Writing 101 -- What's It Worth?

[zombiegoat]

During this long journey I have been on toward publication, a question has popped up over and over again, and I no longer have the ability to be polite in how it is answered.  I have been asked many times if I have ever thought of self-publishing something.  The answer, quite simply, is no.  And based on a story I read recently, it has become a

Comments

[fionn320]

An acquaintance of mine who is a published author was told by her agent that once you self-publish, most publishers won't touch _any_ of your work with a 10-foot pole, even if the work in question is completely unrelated to the self-published title.

[zombiegoat]

Yeah, in the normal publishing world, self-publishing is the kiss of death. As much as it pains me to say, the gatekeepers are in good place for a very good reason. When an author gets to basically write their own check without any balances from the editorial staff, what usually is produced in the end is mediocre at best, actively horrible at worst.

[fionn320]

As witness, check out any number of A list authors who are big enough to tell an editor where to stick it. Authors who are quite capable of turning out absolutely sublime novels get big-head syndrome and turn out some absolutely awful stuff knowing full well people will buy it because it is by 'X' author.

[zombiegoat]

I have to admit, from a purely business aspect once you have fulfilled your contract with a house and built up a reasonable following, it makes perfect economic sense to then go ahead and strike out on your own via self-publishing. Instead of a royalty rate of %15, why not go ahead and get up to %70? One of the hardest things a writer encounters is building up that initial fanbase, and it helps greatly to have a publisher standing behind you and arranging things.

The bad part comes when very few of the authors that take this path bother to bring along an editor. In addition to getting your name out there, publishers have a vested interest in not allowing a writer to shoot themselves in the foot. When you slip the editorial chain and run out into the street, you usually end up getting hit by a car (see Laurell K. Hamilton for a detailed account of how a good writer goes batshit with too much leeway).

[flameamongcoals]

Thank you for not holding a sick friend to proper standards. The feeling is mutual.

[zombiegoat]

More than welcome, Sam. Like I said, it's my own trip. Hope you heal up soon.