000 guarantee'd sales then why does he need a publisher? My point, in addition to his, is if writing and marketing is in the hands of the author, and since most of the sales an author will generate will come from the web, then why doesn't the author look for the most cost effective publisher to provide the small number of printed books his audience will require? It seems that even self publishing houses can get your books in Amazon and B&N. Or, if the author doesn't mind housing inventory in their garage, they could sell copies from their website and via facebook, which is where most of their fans follow them anyway.

I agree that if traditional publishing houses don't change with the times, and it appears they are not changing fast enough, then they will be obsolete in 3-5 years, 10 at the outside. Today's authors are from a generation that has lived with computers all their life, and the next generation will have had the Internet since before they were born. It is only a matter of time before there is a shift where the majority of authors will be web savvy enough to see that online/self publishing will result in more money per sale, and in turn more profit for the author.

[Regina Merrick]

As a public library director, most of the ideas I get for ordering books (and I order at least $1,000 worth of books, much of it CBA, each month)come from publisher's ads in magazines and catalogs, Ingram and Baker and Taylor preview magazines, etc. I kind of know which publishers have which books my patrons love to read.

As an aspiring writer, I have to say the idea of a publishing house approaching ME is pretty darn enticing... :D

Things are changing. I think the main thing is to be willing to change along with the times. I don't think my contemporary romance would benefit from self-publishing. Too much competition. If, on the other hand, I had a totally new and innovative genre, or an instant hit like "The Shack," it could work.

[Nicole]

You know what I think: Yay! Way to speak it, Jeff. Especially the arrogance factor.

But, yes, as it stands now, self-publishing is difficult without acute marketing assistance and skills.

[AimeeLS]

I too agree with Jeff on the arrogance factor, but I'm not entirely convinced on the self-publishing. Most readers tire quickly of substandard writing. The weakness of the work will be every self-published author's downfall.

That said, if I sold a single book to a 'real' publisher that was successful, I would be sorely tempted to pay a professional editor and 'real' publicist to work with me on the next and cut the publisher out. the mystique of marketing and audience is gone once you've got a platform. If you're smart about it, you'll only need a 'real' publisher for book 1 (or perhaps series 1). Which probably falls in line with Jeff's thoughts on the obselence of traditional publishing in 5-10 years if things don't change.

[Timothy Fish]

Everyone knows I'm a fan of self-publishing, so I ought to agree with Jeff, but I think he missed the boat. I wrote about this back in November when I wrote about "A World Without Thomas Nelson"( http://timothyfish.blogspot.com/2009/11/world-without-thomas-nelson.html ). The basic point of that post was that with everyone putting their stuff out there in published form without the aid of a publisher we would need some means of sorting through all the junk to find the diamonds. While a publisher is not absolutely necessary, we would likely turn to some other means of getting our books to stand out (such as writer associations), but those other means would end up looking very much like the publishers we have today. Yes, there would be differences, but a lot of the stuff publishers provide are necessary things for the success of a book. Publishers may have to make some changes, but I think that if publishers will return to producing high quality and create a name for themselves among readers then readers will tend to choose their books even if they are given a choice of millions of books.

[Sharon A Lavy]

My thoughts . . . we each have to make our own choices. I haven't given up on traditional publishing yet. But the small presses are something to look into. The editing help of traditional publishing is not something to turn our noses up at.

But arrogance is not becoming either and may drive authors to self-publish before their work is ready.

[Edwina Cowgill]

I also agree with Jeff regarding the arrogance aspect and I hope and pray that I personally never allow that arrogance into my attitude.

When my book is ready to be published, I plan to go the "traditional" route first - agent, publisher. That's my desire and goal But I also know that for those of us who are completely unknown, that route is incredibly difficult, if not impossible. So I, too, will avail myself of the self-published route if necessary.

[Colleen Coble]

I don't believe we will ever do away with traditional publishing. Heck, I don't have any distribution model. I don't have a sales force. I don't have the resources to hire a good cover designer, etc. I can't write back cover copy to save my life. LOL My editor is great at it. Getting a book out is a team project. I wouldn't want to even think of letting my books hit the store without Ami's input. I NEED my team.

Small presses like Jeff's are a good middle road. But I'd probably give up publishing if I had to do it all myself. There are so many things my publisher brings to the table. Support, great marketing and publicity, incredible editorial suggestions, weekly contact that encourages me. A knowledge that I'm part of a team that is making a difference.

Timothy has some good points above as well so I won't rehash those. But I don't see the climate changing for self publishing when it comes to novels. It works for non fiction if you have a platform but fiction is a different animal. So I'm going to stay with my house.

[Nicole]

There will always be those who insist that self-published books are inferior to royalty published books. And some will be. But the technical aspects of self or custom-published books with some outfits take a backseat to no one. As Jeff mentioned his own press and WinePress, not only do they do incredible design, formatting, etc., they provide editing from the same freelancers that the major publishers use. Heck, Jeff was an editor. Andy Meissenheimer now works for TED (The Editing Department). It's not a given that self-published books are inferior anymore.

Some of them offer marketing services, and although expensive, what isn't? The marketing factor is the big deal here--the only deterrent in my book. (And I'm talking fiction here.)

[Maria]

I am self publishing. I hired highly recommended folks to edit, produce the book trailer and do the cover design. I want to write a book worthy of a gold seal on the front even if it never gets one. I write to honor God and with that in mind will put my best into this project. Yes, I have felt the stigma of my choice. But I am creative. I will make salad with the eggs and tomatoes others in the industry throw at me.

[Boyd Sutton]

Much of this commentary seems to miss (or avoid)a key point--who you are as a writer and what makes you happy as a writer; why you write.

Yes, a traditional publisher offers some key advantages over self-publication, such as great editing and professional book design. And yes, a traditional publisher is a gatekeeper who seldom lets dreck through. But, traditional publishers simply can't handle the volume of excellent work that is available, so a lot of great stories well told don't make it. It is extreme arrogance to believe that the only worthy writing is that which is selected by the gatekeepers, especially now that I have a pretty good handle on how the process actually works.

If a writer needs the validation of a traditional publisher to believe that she has arrived, that she is successful as a writer, so be it. Then a traditional publisher is the way for her to go. But don't count on making much money unless lightening strikes and you make it big.

Many writers are happy to get their writing "out there" and not go broke. I have some friends who self-publish and are on their third or thirteenth book. They are selling enough to at least break-even on the cost of production, promotion, and marketing. And most important of all, they are happy! Their stories are in print. They are being read. They have a following ready to buy their next book. And they are motivated to keep writing. For them, that's SUCCESS!

As with most aspects of writing, there is no single "right" way to go. Don't focus on the method/process so much. Focus on what makes a writer happy and keeps him writing and improving his craft.

By the way, I heard from the Executive Editor of a very successful small press (at the Pike's Peak Writers' Conference) that most books published by traditional houses sell fewer than 2,000 copies and net their authors $0.00. Most of my successful self-publishing friends break-even on their investment at under 1,000 books and net $5 or more on every sale thereafter. Some also make more money from writing-related speaking engagements than from their book sales.

I'm not arguing that self-publishing is THE way to go. I'm just suggesting that people should not look down their noses at the alternative. Times have changed and they will continue to change in favor of some model other than traditional publishing.

[chip responds]

If an author can "guarantee" 10,000 sales? Give me a break. The biggest problem with self-publishing is that most authors don't know how to SELL their books.

We've been hearing authors complain (with some legitimacy) that they were artists being asked to serve as publicists. Now with the self-pub option, they supposed to be artists, publicists, AND salesmen?

[Wilson James]

As I indicated in my own blog http://bit.ly/Wil-J20100505 three weeks ago, I write for myself and not necessarily to sell, but the notion that thousands of copies of my five (self-published) books are now in the hands of readers heartens me. I hope what I've written brings happiness to at least a few of those readers. This could never happen in the old, traditional publishing model.

The New York Times has confirmed that my method http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/magazine/02FOB-medium-t.html of publishing books is now more popular than ever. The NYT says more than three-quarters of a million books were published by 'microniche' publishers in 2009; by comparison, Random House published less than a third of that number.

[Mark Wylde]

The time's they are a changing. I had this conversation last night with a friend...bad news for big publishing, great news for independent editors/designers. The stigma is fast disappearing.

[JTronstad]

I completely agree with Jeff that if an author has 10,000 guaranteed sales they should self-publish. The problam is that most authors have closer to 100 guaranteed sales (and that's if they come from large families).

[Cecelia Dowdy]

I agree with Timothy. If traditional publishers fade away, then they'll need to be replaced by...SOMETHING!! If everybody starts putting out books, the market will be glutted with millions of books and if there was no gatekeeper to determine the good from the bad...then that duty would fall upon the consumer. How much time does the average consumer have to wade through tons of slush to find one good book (or several good books)?

[Robyn Leatherman]

So this is my take on the situation: I have written eight novels. I have absolutely no skills in what to do next, so I write and set it aside. Write and set it aside. Sure, I have submitted my work, but I either submit to a publishing house who no longer accepts my genre due to the ever-changing atmosphere of publishing houses, or I need an agent. So I ask, will you be my agent? No. Okay then. Agents won't look at a newbie. I don't have nearly enough money to self publish or the time necessary to stand out on a street corner wiggling a sign that reads "book for sale". Back to the part where I write and set it aside. Sarcastic? Yuuup. But seriously, I'm not stupid, I just need some help and someone to guide me after i have put the cap back on my ink pen.

[Karen Dial]

This is exactly the conversation I have been having in my head today. Many thanks to your guest.

[Stevie Rey]

Preach On, Jeff, I'm in total agreement!

[Dan Walsh]

My first novel, I guess you'd say, is a success story of sorts from a traditional publisher (Revell). I earned out my advance and then some within a week of the book's release (and my agent got me a decent advance). I'm waiting on my 2nd royalty check (they gave me a preview to help me plan). If I got the numbers right, the book may have sold over 20,000 copies. And it's just been sold to some folks who plan to market it throughout S Africa this year, and Germany, Austria and Switzerland next year.

Here's the deal...do I have a "guaranteed platform" because of this? Not a chance. My blog and website combined get less than 100 hits a week. Revell is the reason people have found my book. They have a gazillion more connections than I do. True, I get a lot less per book than if I self-published. But I agree with Colleen, I don't know zip about anything but writing. And I agree with Chip, if I "jumped ship" and started self-publishing, I know less than zip about marketing, distribution and sales.

Then again...I'm 53, officially an old guy. It may be that a younger generation of writers can pull it all together in a nice, workable package.

But my gut tells me...traditional publishers who bend and flex with the times will still be alive and well 10 years from now. And I suppose, some really exceptional self-published books will rise to the top, making their authors a small fortune.

[Keith Henry]

As the number of opportunities to publish through the traditional houses shrink it is only natural that other options come into play. I am at least three months from finishing my first novel so this decision is looming in the future. If anybody out there reads this and has a mind for business, create a small press company that does all these things that a big house does (i.e. editing, marketing, etc.) and you'll make a bundle of money and you'll have thousands of potential clients. And when you do get rich, don't forget who gave you the idea! ;)

[soulsupply]

hmmm ... who would have thought GM would 'go to the wall?'

Who would have thought that we all would find out that greed isn't good? etc, etc.

Will only the large publishing houses survive on momentum in 10 years time?

I am a 'publishing philistine' but still curiously read what I can ..yet a thought or two ........

Surely the more 'protective' and 'demanding' a publisher/the industry becomes, the more they drive the entrepeneurial author to use his/her own resources... hmm and I suspect that may well be the type of character that could also 'pull a good story together'.

Jeff has articulated 'the prophetic' to my mind in an industry that aapears to be facing the same challenges as Henry Ford did when his beloved Model T was finally being outsold by cars (Chevvys)that came in more than just black.

[[email protected]]

This is a most interesting blog, thanks Jeff and Chip and the comments are even more intriguing . Just like discussions about Politics and Religion what is usually left out is "How". Publishing, like selling anything is all about moving merchandise. We can debate all we want about which is better when we should be discussing marketing, promotion and sales.

[Dennis Hillman]

A publisher adding his two-cents worth here, hopefully without arrogance! Jeff is correct: a motivated author with a platform can get all the services a traditional publisher used to offer—editing, marketing, design, printing—on a fee-for-service basis and keep the profits. Of course that author is putting up his or her own money and time to make it happen. And for some, that will work for the market/audience they want to reach. But they are probably not authors who earn a living from writing. For them, it's an avocation, not a profession, or it's a secondary activity to their primary speaking or ministry activities.

What needs to be factored into the discussion is the market the author wants to reach. Will self-publishing allow an author to move into the larger general market of stores and e-sellers or the more defined CBA Christian store market? Maybe, but most often not. The Shack began as a self-pubbed book. What happened when it began to take off? The author turned to a traditional, very, very large corporate publisher because the logistics of handling a best-seller are beyond the capabilities of 99% of authors. The broader the market, the more need there is for specific expertise.

In the end it's not an either/or proposition. Some folks will do modestly well self-publishing. Some will be gratified to see their work in print and have appreciate readers. Other writers want to reach a very broad audience with their work. Publishers are going to to continue to serve authors, even though the nature of publishing is going to change radically. What constitutes a "book" and what constitutes "publishing" in a digital book era is up for redefinition. But nimble, tech-savy publishers will survive and continue to connect authors with an audience—because that's their business.

One final thought: the real threat to traditional publishers is not the small, niche publisher or self-publishing. It's the disintermediation (I know—big word but an important one) that is taking place as two or three huge corporate entities replace the traditional chain of author-publisher-distributor-bookstore/online seller. What if the new world of publishing is author-online seller for commercially-viable books/ebooks? That's what keeps publishers like myself awake at night.

[Lauren Sylvan]

I’m late to the debate, but I can speak with some experience on this. Sorry the post is so long.

Everything Jeff said occurred to me five years ago at my first Mt. Hermon conference. But I had an advantage: I had been formatting and ‘publishing’ annual reports for a non-profit for years. I also had a background as a graphic designer and a working knowledge of the industry-standard graphic programs. Plus I was married to a geek who pointed me to lightning source. So I published my first novel myself, because, hey, it cost far less than that ONE conference.

After it was available on Amazon, et al, and I had a few copies in my hot little hands, that’s when the learning curve got steep. I found out where my writing was losing people, and what they really liked. Despite my experience, I noticed editing mistakes, formatting mistakes, and I got lots of comments on the cover: ‘Is that an eight-legged goat?’

When it comes to marketing, I discovered that people won’t buy a book when writer recommends it, but they will when somebody else does. And they don’t believe the praise of anybody who has a vested interest in selling the book. I discovered that people are much less likely to read a free copy than one they pay for, and that even if you can get them to buy a copy, the odds of the book getting read all the way through are still not very high. And that nobody will find your book online unless they are specifically directed to your work, in which case you make a lot more per book selling from your own site.

Most importantly, I found out who my audience was, and who it wasn’t. So I took what I learned and wrote another, this one aimed at Christian women. Because I was self-published, people were still very wary of my work. Between the time my first book came out and the second, many more people had been exposed to horrid self-published stuff, and they were gun-shy. Fortunately, everybody loved that one and word-of-mouth started moning it. People read it, they recommended it, they bought copies for their friends and relatives.

This netted some money (not a lot) but I discovered that the thrill of having people really listen to my stories far outshone the little money I made. I wanted to expand that; I wanted to give it away to anybody who would enjoy it. But--see the comment on ‘free books’ above. Plus the books cost me $5 each, and I’d rather spend the money on orphanges.

Fortunately, there is a dirt-cheap distribution format: MP3. The aforementioned geek-spouse had a fancy recording studio and some experience voice-acting. So we recorded it (note: prohibitively expensive if you do not have the equipment and skills) and started distributing the CD at cost (under $1). My story found more listeners than it ever did readers—about 2K CDs are out there, many of them (judging from the emails) having gone from hand to hand.

By now there was plenty of market evidence that a Christian publisher would probably go for book 2, and I was about to start the round of CBA agents, (I have queried the book exactly once) when I made the most important discovery: the audiobook resonated with non-Christians. About then I read Dean Koontz book on writing fiction, where he gave a warning how hard it was to break out of the ‘ghetto’ of being seen as an SF writer. And I really, REALLY loved it when they responded to my story. But if they saw a Christian imprint on a book, they would throw it down like it was a snake ready to bite.

It was like being hit between the eyes: if I go with a CBA publisher at the beginning of my career, I will have a much harder time reaching the audience I wanted. But let’s face it: CBA is easier to break into than ABA. And my book was a little too ‘Christiany’ for the ABA, at least for a first book. So it’s back to the drawing board, crafting the book that will get the ABA agent I need, and the publisher that will infer credibility on my writing. But without self-publishing, I would never have arrived there.

So at the end of the day, I say: Go for it. But don’t quit the day job, and don’t spend more than you must. And use a pseudonym you can drop—if it works, you can always re-publish with your career name.

[Donald James Parker]

I've been fighting this battle for three years. Jeff hit the proverbial metallic fastener on the sweet spot with the comment about arrogance and God. I understand the difficult struggle many "published" authors have gone through to obtain a coveted contract and why they are reticent to acknowledge as equals people who dash off a book and dish out a modicum of hard cash to get it published. However, God is not interested in social position, prestige, and publisher name brands. He is interested in love, submission, obedience, and salvation. There is no room for pride in the inn. On a more earthly level of logic, at the current rate of decline of the number of books produced by traditional publishers and the increase in the number of Christian authors, many of the "published" authors of the past are going to be squeezed out and will have to resort to self publishing to get their work in the hands of the public. I suggest they walk softly and carry no stick at all in the self-publishing controversy. It is time that books are weighed on their own merit - not by the name of the publisher, the name of the author, or the fancy graphics on the cover. It is time for God's unadulterated truth to be placed in the hearts of mankind - and those who are self-publishing, whether fiction or non-fiction, have a vital role to play in this.
Donald James Parker
Author of Against the Twilight

[Teresa Watts]

I agree with Jeff's take on publishing. It is a recorded message. There are several books traditionally published that are mediocre writing. Just because a traditional publisher takes, the project does not make it great reading or writing. It all boils down to what peaks the buyer of the project - self or traditional. If someone likes the work, they buy it. Do you base every purchase you ever make in your life because of how it was created? Do you think every book in a brick and mortar store is a great work of writing?
I don't think bookstores will become obsolete; it's the instant 'I want it now' factor that keeps brick and mortar alive. If every aspect of our lives were accomplished on-line - we wouldn't have traffic jams or lines in the grocery store. Human nature provides options. Physically walking into a store and purchasing a product and having it right now in your hot little hand, then weighing out the cost of gas or the shipping(in $$ or time)is an option, people will use it. Remember all those iPad comments on facebook and twitter-- 'Delivery man where are you?' People hate to wait.
If someone passed a law and said no more brick and mortar stores - the demand for it would be catastrophic. That is how entrepreneur was created.
Most people have this notion - if they are traditionally published, they won't have to deal with selling their book - This could not be more wrong. No matter what path you take your book - YOU still have to sell it. If no one knows about your book, then who cares?
Agents don't handle one author at a time. If you think an agent is your golden path to success, I have to ask what is it like in your world? Agents negotiate contracts on your behalf for publishing a product. They still want to know your plan for marketing the book. That is why you have to answer so many questions in a query letter. If you pass all the hurdles and get an agents attention, THEY have to sell your idea to someone - who has to convince another group of someone's - then there is a final someone who gives it a green or red light, then maybe within that year you will have a book out there. During all this 'someone' time your agent is asking how your next project is coming and have you set up your website, blog, twitter and facebook?
I have several writing friends who are traditional and self-published. The success of the book is not based on how it is published, it is how involved in promotion of the book is the AUTHOR. One self-published friend is talking with a movie producer and books signings in Barnes and Nobles and Borders. Here's a kicker another friend who is represented by a big name agent is working on her second book - because the agent couldn't find a buyer for the first book.
To me, it's not the marketing of the book that should be the deciding factor of traditional or self publishing, it's how involved do you want to be in CREATING the actual product. Then you could get into a completely different discussion of setting up your own publishing company or paying someone to publish your book.

[Sevwinters]

Interesting. Actually for me, the decision was really tough, and there is still a lingering sense that maybe I put out something before I was good enough because a publisher didn't stamp it with their seal of approval. The decision though came, for me, as the result of seeing that the two largest book distributors on the planet (Amazon and B&N) have invested so heavily in proprietary P.O.D imprints as well as new technology (Nook and Kindle) that lightens the overhead costs associated with warehousing books and shipping them.

The Nook and the Kindle address every single real debate given by those wary of e-books who purport to love books...and the reality of business is that the publishers work on VERY small margins. Amazon and Barnes and Noble need only get e-books to a point of eating about 15% of the total market and that is the ballgame. The publishers won't be able to survive. To me, traditional publishing has become like investing in payphones after cell phones went global. You can still find a few out there, but they are relics of what once was, not a vibrant and valuable industry.

Furthermore, with a traditional publisher, my backlist is locked up by their rights to it, whereas with self-publishing print on demand, there is no such thing as a backlist. I have a product I can sell until the day I die, whether that is 1 year from now or 1000 years from now. There are some hurdles yet to overcome, but I am working on them. For example, I am having to reload Bonfire Stories into the system because I found typos after the fact. That is a problem which would not have likely occurred through a traditional publisher, because they could afford both a content editor and a line editor.

In any case, the world of publishing is changing and by the time a book I sell today through traditional means hits shelves, there is a very real risk that the company footing the bill will go under and I will be right back in the position of looking for someone to publish it. Publishing traditionally is good for the ego, but it's just not good business anymore

[Leah Morgan]

I DON'T agree with the arrogance association that was made. I see nothing arrogant about expecting a degree of excellence in the literature I'm paying to enjoy, and find that on the contrary, plenty of arrogance and a side of cash are often the only necessary ingredients required to self publish. Enough pathetic offerings have made it between the bindings of a titled cover to be called a book simply because someone paid to do so. The frequent typos and grammatical errors suggest that this someone was too full of themselves to accept a period of learning and growth.
When I purchase a traditionally published book I am not guaranteed that I'll like the plot, voice or subject matter but subject and verb will likely agree and it won't be the misspellings that distract from my reading. Selecting a book based on appeal alone is challenging enough without having additional considerations - has this even been proofread?
I set my misgivings aside and included several self published authors in a book signing at the request of others. A teen acquaintance in attendance purchased a YA series from one of these authors. I was embarrased to overhear her astonishment at the numerous errors discovered in just the first six pages. Another of these authors had a unique personal story so moving that he was a top seller at the event despite the fact that his book was pricier than most. Unfortunately, I was informed by buyers, also my acquaintances, that the book was lousy. He was a horrific writer who rambled on for the bulk of the book about his breakfast choices and other inconsequential material. There were few pages that actually told the tale.
I'm sure there is self published material above the caliber I've experienced but I'd rather an editor find it.

[Linda M Au]

I seem to have hit critical mass with this situation. I have a collection of humor essays -- not an easy thing to sell to an agent unless you have a column or are a standup comedian -- and I've also been a typesetter and a proofreader for several decades. And my best friend and former boss is a cover artist.

So, going the self-publishing route (via Amazon's CreateSpace) has meant virtually no up-front costs for me. I've had total control over all aspects of the process, including every hyphen on every page. It's been glorious working on my OWN book for a change instead of other people's books.

It's due out next week, and I think for THIS book at THIS time, it was the right move.

Still looking for a traditional route for my novels, but I have the savvy to go self-pub for this humor collection, so I used it. I know many authors who have used a combination of self-pubbing for some titles and traditional publishing for others.

Frankly, it's a glorious time to be a writer if you're familiar with the prepress world too.

[Paul Atreides]

How I dearly hope the brick and mortar book store will NOT disappear. I can spend hours at a time browsing through a bookstore, whether new or used, and spend hundred's of dollars doing it. My library is filled with hard cover and paperbacks and I'm about out of space. Yet I'm loathe to give any of them up.
Some of the "big boy" publishers will manage to survive, don't doubt it for an instant. They're business savvy enough to figure out what needs to be done and they'll do it.
What was the point? Oh, yeah, self publishing. You best be a terrific artist on top of having a good head for marketing, sales, and business if you intend to become a King or a Grisham, or a Rice, Meyers, or Chastain. And remember, King's single foray into self e-publishing was not exactly a success story - and he had a name and reputation to back it up.
No doubt, though, self publishing is going to be a future wave - tsunami even, maybe - but the agent/editor/publisher is still going to be the gatekeeper of the industry that is publishing.

[BookWhirl]

Whether it maybe getting a publisher or self-publishing, every author needs to gear up and stand out. The real thing is that..the competition is fierce.