There’s been so many hot
topics to write about this week that I don’t know where to begin, except to say
that trash talk in the publishing world is heating up yet again. If I was a new
writer starting out and struggling to decide how I should publish my book, this
week’s stories wouldn’t help. Those who’ve been following me on this blog know
that I’m both self and traditionally published, and that I see the pros and
cons to both. For me, it’s always been about making informed choices. The
problem is how does a newbie make an informed choice when with statements like this:
“Self-published authors
with their insistent need to spam social media and pump out a copious amount of
horrible ebooks are ruining the modern online bookstores”. The author of that statement,
Michael Kozlowski, posts snapshots of tweets from authors blatantly asking
people to buy their books. While Mr. Kozlowski’s article isn’t totally wrong,
he isn’t totally right either. He also quotes traditional publishers who are
blasting self-publishers, accusing them of underhanded tactics. Again, he’s not
lying, but he’s not looking at the whole picture either. As I’ve noted in
previous blogs, some of the big six publishers and their authors have resorted
to some pretty underhanded tactics to sell books by skewing reviews and buying
their way onto certain bestseller lists. I hope Mr. Kozlowski’s prepared for
the backlash. To read his piece, go to http://goodereader.com/blog/commentary/self-published-authors-are-destroying-literature/
One response to his blog by traditionally published author Laura
Resnick, offers some insightful thoughts which, among other things, provides
good reasons why she doesn’t believe that self-publishing has devalued the
book. You can find her response at http://lauraresnickauthor.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/self-publishing-is-destroying-the-world-oh-nooooooo/
Another provocative piece
comes from a publisher who’s quoted saying “the problem is that most of the
readers love bad books!” Whoo boy, is he trying to acquire hate mail? The
publisher, Carl Hanser Verlig from Munich also states that he’s never read an
ebook, although he doesn’t care if others do. What makes him nervous,
apparently, is when he sees people reading second-rate books, reviewers
praising third-rate books, and booksellers displaying bad books in their
windows. Although Mr. Verlig has a long, award-winning career in the publishing
industry, I’m quite sure not everyone will agree with him. To read more of his
comments in publishing perspectives.com, go to http://publishingperspectives.com/2013/06/the-problem-is-that-most-of-the-readers-love-bad-books/
Meanwhile, more headlines and stories this week reveal that author
Sylvia Day has sold more than 550,000 print and ebook copies of her latest
book, Entwined With You . Day was
self-published and is now traditionally published. You can read about her at http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/sylvia-day-sells-550000-copies-in-a-week_b72605
And if you need yet more confusion in your life, one of the first
self-published stars, Amanda Hocking, who’s now also traditionally published,
has sold a second series to St. Martin’s. While she doesn’t rule out the
possibility of self-publishing again, she’d rather let someone else work on the
editing, jacket design, and typesetting so she can write. You can read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/media/self-publishing-star-amanda-hocking-sells-next-series-to-st-martins.html?_r=2&
And so the debate, and successes, and trash talk rages on. These
are fun times, aren’t they?
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