Amazon Kindle discussion
Who reads independent authors? Why or why not?
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Carol
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Jul 12, 2011 10:30PM
Sorry, It's a bit confusing to have the 'add book/author' option on top of the comment box as though that's not just acceptable, but encouraged. I agree that pure self-advertisement is borish, but in the context of a discussion I didn't realize it was against the rules.
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Carol wrote: "Sorry, It's a bit confusing to have the 'add book/author' option on top of the comment box as though that's not just acceptable, but encouraged. I agree that pure self-advertisement is borish, bu..."I've got in trouble on just about every forum I've ever participated in, for one reason or another. I also usually flunk the xray scanner at the airport.
I guess I'm just the kind of person who can't resist pushing the limits. (I did manage to smuggle my vagisil through airport security. It wasn't something I wanted to carry around in a clear plastic bag!)
Ralph wrote: "Guys, please remove any links to your own books from your posts. Self promotion is limited to specific threads and is not allowed outside of those threads except in specific cicrumstances. (IE a re..."Not to be insolent, but a link to one's book as part of one's signature is hardly a huge offense. We are all both readers and writers, and to enforce our segregation while at the same time encouraging us to "connect with our readers" is contradictory. And I think spamming a reader who has asked for title suggestions is actually worse, IMHO: blatant and tacky.
but you are an author...as a reader, I liken a signature line to as someone once said - going to a restaurant and there is a guy walking around with a sandwich board on...he is drawing attention to himself with that, even if what he is talking about is something completely different
M.A. wrote: "Ralph wrote: "Guys, please remove any links to your own books from your posts. Self promotion is limited to specific threads and is not allowed outside of those threads except in specific cicrumsta..."
I’ve been tempted to chime in on this subject for some time now, but have resisted up to this point. This morning I’ve decided to dip my toe into this shark tank and see if I still have a foot left when the dust settles.I was first published in the traditional sense back in the 1980’s (under another name), and being an author back then was actually prestigious. Now, in some respects, it almost seems like being an author is, to exaggerate, socially reprehensible.
Yes, here on GR I feel we are segregated, as M.A. suggests. We are asked to conceal our author status by omitting any kind of signature, yet GR allegedly promotes connecting readers with authors. A reader can post what they like in response to a thread, but an author must be extremely careful. If, for example, someone starts a thread suggesting that there should be more titles with strong female characters that don’t come across as macho, an author can’t say ‘In several books I’ve written, I’ve handled it by…’ without being potentially accused of inappropriate self-promotion. However, the same example would be deemed more socially acceptable if the reply were worded more anonymously, like ‘I suppose it could be handled by…’, which is hardly connecting readers with authors.
I’ve been replying less and less to posts because of my author status. Specifically, for each thread I might be interested in contributing to, I ask myself ‘Now, is this going to be taken wrong? Will people think I’m replying just trying to get my face out there? I am, after all, an author.’
With that said, I can certainly understand the circumstances surrounding how this rather odd reader/author relationship has evolved (welcome to the 21st century). I see too many authors inappropriately hawking their books, which I also find annoying. I probably find it more annoying than readers do because I’m not only annoyed by the inappropriate spam shoved in my face (we get enough of that in our lives), but also by the fact that they are contributing to the overall problem that has forged this attitude toward authors that I, and other respectful authors, are now forced to live with.
Is there a solution? I don’t know. It would be easy to suggest that authors should police their own by ostracizing blatant spammers who do little more than promote ill-will between readers and authors, but it is much easier said than implemented.
I believe that the vast majority of authors are respectful toward readers (readers are, after all, who we exclusively write for) and it is only a small percentage who continually aggravate the problem. I am also almost willing to bet that the authors causing the problem are more interested in making a quick buck, rather than contributing to the literary arts. As such, they are more likely to be promoting books that are unedited, poorly edited, lack a plot, shallow characters, etc. (getting back on topic).
So, when Dee says “the quickest way for an author to end on my do-not-read list is to solict me for a review on my blog, or promote their books in inappropriate places”, I completely understand; chances are a large percentage of those solicitations are books of poor quality.
Thank you kindly for listening to my viewpoint as an author. I sincerely hope I didn’t light too big of a fire.
(signature censored)
It's not like readers have to click on my book link. How annoying can it be as it takes no time at all to read it. It also lets the reader know that my comment will be biased toward an author's point of view as I'm an author.(signature censored)
Hahahahaha. The 'signature censored' bit made me laugh. As an indie author just recently arrived on Goodreads, I'm rather worried about this. I had thought that having a signature with your book cover in it was the easiest way to show that you're an author without having to actually mention it. No one has to go and click on the cover and you're not even asking them to. But if they like what you're saying the link to your book is there for them to go and have a look at.Scary stuff - as Marcus says, if authors are supposed to be interacting with readers, but not as authors... I think someone dropped a screw when they put that particular theory together.
Mod
Marcus, very well said. If the only way we are allowed to be part of the conversation is to hide our status as authors, then we won't bother and GR will be the book club that no author will bother attending for fear of being accused of blatant self-promotion. If GR wants to be only a readers' site then GR should never have implemented author pages. Instead, they solicit them. Why? Because it's the author pages that bring in the money: those Buy Now links earn GR a few pennies every time. And they want us to advertise, and they want us to giveaway free copies, and have Q&As, but god-forbid should we put in a link to a book, a link no one has to click on?
M.A. wrote: "Marcus, very well said. If the only way we are allowed to be part of the conversation is to hide our status as authors, then we won't bother and GR will be the book club that no author will bother ..."You are correct. GoodReads is a free service. If we don't like it, we can leave. Except...
...what a wonderful place to meet readers.
Oh the Kindle makes it so much easier to read self-published authors! I love being able to read the first chapter or so before I decide to take the plunge. In general, I've found that many indie offerings are as strong as the pros. And with the kindle it's not too much work to find them!
Eileen wrote: "You are correct. GoodReads is a free service. If we don't like it, we can leave. Except......what a wonderful place to meet readers."
Yes, it is!
It is also an excellent author’s resource for research for upcoming works. We can see what type of books readers are currently interested in, what they are getting bored of (like, please, not another vampire title), etc. We can also click on various reader’s profiles to get an idea of the demographics that various viewpoints relate to, what kind of books they’ve read or are reading, and a wealth of other guidance that is invaluable to authors on upcoming works. This thread is a case in point; what do readers like and dislike about indie authors?
GoodReads, I feel, is an invaluable source for authors – and I am not referring to the marketing end either.
Ralph wrote: "This is my policy for the Amazon Kindle group only. I do not represent Goodreads or any other group on Goodreads. This policy was made based on feedback from group members and watching the group to..."I don't think this is aimed at you as an individual. It seems other moderators feel the same way. Unfortunately, it seems somewhat harsh to disallow even the inclusion of a book cover in an author's signature when they post in a discussion. Perhaps this would be a middle ground that would suit both sides? I can understand that it might look bad if someone posts several times in a discussion, but in that case it should be possible to delete one's signature manually so as to avoid problems. Since Goodreads is meant to be a place for both readers and authors, there must be some way to compromise.
Ok I have to chime in here on what I think will be a very unpopular comment but it needs to be said. You cannot expect a self-published authors book to be as good as one that is traditionally published. Legacy publishers put thousands and thousands of dollars in to proof reading, grammar, syntax, and story development and cover art. Self-publishers don't have that ability. I think you would be surprised to see any traditionally published authors book before they took it to their publisher.I have a hard time when someone buys a book for 99cents and then is mad when it is not the best thing they have ever read. (I say that, having not read any truly terrible self published books). Of course it needs to flow well and the grammar mistakes need to not slow down the story but for 99 cents I think people would be a little more understanding that this person did everything themselves.
I have the luxury of being able to hire a well-respected editor for my work and have the ability to pay good money for my cover art, but not everyone does. That’s kind of the brilliant thing about being able to self-publish. People are more understanding.
It's like people going to an independent action movie made for $500 and expecting the kind of explosions you get in transformers.
I sincerely appreciate everyone who goes out on a limb and buys a self-published author. Not everything is going to be wonderful, that’s why they are so cheap, but you will stumble across a real gem every so often and you have the ability to spread the word and really be a part of their success. It has been such a wonderful experience being a self-published author and have so many people take a chance on me and tell me how much they like my work and help spread the word. I have had over 100 books sold because of one reader who loved my work and blogged about it. That’s really amazing and I think a lot of other self-published authors on here have similar stories.
Bottom line, if your the type of person who loves discovering new things and reading everything you can get your hands on, then self-publishers are for you. if you love helping get peoples careers off the ground because you believe in them, then we welcome you. If you have a limited time to read or like a polished product that has already been vetted by at least 100 people then traditionally published books are probably more your style.
I am not saying one is right or wrong. I am a self-published author so I try to read others, but it's hard for me because I am dyslexic and a slow reader so I tend to read more traditionally published, just because it takes me so long to read a novel. Like others have said, I do love a good Indi who has positive reviews here on Goodreads, but I always read them with a little forgiveness on my mind.
as a reader I can and do expect any book that is available for me to buy to be of a high standard - I don't want some book that someone hasn't taken the time to edit to be sold to me - why shouldn't I as a reader have high standards? I understand that indie authors don't have the same resources as someone like JR ward for example, but they could find someone to edit - or even read for continuity issues...when we as readers start accepting sub-par products then the standards will just get worse
goodreads et al does not have a permanent signature policy for that reason - so whenever you see someone with a signature line, it is either something they have saved somewhere, or that they are putting in - its not like its automaticAnne-Mhairi wrote: "Ralph wrote: "This is my policy for the Amazon Kindle group only. I do not represent Goodreads or any other group on Goodreads. This policy was made based on feedback from group members and watchin..."
Elle wrote: "Ok I have to chime in here on what I think will be a very unpopular comment but it needs to be said. You cannot expect a self-published authors book to be as good as one that is traditionally publi..."There are fabulous self-published and indie-published books out there for very low prices. I consider the money I spend (and it is significant)on editing, professional covers, book trailers, professinal formatting, etc., an investment in my career. I'm competing against many, many books and as a debut novelist, I must price cheaply to compete and get noticed. The price of my book has nothing to do with the quality. Neither does the fact it wasn't published by one of the 'big boys'. There is no need to expect or accept less than wonderful from any book you read. A reader's focus should not be on supporting "indies" or "debut novelists". Readers should support great authors(period)
I tend to agree with Dee and Eileen on this.A book should be of the highest quality, regardless of who published it.
The big 6 have published some extremely disappointing books. Likewise, some authors were unable to get a big 6 publisher for no other reason than the length of the text vs. printing costs (I ran into this myself with a title of over 170,000 words). Others aren’t able to get a big 6 publisher because their works don’t fit a particular genre or fit a particular formula. For these works, indie publishing is the only recourse.
But regardless of big 6 Vs. indie, the final work is the responsibility of the author and there is no excuse for a sub-standard reading experience. If it doesn’t come up to something above par, then don’t release it.
In some ways, a reader should expect more out of an indie author. If you sign a contract with the big 6 and get that advance the book will be shipping – even if the author is disappointed with it. For an indie author, he/she has the option at any point to withhold the release of something they feel is not excellent. You can’t get away with that under contract by the big 6.
Marcus, Dee, Eileen,I appreciate your comments because I was beginning to see that many here have very low expectations for indie authors. I recently published my first book (it's title will remain top secret) but I put in as much effort or more as a traditional publisher would have. Marcus pointed out that even traditionally published books can be of low quality. I guess it's a case of not judging a book by it's cover (or in this case) publisher.
Ralph wrote: "This is my policy for the Amazon Kindle group only. I do not represent Goodreads or any other group on Goodreads. This policy was made based on feedback from group members and watching the group to..."I appreciate you weighing in on this, but I feel that as a moderator you shouldn’t have to defend your position when you are implementing the desires of the group as a whole. I don’t relish your job – reigning in this little piece of the wild west of the new publishing industry.
The reader/author relationship described in my first post seems to be prevalent across the web and is not unique to you, your group, or GoodReads; it seems to exist in any venue where spam authors have been. Amazon recently curtailed where authors can and cannot post links to their books or author profiles.
I can also see where authors positing a book cover in author’s signature could become annoying; it increases the graphics downloading as well as the graphics and space in the email notifications. Just a link to a book could be problematic as well. Some authors have a lot of books, and you can bet that some would try listing them all. Also, sooner or later, some less respectful authors will try elaborating on their signature, like:
“My Book Title: a fascinating novel about a genre you don’t care about, set in a world you aren’t interested in…”
However, it would be nice to be able to determine if a post is from an author’s viewpoint or strictly a reader’s viewpoint, which generally differ from one another. I routinely click on the picture of a user I don’t recognize to find out if the viewpoint is that of a reader or an author. In the case of authors, I’ll frequently see what types of books they have written to see how that might bias their viewpoint. As an author using GR for research for upcoming works, the viewpoint is important to me.
If GR were to allow signatures, I would suggest limiting signatures to a single link to the author’s profile; this is the same information that is available to users by clicking on the poster’s picture, except viewers can see at a glance that it was posted by an author. In addition, if the signature is nothing more than a highlighted name, viewers know that it is an author’s link and can simply ignore it if they are not particularly interested.
I do appreciate GR.
The issue of whether or not an author can post a signature has nothing to do with the overall reader/author relationship that has been cropping up network wide. I suspect that will only change with time (hopefully). I see that as a issue that lies squarely on author’s shoulders. The only benefit of brining this issue to reader’s attention is strictly public awareness of the issue (i.e. that most of us authors don’t like authors who spam either).
M.A. wrote: "I'm putting it in here on principle. If you wish to ban me from the group, then I accept the consequences of taking a stand. I have no choice if I want to get any sleep at all and still earn a living, or have the hope of doing so ('cause right now I am not)."I originally deleted a similar comment from my original post because I didn't want to seem unnecessarily harsh, but I really don't understand this kind of behavior. Rather than being polite and respectful, you've taken a very adversarial stance with potential readers. I understand that being a writer is a difficult career choice, but no one is obligated to make achieving your dream job an easy and enjoyable process. I think Goodreads embraces both readers and authors quite well, but there's a bit of a common sense point of distinction: just because readers are gathered in a place where you can advertise doesn't necessarily mean you should. And unfortunately, I think this kind of individual behavior tends to reflect on indie authors as a whole, which really isn't fair.
Mod
First, any published book should be the best it can be, regardless of price or publisher. True, you get what you pay for, but authors need to have higher standards that widget makers...."
Michelle, please remove the book cover from your comment, or I will delete the post. I have already asked the people in this thread, as well as in different places in the group, not to put book links, website links, blog links, etc. at the end of their posts. There is an area in this group already dedicated to allowing group authors to promote their own books. Promotion outside of that thread is not allowed. If you do not agree with this rule, you are free to leave the group.
Eileen wrote: "Elle wrote: "Ok I have to chime in here on what I think will be a very unpopular comment but it needs to be said. You cannot expect a self-published authors book to be as good as one that is tradit..."Great thoughts Eileen.
I don't understand why you think it is disrespectful to take a stand about what one thinks is an unfair policy. I haven't been rude to anyone; there's been no one singled out, ridiculed or abused. And I think "advertising" needs to have a common sense distinction as well, a common sense definition. I equally find all this flagrant "READ MY BOOK! IT'S ON SALE! ONLY 99 CENTS" offensive, but a tiny thumbnail link at the end of a post? Rather than simply pronounce that I shouldn't "advertise," please explain why you find a thumbnail offensive, and why you think as a reader that it should be banned. Please explain how such a rule benefits you as a reader.
M.A. wrote: "Two things: First, any published book should be the best it can be, regardless of price or publisher. True, you get what you pay for, but authors need to have higher standards that widget makers...."
I wasn't going to respond but now I feel like I have to. I think one of the main reasons on GoodReads why signatures like yours are taken negatively by readers is having a signature in posts is not standard practice on GoodReads. So, when we see a "signature" promoting a book it's jarring. Generally when I tend to see them, the author in question isn't even contributing to the discussion.
In this case, I can see that you are and I respect that you are in a tough position. But I urge you to read your post from a potential readers perspective and see how it comes off. The mod politely told you the policy, which you chose to disregard. Why do you think that going ahead and posting your link against the groups wishes will do anything other than harm your reputation and contributing to the problem? I know that this is the exact behavior that I would avoid in a burgeoning author. You are already working an uphill battle, why make it even more difficult for yourself.
I say all of this as a writer who will also likely self publish in my life.
I was worried at what kind of response I would get to my post, but I have really appreciated what everyone has said. I can see what you guys are saying about self-publishing still having the word “publishing” in it so if you are going to be publishing, then it should be as close to perfect as it can be. I have the same feelings. When I decided to self-publish I went the same route as it sounds like other people have on here. Getting an editor, working with readers and getting cover art. I wanted to be taken seriously, as this is my career and I want to be able to compete with the “Big Boys”. A lot of people have been talking about Amazon and B&N having a way to weed out the “not so good”. I was all for that at first. Maybe they should have deferent categories for different kinds of writing. But then I started worrying that would make them the new Legacy publishers. They would now become the gatekeepers and the cycle would start over again.I think we need to remember that this is still a very new medium and it will take a while to weed out the ones who are not as serious. It will be frustrating for the rest of us for a while, but eventually the ones who truly have a passion for what they do, will shine thru.
M.A. wrote: "please explain why you find a thumbnail offensive, and why you think as a reader that it should be banned. Please explain how such a rule benefits you as a reader. "Because we as readers get hit over the head with such advertising left and right. It's exhausting. It's tiring. And it's just plain ugly on a site like Goodreads. (There's a good reason Goodreads doesn't have signature files to do this automatically.) To see it here means we know the authors are deliberately cutting and pasting their signature every time, and it leaves a very bitter taste to see it.
We, as readers, do not need to see a thumbnail or link every single time an author posts. Don't forget that every person who reads your posts is a potential reader. If you've said something witty, or interesting, chances are I'll click your user picture, go to your profile to learn more about you. Maybe follow your reviews, request friendship, or find out you're an author that I might dig.
About signatures.This is a really interesting discussion and one I can see people are really passionate about, it might be a good thread to start, instead of starting it in the middle of another thread about reading independent authors.
Elle wrote: "But then I started worrying that would make them the new Legacy publishers. They would now become the gatekeepers and the cycle would start over again...."I think this could easily happen in the future if the problem is not resolved by another means. Sooner or later one of the sites like Amazon, smashwords, etc., will get enough complaints or refund requests, then they might decide to separate themselves from similar sites by implementing some type of quality control; a gatekeeper. If the effort became successful and overall sales increased, then other sites would follow suit in order to compete (i.e. they would not want to be known as the site that carries the junk).
The result would be the big 7, or the big 8, or whatever, and the publishing industry would return to status quo. Choices and options once again narrow as titles are funneled to fit the tastes and requirements of whoever is reviewing for the gatekeepers, and the indie author movement dies a slow quiet death.
IMHO, the posts by some authors here is yet another prime example why I steer clear of indie authors. True, there are big name authors whose points of view I don't agree with, but I also don't have to interact with them in various groups like this (for the most part). Life sucks to be an author...it is hard work. Don't expect readers to want to buy your books because you worked hard and promotion was hard work. Life is hard for all of us, I work full-time and a full-time graduate student working on my PhD - I barely have time in the day to take my dog for a run - but you know, I do it - why, because it is a choice that I made and a dream that I want to fulfill.
@Michelle specifically - Ralph is the moderator, he shouldn't have to justify his decisions to the group - it is his group and he can run it how he sees fit. He asked several times for authors not to post and you ignored him. He pointed out that there are areas where authors can promote their books - in fact, there is a whole section - he just asks that you don't promote your book in general threads - i.e. this one.
Cindy wrote: "M.A. wrote: "please explain why you find a thumbnail offensive, and why you think as a reader that it should be banned. Please explain how such a rule benefits you as a reader. "Because we as rea..."
Cindy, I totally hear what you are saying. I get these updates too as a reader and I just zone out and wish there were a delete button. You have to scroll down through what feels like miles of nonsense until you find a legitimate post. It's the reason I have joined so few GR forums. So I do hear you. I think those of us authors who weighed in hear you; no one has used this thread to spam anyone. But there has not been a fair response to the question about thumbnails.
I apologize if I have offended anyone. That wasn't my intention. I felt I needed to take a stand because there has been no distinction made between obvious and obnoxious spamming and a discreet signature. Questions by other posters about compromise have gone unanswered. Instead we are told to lump it or leave.
We are being asked to see this from the readers' point of view; why is there not a willingness to hear the authors' point of view? We are readers too; we don't want to be spammed any more than you do. But we also need to get our books out there and we can't do it without some level of advertising.
What started this discussion in the first place is the uphill battle readers have finding the needle in the haystack, the one good book in the 45,000 published every month to Kindle. Those of us who are professional writers weighed in to let you know we share your concerns, that some good stuff does exist, and discretely offered a link to a few of the needles. To be offended by that strikes me as counter-intuitive.
I have huge concerns about the direction indie publishing is headed. I'm also a photographer so I have seen what a similar model did to my colleagues in that industry. Readers' concerns about Kindle are identical to the concerns of image buyers who now have to wade through 23,000,000 images on Alamy to find the one they need. It's become all about keywording instead of producing good content. By the time Alamy tried to fix the monster they spawned by creating a separate pro division it was too late: the professionals had left the business. If some sort of gatekeeping does not emerge then within 10 years or so publishing will be completely polarized: very expensive commissioned work for those who can afford it, and a pile of amateur stuff for the masses. This is a problem for both sides. Should we not try to find a way to help each other instead of insisting upon segregation?
M.A. wrote: "Cindy wrote: "M.A. wrote: "please explain why you find a thumbnail offensive, and why you think as a reader that it should be banned. Please explain how such a rule benefits you as a reader. "Bec..."
You are correct. GoodReads is a free service. If we don't like it, we can leave. Except...
...what a wonderful place to meet readers.
M.A. wrote: "But we also need to get our books out there and we can't do it without some level of advertising..."As an author, this is your concern. As a reader, this is none of my concern. Your desire to advertise does not trump a reader's desire to have an advertising-free discussion because the reader is not the one who is being intrusive.
...that some good stuff does exist, and discretely offered a link to a few of the needles. To be offended by that strikes me as counter-intuitive.
However, every author feels this way about their work. An author's assurance that their work is above par is in no way an accurate or useful measure of judging a work's actual quality. As such, it simply becomes becomes yet another bit of hay.
I'll return to the dinner party analogy that's fairly common. You've come into a situation where people were politely conversing, interrupted that conversation to advertise your work, and then responded inappropriately when the host kindly asked you to stop your disruptive behavior. This is precisely why readers find advertising intrusive and rude. Had no one advertised in this thread, the discussion would not have become derailed.
I haven't delved into the independent scene yet, and I suppose it's partly because I'm scared. Because there's a lot of variation in quality of writing out there, not just in the independent side of the industry but also within the big publishing houses.I don't spend money on a book without hearing many good things about it first. I'll check all the reviews and I take the opinions of people in groups that I'm in and I know to have the same taste in books as me very seriously.
I tend to hear a lot less about independent books, purely because they are independent, and not as many people have read them.
That is not to say I'll never read independent books. Right now I'm concentrating on reading the books I own and the really pressing ones on the top of my tbr. I know at some point I will want to sample some independent authors, and when that happens, recommendations and reviews will be very important.
The sampling feature on kindle makes it a LOT easier, however, to try out a book that has either very few reviews or mixed reviews. I think I'll end up reading more independent authors than I would had I not got a kindle. I will listen out for good reviews and recommendations of indie books and will then sample them, but I'm not likely to just go browsing and buy from a blurb alone.
Colby wrote: "I loved Amanda Hocking's 
trilogy, Gwenn Wright's 
to name a few.As to why I read indie authors? They write boo..."
I totally agree...and I have more good ones than bad!
Zee: The Kindle definitely makes reading indie authors easier. I would have to charge $15 for a printed version of my novel in order to make $1. I only charge $2.99 for my e-book, of which I keep $2.
Risking $3 as opposed to $15 on a book I may or may not enjoy is WAY more palatable, lol. (And the sampling helps ensure I only buy books I WILL enjoy!)
I don't 'read independent authors'. One of the things that I have seriously come to dislike about owning a Kindle is whenever I go online to find out things about Kindles from other Kindle owners (like at a forum, on the Amazon website, or even here), I am bombarded with this argument about indie vs. the big publishing houses. I NEVER liked that argument when it was going on about music, and I like it even less when it is about books. Just because you aren't 'mainstream' or you think you work extra hard because you don't have a publishing deal, doesn't mean your writing is any good. (This isn't directed at you!! I mean 'you' in the general way.)That said, I don't let an 'indie' author stop me from reading a book, either.
I read BOOKS. I don't read indie, I don't read publishers. I read what sounds interesting to me, regardless of who wrote it, and I can't believe that anyone who claims to love reading could get wrapped up in such a silly dispute. ;)
Ah, what a great topic! As an indie Kindle author myself, I love to read these kinds of posts to see what Kindle readers love/hate.It seems the biggest complaint about indie books is quality, which is going to be a hard problem to solve. But the free sampling features do help a lot to give people an idea of what they're getting into, and with so many books at low price points, the risk is lowered even more.
As others have said, the quality issue isn't necessarily unique to the indie business; the big publishing houses aren't immune. I'm a big fan of the Star Wars expanded universe novels, but Del Rey very often missed horrific grammatical and sentence structure problems.
Maybe one day we'll have a site/service that grades books on their technical execution only. It would be a ranking based purely on spelling/grammar/punctuation etc., making it an objective grade versus a book review which is very subjective. At the very least, it would show that the author put the expected effort into basic editing, and hopefully save a lot of people from frustration.
Ramsey wrote: "Ah, what a great topic! As an indie Kindle author myself, I love to read these kinds of posts to see what Kindle readers love/hate.It seems the biggest complaint about indie books is quality, whi..."
That would be a problem for my BackTracker series as it contains lots of dialogue/dialect--my characters' speech patterns break all rules. Throw in some ain'ts, and a whatcha doin'? and a couple of dunno's and wanna's... My books wouldn't pass the test.
Eileen wrote: "Ramsey wrote: "Ah, what a great topic! As an indie Kindle author myself, I love to read these kinds of posts to see what Kindle readers love/hate.It seems the biggest complaint about indie books ..."
Fair enough, though I wasn't necessarily saying it should be an automated service, since that's pretty difficult from a technical perspective (when we reach the days where word processors catch everything, life will be so much better) :-). Quick text reviews by humans (ala Amazon's Mechanical Turk system, for instance) could do the trick.
I read independents. I have my favorites as far as traditionally published but I meet a lot of indies at signings and book fairs so when I see a crowd around a table, (and it's usually a table next to mine;-) I'll lean over to see what all the hoopla is about. The best judge of books...the reader...never fails me.
In the end the readers will decide, not some general stereotype that says all indie books are bad and all traditionally published books are good. I like finding good indie authors. It makes me feel like I found something special that no one else knows about. Which is daft, but hopefully you know what I mean!
I am personally a big fan of indie authors. I also have a review blog where I welcome authors to leave a pitch for their books and ask for reviews. I even have a tab for it. I always look at samples of the work that I am asked to review to make sure the content appeals to me and that the editing is done to a point that it doesn't detract from the story. I usually make notes if I find typos and forward them to the author when I am done if they want so they can be fixed. I really see no reason not to read indie books as they are mostly much cheaper than traditionally published books and with the samples available you can generally tell if the book is not up to your personal standards before you invest any money or major time.
I just checked out your blog, Scott. I like it, I'll be back :D I think I'm following now...
Anne-Mhairi wrote: "I just checked out your blog, Scott. I like it, I'll be back :D I think I'm following now..."Thanks for stopping by. Let me know if you have would like a guest spot or anything.
Scott wrote: "Anne-Mhairi wrote: "I just checked out your blog, Scott. I like it, I'll be back :D I think I'm following now..."Thanks for stopping by. Let me know if you have would like a guest spot or anything."
I would love a guest spot when the time comes. My (indie) book comes out on 25th August, so I'll ask closer to the time if you're able to review it :)
Christina wrote: "I do! Mostly because I am one, lol, so I'm more likely to give them a chance. Besides, I started out as an indie filmmaker and I've certainly seen some true gems come out of that world. (And yes, s..."Couldn't agree more on the Sample point, Christina. I had a major publisher on my first novel and went through every step with them, so I saw first hand all the close work they did to get something up to a solid level.
On my next one, I've direct published to Kindle, and I went through it again and again, working for grammar, flow, everything.... I even read most of it out loud to myself, so I could hear how it sounded, which can help find problems.
I figure if I'm asking someone to take a chance with their money - a dollar, two dollars, whatever - then I can at least make sure the book is put together well!
The Sample is a great way to get a look at that in advance.
I've come up with this new idea before self-publishing my book. I'm posting it as a blog story to get feedback on each chapter. This helps knowing what your audience wants and they tend to point out your errors. The story grows with the readers.
Since getting my kindle back in January, I read nothing but Indie books.I've just finished The Righteous and found it a real eye opener.
I think sampling a book first gives the reader a rough idea if they're going to like an author's writing or not.
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