Independent publishing – the inclusive option
One of the criticisms often levelled at independent publishing is that it lets anyone who fancies it publish a book – the idea being that this has a negative impact on the quality of work published. This has always seemed slightly strange to me. OK, not every self-published book is a work of dazzling brilliance, but then neither are all traditionally-published efforts. And independent publishing is much more inclusive than the traditional option, which is part of its beauty.
There are some benefits to the exclusivity of traditional publishing – there is a lot of expertise in the industry, (usually) an assurance of quality, and a certain standing for authors who go down that route. However, this model also leads to a lot of very good writers being overlooked, whereas in independent publishing, they’d have their chance to shine.
Simply put, there is room for everyone in independent publishing. This doesn’t just apply to writers. It also applies to readers, who are able to access a much wider range of books from a much wider range of authors as a result. And we can’t forget the other people who work in publishing – it also includes professional editors, designers, proofreaders, publishers and so on. Part of the criticism of independent publishing is that it turns the publishing process into a one-man-band affair – not so. There’s space for everyone, including those who have previously been involved with the traditional side of the business.
This is part of what makes it so great; as well as being inclusive, it is about bringing together people who have skill, expertise and passion, and using those things to create the best books and the best reading experience possible. The only thing it really cuts out is the gatekeeper of traditional publishing that says what can and can’t be published – instead, everything and everyone gets a chance.
The fact that anyone who wants to get involved with independent publishing can get involved is by no means a bad thing. It’s one of the industry’s strengths.
What do you think?
