Jane Friedman gives really great advice on whether to self-publish or go the traditional route. Here's a key point: I see some writers self-publish mainly because they lack patience with the querying and submissions process of traditional publishing. Or they want the instant gratification of getting their work on the market. But again, this is one of the worst … Continue reading Should You Self-Publish or Traditionally Publish? | Jane Friedman
Recently, I wrote about the issue of quality in self-published books when compared to traditionally published books. I’m not the first or only person to have written about this (see here and here and here and here). I have also written about it on this blog many times. On my latest post on this subject, a commenter wrote: … Continue reading Quality of self-published books, revisited…
Yesterday, I wrote about self-published books and quality, and I lamented that it is very difficult for the ordinary reader to find the quality reads in the gigantic pool of self-published books. Most self-published authors, especially authors who haven't established an audience, generally don't have access to the various means of book discovery that traditionally … Continue reading Experiments in book discovery… (part 1 of many, I hope)
When I pick up a book in a bookstore -- which, more than likely, is a book issued by a publishing company, also known as a “traditionally published” book -- I can usually assume that book will meet my baseline for quality*. In other words, it may not be a good story, the writing may … Continue reading Self-publishing’s quality problem…
I have a side job right now where I review "indie" books, which mostly means self-published books, although some small-press books are also thrown into the mix. Reading on average one self-published book a week for the past several months has made me very pessimistic about the quality of self-published books in general. In fact, it's … Continue reading A caution against self-publishing, with links…
I recommend that all writers, whether you intend to self-publish or publish traditionally, read the excellent and short reviews of self-published books that Jefferson Smith (and occasional guest reviewers) posts at Immerse or Die. Smith maintains that the most important quality of fiction is whether it enables the reader to become immersed in the story, an assertion … Continue reading A good resource for writers…
This is another entry in my ongoing series identifying common problems in self-published novels. As a writer, you've got a terrific idea for an alien planet, a fantasy world or a dystopian future. You've worked out all the details, and you just know that no other writer has come up with something this creative or … Continue reading Watch out, that writer’s taking an info-dump!
One benefit of traditional publishing, which is lost when writers choose to self-publish, is that publishers can tell writers that their books just aren't ready for publication. Publishers don't usually say this in so many words. Often the message comes in the form of a standard rejection letter or, even worse, silence. But the message … Continue reading A note to writers: Maybe you aren’t ready…
I've been reading a lot of self-published books lately for a freelance gig reviewing independently published books. I am not opposed to self-publishing. I think it's terrific that technology is allowing more writers to get their work out there and have the opportunity to be read. BUT... (you knew that was coming, right?) A lot … Continue reading For writers who want to self-publish…
In the last few years, services like Kindle Direct Publishing and Lulu have made it incredibly easy for writers to self-publish, which I think is mostly a good thing for writers and readers. Self-publishing enables writers to build and audience and demonstrate their talents, and it puts more voices out there than ever before. Some terrific … Continue reading Rule number 1 for self-publishers: Proofread!
