Why don't more people read Self-published authors? Showing 1,801-1,850 of 2,452

[K.D.]

As one myself, it feels as if not that many read self published authors so I think it really wonderful how many of you are willing to give us a chance.

K.D. McQuain

[Adrienne]

I've switched to reading all indie lit. If anyone wants me to read one of their books, send me a recommendation.

[Adeleke]

Adrienne wrote: "I've switched to reading all indie lit. If anyone wants me to read one of their books, send me a recommendation."

What kind of books do you read?

[Adrienne]

What kind of books do you read?"

I like all kinds of books. As long as it is well written and has good characters. :-)

[Andrew]

If you like fantasy or humor, Adrienne feel free to give either of mine a shot. Here are the Goodreads links.


A Halo of Mushrooms
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

A Climbing Stock

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Cathy]

Hi Adrienne,

Thanks for posting. If you like animal stories, here's a nice horse story. It's about America's wild mustangs, one of them in particular. Here is the Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

It was awarded five stars by Readers' Favorite and is great for kids as well as adults.

Cathy

[Andrew]

Harini wrote: "Because , trust me , a lot of indie authors suck and people are wary of it . I mean , come to think of it , almost all spam authors who break KU are indie/ small press and people are super wary . A..."

This is true, but in all honesty, there is a lot of bad stuff put out by traditional publishers too. I agree that it's safer because the work has been vetted by publishers and editors, but still, there's a lot of stuff put out not because it's great literature, but because marketers think it will sell.

[J.N.]

At moments like this, when I get teary-eyed, I'm thankful that I do not suffer from Le Chiffre's condition.

Once I pop my 3rd book into the world, I've promised myself a break to catch up on some reading before starting on the next one. I'm gunning for "A Subtle Agency" (or one of the growing list of titles on my to-read list). Since that is a vampire book, it is obviously best enjoyed with a holy garlic martini, extra sinful (aka dirty), shaken. (You will need to get a hold of a cask of Vatican Select Vodka since it is blessed and is thus equally powerful as holy water.)

[G.G.]

David wrote: "You know, I used to be a big reader of everything, indie and traditionally published from the Big 6. I would read basically anything and enjoy it, as well as classics and I was just all over the pl..."

Same here. I stopped reading traditional. I found many gems in the indie world. Their stories are often more original and refreshing then traditional ones. No publisher to tell them it won't sell. Prices are more affordable too.

Harini, I'd love to trust you but honestly, I don't know you any more than I know these indies and I can see for myself sometimes just by the blurb if it will be worth my time. I don't think it is fair to blame all indies because of a few crooks. There are dishonest people everywhere. Being indie doesn't make you automatically a thief.

[Adeleke]

Adrienne wrote: "What kind of books do you read?"

I like all kinds of books. As long as it is well written and has good characters. :-)"

Well my novel is titled Noble check it out if you like. Noble

[Mercy]

I think Andrew is right. I've read far more indie books that I enjoyed than traditional. Or at least ones that started indie and perhaps are now using an agent etc.

I have read terrible indie books (one that was 500 pages of just a transcript of emails - I kid you not) and some terrible traditional books that make me wonder how the others aren't published.

I think most ppl don't even look to see who publishes books anymore. The reason published/traditional books do better is because they have higher budgets for advertising, covers and editors. Where as indie writers can't justify the expense.

Even for an indie to get on Netgalley is a difficult process and needs a book tour agent.

My series has had some comments on spelling and typos and I used two editors (one was a friend but he does run a business editing books) and a beta reader, yet there are still errors. Some just slip through the net.

Also I'm certainly not a crook, and although I've sold hundreds of copies of my books I've spent more than that on covers and marketing etc I do it because I enjoy writing a story and knowing people enjoyed reading it. It's such a buzz.

[J.M.]

This topic is super interesting to me. For years, I've been dancing with traditional publishers, but got tired of hearing the refrain, "very interesting story, great characters, but we're looking for more traditional narratives" or "our readers prefer a simpler book".

For a long while, that got me down, because I kept thinking, 'if I'm not good enough for the publisher, I'm not good enough to be read'. I don't know what pushed me over the edge (probably some combination of inspirational YouTube videos and drunken bets), but there came a day when I said, "to hell with this", and decided to chuck a novel out there.

To see a community like this, that endorses self- and indie- publishers, and who seek nontraditional narratives... that's pretty incredible.

(Also incredible was when I saw my first international sale. Words cannot describe how amazing it is, to see someone, across the world, pay *money* to share thoughts. I mean, it's not about the currency, it's about the idea that someone cared enough to put sacrifice behind the purchase. Insane, I tell you! In the best way.)

So... Yeah... If any of you are interested, here's my book. It's a military-scifi doorstopper, with strong characters, compelling arguments, and lots of explosions. (Fair warning, I play with form a bit. I find it a useful tool, and beta-readers liked it, but it apparently terrified the trad-publishers. I hope you enjoy it!)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

If anyone is interested, let me know what you think. Trying to build a base, so I can write more!

[Maya]

Adrienne wrote: "What kind of books do you read?"

I like all kinds of books. As long as it is well written and has good characters. :-)"

I read here, "most of the indie authors are afraid of breaking their budget with a good editor".I spent 2000,00 USD for a book that is 150 pages long and I wonder if it was well spent money because in the past I've spent much less. However the theme I covered was very important to me and I hope women who read my book will get some knowledge about postpartum period.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Lisa]

Absolutely a high quality editor can elevate a book to the point where it sells thousands and thousands of copies. A well edited book is the kind that earns rave reviews and is shared around to family and friends. The price of a good editing job should always pay for itself in sales.

Conversely, if a book is full of typos, the one-star reviews that follow will haunt it forever.

That being said, it's important to think of a book as a work in progress even after its first version is released. One learns from reading reviews what is still confusing to the audience and what needs more clarification. For example, in book 1 in my medieval series I've gotten a few complaints about something being anachronistic - when actually the item was in standard use in that time period. So I'm going to edit the book and provide a link to information on it in the introduction so people who are confused by the object can learn more about it. That way, instead of them being grumpy about me "getting something wrong", they can learn another fun tidbit about our cultural history.

Those types of changes help the book do its job better and help readers have a better reading experience. And that's an area where self publishers shine. Someone going through a traditional publisher is typically stuck once the version goes out and is done.

[Deborah]

Admittedly, I haven't read through all the pages in this thread, so I don't know if this has been brought up yet, but: libraries.

I used to work for a library system in the Greater New Orleans area. I got plenty of insight as to how libraries get their books. For instance, the system I worked for gets almost all their books solely from Ingram, and on top of that, they get what Ingram decides to send them unless they request otherwise. I've seen some indies get through, but definitely no self-published works. That is something the lead librarian at my branch is working on fixing.

So I'd like to see self-published authors reach out to their local libraries more. Aside from book placement, you can also set up author events there and get involved with a very specific part of the community--the readers, who are very likely to be interested in your book because if they're involved with the library, solid bet is they're voracious readers.

[Carole]

Indies get a bad rep for poor editing. When I read, I ignore editing and try to enjoy the story. I read a lot, both indie and traditional. I think people ought to cut indies some slack- many don't have spare funds to spend on editors or book covers. Somehow they are more forgiving with indie film- like I think Blair Witch was choppily made for a small budget. I believe it was an indie film (not positive) but went on to capture the imagination of the country and become a hit. Not only that- it set the style of film for the coming years.
I think this will happen to the indie community. As more and more people find the "gems," and spread the word- people should look beyond the bad editing and inexpensive covers. I think we should start seeing an "American Idol" type of trend, where the public starts choosing its own super stars and the cosmetics won't matter.

Traditional gets tiresome because some person is deciding what should get published based on what some marketing genius is predicting in the coming trends. I wear short skirts even if they are showing them longer, and I wear a French manicure even if everyone is telling me it dates me and I should be wearing light blue. I feel the same way about books- I'll read what interests me.

Oh, and whoever brought up Paula Hawkins was 100 percent correct. The editor must have been sleeping when he/she worked on the second book- how else could you explain that rambling mess. While it was entertaining to a degree- it was written without the usual restraint that an editor would provide and was a big fail. I have less tolerance for books that have the benefit of professional help. I have read some indie works that were terrific and with the benefits the other guys get- could change the landscape of todays reading world.

Someone else said they had errors with editors. Yes, so have both myself and my son. We go through three edits and there are still things that pop up. I find most readers, if they like the book, are forgiving of those things.

[G.G.]

Geoffrey wrote: "I've stopped reading self published books because so few of my fellow indie authors seemed interested in returning the favor."

That sounds like it was a strange reason to read self published books to begin with. You should read because you enjoy what you read, not because others are doing it or not doing it.
Do traditional published authors return the favor and read Indies?

[Mellie]

Carole wrote: "I think people ought to cut indies some slack- many don't have spare funds to spend on editors or book covers. "

No. If you can't produce a polished, professional product then you shouldn't be publishing and expecting readers to pay for your work. There are plenty of sites where you can upload your work for free if you just want to share (like Wattpad). As a reader, when I browse for my next book to read I shouldn't be able to tell who published a book. Trad/indie should be of the same quality.

Indie books have a bad rep because there are so many out there that are absolutely horrible. And it goes beyond lack of editing (and editing can't polish a turd) some have a lack of basic craft. I'm talking about books where the author has thrown up a first draft of their very first book and they expect readers to pay for the privilege of providing feedback and doing the job of critique partners.

Producing a quality book doesn't have to cost thousands of dollars, but it does take time and effort.

People also seem to lump all types of editing into together, but fail to distinguish between developmental, line, and copy editing and proofreading. They are not all the same thing and each does a different job. As the business owner, you have to determine which type of editing each manuscript requires.

I read a range of trad and indie books, who publishes them doesn't matter to me - I just want a good book to read. Because so many indie books are of sub par quality I do have trusted authors who I know produce great books and if its a new to me author, I rely on the recommendations of friends. I also use the look inside feature to gauge the quality of the story before buying.

[Vicky]

I read indie mostly and have done for some time, except for a few of my favourite NZ authors.
I write historical fiction set in New Zealand if you are interested. Vicky Adin

[Carole]

I don't blame blame you, A.W. for wanting a polished product. It's important for a lot of readers. I agree with you that people don't know the difference between the various editors, and I'm not sure they would value things that an editor might suggest they change. I have heard that some authors feel it compromises their work or message. I think writing is an art form and if people are happy with the product they put out, and I read it and I'm happy with it, then it's a win-win.

[Lisa]

There's just no way for me to "skip over" egregious errors. My mind trips over them. It'd be like watching a movie that kept flashing white screens every 75 seconds or so. It would be so interruptive to the experience that I'd give up.

I don't see any reason to lambaste a person for putting up a flawed document - they simply don't know any better. So I think rather than being nasty and skewering them, a more compassionate approach is to gently point out a few areas that need work, with examples, and encourage them to seek an editor.

We have all had teachers in our lives who tried to squash our dreams. That can be a make-or-break moment for an artist or author. I would rather we are the teachers who encouraged the person to shine. To take a deep breath, roll up their sleeves, and give it another shot.

Life is just too short to spend it squashing people.

[Mellie]

Carole wrote: "I agree with you that people don't know the difference between the various editors, and I'm not sure they would value things that an editor might suggest they change. I have heard that some authors feel it compromises their work or message. "

That statement makes me wonder what sorts of "editors" people are using? My editor never changes my work. She uses track changes to suggest where something is unclear, needs refining, or requires further work.

I also think at the other end of the scale some authors are far too attached to their words - particular those indies who refer to their books as their "babies" *shudder* There is a certain arrogance to the stance that their word choice is so perfect it doesn't need any editorial assistance to shine, and again a basic lack of understanding as to what a good editor does.

[Carole]

That's a great response, Lisa.

[Mellie]

Lisa wrote: "I don't see any reason to lambaste a person for putting up a flawed document - they simply don't know any better. So I think rather than being nasty and skewering them, a more compassionate approach is to gently point out a few areas that need work, with examples, and encourage them to seek an editor."

That's exactly the point - if an author doesn't have sufficient grasp on craft basics to even know what is wrong with their book, they shouldn't be publishing.

When an indie publishes a substandard product, as a reader I have ZERO obligation to nurture their delicate ego and point out mistakes. The obligation is on the author to ensure the work is as polished as possible before they publish. Too many indies are special snowflakes who think paying customers owe them a living. Work on your craft before you publish, readers are not your critique partners or editors.

[Joselyn]

Well for me in particular, if the story is good I don't really care if the book is selfpublished or not, Sometimes I do tend to go search for selfpublisher authors since they usually have new perspectives in stories, however I still do enjoy mass published authors as well I think it depends on the story they want to tell.

[Lisa]

Every author has ways in which their work can improve - whether they're new to it or experienced. To say a person shouldn't publish because they don't realize how they could improve doesn't make sense, because *every* person can improve. *Every* person can use guidance on that improvement.

Just because someone is further back on that learning process than another person is isn't cause for denigration. Hopefully it should be cause for reaching down a hand, just as undoubtedly many people did to the further-along author.

I disagree wholly that "too many indies are special snowflakes" - I belong to quite a number of writing groups and forums. By far the vast majority of them are striving to do the very best they can. They release what they think is their very best effort. They actively want help. If the editor and group they are currently working with have not lifted them high enough, the solution would seem to be to help them see that next level. Not to get angry at them for not realizing where they need to go next.

We are all voyagers in life. We are all learning every day. I am not sure there is one amongst us who could not use some more mentoring and help from someone who is further along. I have over 300 books out - and I still eagerly seek out mentors to help me learn even more tips and techniques. We can all use that lifting hand.

[Carole]

Wonderful sentiment, Lisa. That's what I love best about Goodreads- the exchange of information. I have learned so much from these forums. While I do respect and understand what A.W. is saying, I agree with you, that life is one big learning experience.
Self-publishing is hard. An author can do it any way they want, the bottom line is their expectations stay realistic. There are many people who won't tolerate bad editing or a sloppy plot line. I read somewhere that if an author is getting too many of the same complaints in their reviews, they should consider what is being said.
People self-publish for all reasons. Some want the thrill of seeing their name in print, others have something they need to write about. Many are looking for fame and fortune. I think, if an indie is looking for fame and fortune, they should consider that editing plays an important part in the perception of their book. If they don't care what people think, then it's a matter of mind of matter. If they don't mind, it doesn't matter. Personally, I think it's great fun. I love reading indies and seeing where their imaginations take us.

[G.G.]

Geoffrey wrote: "G.G. wrote: "Geoffrey wrote: "I've stopped reading self published books because so few of my fellow indie authors seemed interested in returning the favor."

That sounds like it was a strange reaso..."


I never said it was strange for you to support indie authors. I said it was strange to stop reading indies because they did not read your book in return. That's called swapping reviews, not reading indies or supporting indies. These are books you'd never have touched without the hope of a reciprocal review, yet trads won't read yours. They never will.

The difference is that I support indies by reading and reviewing indie books because I love the styles, the stories and all, not because I expect anything in return. I will continue to read indies as long as I find something to read that I will like (and with the quantity of books coming out each year, I'm not about to run out.)

[G.G.]

Lisa wrote: "Every author has ways in which their work can improve - whether they're new to it or experienced. To say a person shouldn't publish because they don't realize how they could improve doesn't make se..."

Even established authors like King improved their writing as they published more books, so I entirely agree with your statement.

[G.G.]

The Just-About-Average Ms M wrote: "I am quite certain that Lisa's warm, fuzzy, and uplifting sentiments are welcomed by fledgling writers who want to put their work out there for readers to buy and enjoy.

I am equally certain that ..."

I agree entirely that you are entitled to get what you expect when buying a book. I don't think anyone can blame you for that. In a way, that's why there are previews (although it's true that the writing may change as the story moves along). I remember reading trads some thirty years ago and being disappointed because the first part was so good and the second half felt rushed and didn't live up to my expectations. It happens even in traditional published books albeit I concede it it's less frequent.
As for the myth that traditional published are all well written, I would not call Fifty Shades of Grey a masterpiece in the writing world.

[Groovy]

I have found some gems in the Indie world; I mean very good writers. And then I've purchased Indie books that clearly have not been edited. Those authors have said either they don't think it's necessary, or it's because they can't afford a good editor. Then they put out a work that's filled with errors. No one is going to give that author another chance after that; and that's something we as authors must think about.

As a reader, I'm very diverse. I don't care if you're traditional or Indie. If the blurb holds my attention, and the story's well-written, I'll read it.

[K.D.]

Adrienne wrote: "I've switched to reading all indie lit. If anyone wants me to read one of their books, send me a recommendation."


AMYM: The Mamluk Who Defied Death
3.83 · 6 Ratings · 4 Reviews


It's 1811, the spring wind blowing out of the western desert heralds disaster for the Mamluks of Egypt. Cairo is tearing itself apart in its struggle for modernization. Amym, a former Georgian slave soldier, seizes an opportunity to secure the freedom of the woman he loves. He must navigate the political unrest of a nation in turmoil and risks more than just his life to be with his childhood sweetheart. But the political intrigue and violence of an unstable nation force him to flee the only home he has ever known and fall into the grips of an evil that has lain in hiding for centuries. Will he find a way for them to be together while those around them die, or will he fall under the sway of a far reaching society of ancient, blood thirsty khafash?

Send me a private message with email address and preferred format for a free digital copy to review.

[Richard]

Wow, this discussion has been going on for years... ;-) I saw Lisa posting here so felt compelled to toss in my two cents.

People usually read fiction for enjoyment, and if you aren't enjoying a book, for whatever reason, then just quit. Life is too short for books that don't appeal. Nobody is watching to make sure you finish every book you start, unless you're reading a required book for school credit.

I read a lot of indies and have been doing so for years -- especially books that seem off the beaten track and which aren't getting a lot of readers. Like anyone, I have genres I gravitate toward, but they're not necessarily what the top publishers are peddling.

My method is hit-or-miss. I have a monetary threshold for a book by a writer whose work I've never read before. I'll read whatever free preview is available before purchase. If it costs more than a cup of coffee and a doughnut to get the rest, I'll probably skip it if the preview had too many typos or exhibited poor structure.

If the book really has potential, as a reader I don't mind marking a few typos as I go and sending a list to an author; as well as pointing out in a review when a book has more than a few issues.

I tend to think of it like getting breakfast at a new cafe... Say you go into a place and the fare looks delicious and the prices are OK, but when the pancakes arrive, they're indistinguishable from cardboard cut-outs. What do you do? You could complain to the chef, complain on Yelp, demand your money back... Or perhaps just chalk it up to experience and go have breakfast somewhere else, never to return.

[Effie]

Adrienne wrote: "I've switched to reading all indie lit. If anyone wants me to read one of their books, send me a recommendation."

If you read women's fiction/contemporary romance I'd love for you to give my Greek American family saga a try.

Evanthia's Gift

Waiting for Aegina

[Lisa]

Nearly every book has a "look inside". A potential reader can see, without any money, what they will be getting. There should never be a reason to pay money - or to invest more than a minute of time - to see if the author in question meets one's entertainment needs or is in need of some gentle support to move forward in their dreams.

For the same reason, I have subscriptions to Hulu and Netflix. I test out shows that seem interesting. Something doesn't meet my needs? I move on. Life is too short. I'm not going to spend 2+ hours on a show that isn't what I want, when there are 20 other shows exactly meeting my needs. And, to be honest, I don't watch much or read much because I'm so busy writing my own content. I consider my time precious.

I'm not sure, with the vast, vast number of books in the global marketplace, how anybody could be without perfect reading material for their interests from today to when they pass over into whatever is to come. And we owe a lot of that to self publishing. If we were to rely solely on what "traditional publishers" thought we should consume we'd be stuck with some pretty horrific content. It is solely because we've supported and encouraged indie publishers - often ones who had rough beginnings - that we have the wealth of storylines available today. Storylines which often involve characters that traditional publishers would never have considered marketable.

[Effie]

I've been reading indie books more and more. I've found favorite authors in the genres I read. Some of my longtime traditionally published favorite authors have left me bored lately. Many of their books have become formulaic. The stories are all basically the same with different settings and slightly different circumstances. I'm not sure if this is due to laziness, a loss of creative juices, or that the traditional publishers put pressure on their authors to churn out too many books in one year.

[Carole]

I find the same thing. Indie's can be a refreshing change.

[Faith]

I think people don't trust self-published authors because there's no editorial control on quality. Someone with clunky writing can get published anyway, whereas a publishing house wouldn't have let it through without polishing and applying the rules of grammar. Publishing houses are the gate-keepers of quality BUT they also reject excellent novels because they don't think they are going to sell well enough. That's why the indie route is needed.

Whether you love self-published work or not is a similar thing to music, i.e. do you like Pop (mainstream, nothing special but perfect for the market) or Jazz (experimental, lots of misses but then occasionally there's something totally unique and bloody wonderful).

Some of my favourite indie books would NEVER have survived the professional agent and publishing house process. They're exquisite and cool and broadcast their personalities because the rigid committee (looking for guaranteed profit through mainstream and politically correct banality) didn't get its nose into them. When authors play with form and language, it doesn't all have to make sense but the bits that connect with you can be precious. Does all good art make immediate sense and profit? Of course not, but that's the criteria for acceptance by the mainstream bean counters. More-of-the-same-drudge. Do you want to discover originality, creation, amazing minds and avoid market simulation? Well, you should be reading indies. I challenge you to read ten commercial titles and ten indies, then I bet your favourite book from the twenty, your favourite book of the year, the one you then end up buying for other people, is one of the indies.

[Lisa]

Harini wrote: "I totally respect your opinions but come on ! If you want to become something like a trad published author , you're going to have to work on it ..."

I think you might have misunderstood my posts. The Indie authors I know *do* work at their craft for years and years. They pour their heart and soul into the process, use editors they trust, and market. They can still have flaws in their writing compared with other more experienced authors. They still can benefit from more mentoring and assistance. Maybe the editor they hired didn't do a good job. It happens all the time.

I also want to point out that a traditionally published author can have the exact same flaws in their final product. I have absolutely seen traditionally published works with typos, with grammatical issues, and with serious character and plot issues. Just because something goes through a publisher doesn't mean it's even close to perfect, especially in modern times. All it means is the publisher thought the book's topic matched their sales market forecast for what would be hot in the coming year.

As for the look inside, if someone is capable of crafting an amazing first chapter, free of typos, with rounded, living characters, then I'd argue that they're probably a decent writer. If a reader is unhappy after that then they're often quibbling about complaints about where the plot went, which is an entirely different issue from what we're discussing.

[Lisa]

Cphe wrote: "Will you name some of those [self-published] characters please? Those that you've found or anyone else for that matter..."

I enjoyed the hard science fiction of The Martian immensely. That began as that author's self-published work, and he got a LOT of feedback and made a lot of changes from encouraging readers as he began that project. If, instead, he'd gotten grumpy stomping, he might have given up on his project.

Still Alice is a powerful tale about a woman coping with a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's.

Really, there are thousands of awesome books that are self-published. I know many authors who refuse to work with traditional publishers because traditional publishers take what seems like 99.9% of the money and still expect the authors to do most of the work. Why give them that control and that money in return for ... what? Having them change your book's plot, content, and direction to fit a marketing report?

I had a major publisher interested in my medieval sweet romance stories. They wanted me to add hot sex to them, because that's what they felt sold. I refused and I am quite content with that decision.

[G.G.]

Harini wrote: "I didn't mean to say that indie authors are crooks . I have a lot of indie friends and I know many of them suffer due to the few thieves out there... If you got the impression that I blame all the indie authors , then I'm truly sorry for the unintended offence . ..."

Don't worry. This is the internet. Tones cannot be heard and 'showing' isn't always accurate. I understand what you meant. It's like in anything. There are crooks everywhere and they give others bad reputation.

(Please don't get offended with my following statement. It's not meant to be directed at you!)

The same way one might be afraid of an Indie who made it through top rank, I am wary of people who start their sentences with 'Trust me' for they are usually the ones you should not trust. (And that is why I made the remark/joke about your opening sentence.) :P

I hope you see where I'm going with this? I automatically judged you because of the two words but it was a mistake and I am sorry.

Personally, I don't pay much attention at the rank a book has. I know that special offers, free promotions etc can propel a book up there for a short time. Would I buy one of them? Maybe if it's something I think I'd like, but not because it's in the top ten. I am a bit of a rebel and always favor the underdogs.

[Marie Silk]

Just putting this out there since I haven't seen it mentioned yet. Self-published ebooks tend to be much cheaper, usually ranging between 99 cents and 4.99. At 99 cents with 35% royalties, a self published author, even if they do sell a lot of books, will be hard pressed to ever recoup the costs of professional anything. Most trad published ebooks that I have seen are $7.99 to $9.99+. So it stands to reason that choosing the cheaper books could mean buying stories that will not have same professional quality editing, formatting, book cover, etc.

Since the business of books lies somewhere between art and entertainment, enjoyment is always going to be subjective. I've spent tons of money on professionally produced books and movies that were horrible. It's one of the reasons that I stopped reading critics' reviews of movies. They nearly always downgraded the ones I ended up liking the most, while promoting the ones I thought should never have seen the light of day. That's the subjective nature of entertainment.

I reeeally hope no one publishes their rough/first draft, though!! That's...unthinkable... *cringes and hopes it's not true*

[G.G.]

Marie wrote: "They nearly always downgraded the ones I ended up liking the most, while promoting the ones I thought should never have seen the light of day. That's the subjective nature of entertainment...."


Too funny because my hubby and I think the same. We don't trust critics at all. When we see a bad review, we tend to think that the movie might be worth watching after all. And of course, the opposite is true. Good review= avoid at all cost.

[Loretta]

David wrote: "You know, I used to be a big reader of everything, indie and traditionally published from the Big 6. I would read basically anything and enjoy it, as well as classics and I was just all over the pl..."

The problem for traditionally published authors, I think, is that their publishers expect them to write what sells, so if they get a 'winning formula', that's what they're expected to keep writing. Having said that, as an indie author myself, it's lovely to read of people who enjoy the work of indies.

[Lisa]

G.G. wrote: "Marie wrote: "They nearly always downgraded the ones I ended up liking the most, while promoting the ones I thought should never have seen the light of day. That's the subjective nature of entertai..."

It has become a kind of game in our house. We track the most promising 1* movies. Occasionally the reviewers are right but usually we enjoy them. I have come to the conclusion that 5* movies have to cost a fortune, feature celebrities and have a lot on money spent on publicity. Quite often, their overblown CG imagery and standard sample loops combined with flashing photography and characters that just follow tropes make them unwatchable. The little one star jobs often have realistic characters, lesser known but better trained actors, real music, slow camera movement, fewer special effects and actual dialogue you can enjoy. I find a similar thing happening with trad pub v. self pub books. Very often the overproduced trad books are just too anodyne for my taste. Sometimes the quality isn't so good but KU eliminates the risk of wasting money for me.

[Lance]

Deborah wrote: "So I'd like to see self-published authors reach out to their local libraries more. Aside from book placement, you can also set up author events there..."

I'm glad your lead librarian is trying to change the system. I hope she succeeds. Unfortunately, not enough others are so forward-thinking.

I've been trying to both sell my books to my local library systems and to promote an adult class based on my research for my new series. I've hit the proverbial wall on both. The excuses haven't changed since 2012: the book isn't in B&T (Ingram doesn't count for them), it hasn't been reviewed by Library Journal, they don't have the budget, they don't do author events (even though what I'm proposing isn't an author event), and so on.

Even more frustrating? Some of these libraries promote their participation in Indie Author Day. This usually involves having a passel of authors sitting behind tables trying to sell their books, with no attempt to make the event anything more than a flea market. The libraries involved seem to think that three hours on one day checks the box, and they don't have to work at it for the other 364.

Please keep fighting the good fight. Thanks!

[Lau]

As a reader I tend to gravitate towards traditional books for two reasons, first is that I like to read paper and second is because of lack of quality in self-publish.
I know of course that this doesn't apply to every self-publish but almost every time I got to go and download one of those free-today-on-amazon promos, I got tricked and read or a christian book or a self-help book or a book that wasn't beta and proof-reading.
Is it too much to ask for a bit of honesty and it is honesty because I felt I got scammed into reading something I didn't want to.
Maybe I'm being to harsh... there was some pearls that I found that way as well. That's my too cents about being a reader.

Now... When I'm making a beta reading for instance, for me it's ok that it doesn't have yet all the quality as I feel I'm working on the book/short with the writer and I try to do my best for that work, along with beta I usually do some proofreading by instinct as well but It's pretty sad for us that put our work out there and sometimes the writer just says "Thanks" and nothing else. I don't know, I feel like I invested in the work but the author just doesn't care, he/she just wants to say, yeh, this was beta and they "liked it" but nothing else matters.

[Carole]

Lance wrote: "Deborah wrote: "So I'd like to see self-published authors reach out to their local libraries more. Aside from book placement, you can also set up author events there..."

I'm glad your lead librari..."
HI Lance,

I've had some luck sending a brochure with all my book to librarians who leave their cards with vendors at book shows. I get a list of them from NABE. The first year I sent sample books. That didn't work, for obvious reasons- the expense outweighed any money I might have made. I had brochures made at a relative inexpensive source and twice a year, I do a mailing.I make sure to indicate where they can buy the books. Recently, I switched my mass distribution from Createspace to Ingram. I think we sell more through Ingram.
At these shows there seem to be a lot of book buyers for institutions, stores, as well as libraries. They are looking for books to fill their shelves.

[Lance]

When we refer to "traditional publishing," we're being generous. There's nothing very "traditional" about their business model. Before the 19th century, what we now call "indie" (or worse) was the dominant model for publishing.

I've listed below the founding dates for a number of imprints that still exist in one form or another. It's not exhaustive (HarperCollins has >120 imprints alone), but it makes a point. These imprints are all either the foundations of the current "Big Five" (such as Harper & Bros. and William Collins), or live in one of their stables. You'll probably recognize most or all of the names.

1807 John Wiley & Sons
1817 Harper & Bros.
1819 William Collins, Sons
1826 Hachette
1832 Houghton Mifflin
1837 Little, Brown
1838 Putnam's
1843 Macmillan
1846 Scribner's
1864 Dutton
1866 Henry Holt & Co.
1884 John C. Winston
1897 Doubleday
1915 Alfred A. Knopf
1919 Harcourt
1924 Simon & Schuster
1925 Viking
1926 William Morrow
1927 Random House
1929 Farrar & Rinehart; Faber & Faber
1933 Crown
1935 Penguin Books
1941 Avon
1942 Popular Library; Pantheon
1948 Holtzbrinck
1949 Harlequin
1952 St. Martin's Press
1954 Vintage
1955 Berkley
1972 Picador
1980 Tor
1990 Hyperion

Sixty percent were founded in the 20th century. The proportion would be higher if I'd included more imprints, especially ones not under the Big 5's aegis.

The point? Industrialized publishing is historically very new. Perhaps we should refer to "mass publishing" rather than lending it the veneer of permanence that "traditional" implies.

[J.]

IMHO it is simple, there are so many Indie published books now and hardly any way for a reader to know if something is going to be good or not. There are some really good, professional grade books in that pile and there are books that hardly qualify as English. I try to find an Indie book to read with some regularity and I can't really say why I pick any of the ones I've read. Mostly from contacts, people I know and trust to like much of the same stuff I like. And so I take a chance. I do only read print so sometimes I think I've latched onto a promising author only to find the book is not in print yet. Then I will contact the author and see if and when print is coming. If it is, I try to buy a copy when it is released. On the other hand, for most readers it is easier to just pick from the NYT best seller list and more likely you'll have a good book. Just a thought.