Here we have a common perception among would-be readers of self-published fiction:
Yeah, $2.99 books have been, in my experience, not worth the electrons it took to produce them. Aghast at the cost of ebooks when I got my Nook 2 years ago, I turned to those cheaper price points and time and again was disappointed. There is a reason these books are not picked up by the publishing houses. Let’s face it. The major publishers have been doing literature for a while – they know what people will read, recommend and most importantly, pay money for. Ms. Reed [the successful self-publisher featured in the article] is a one off, and if she had been patient, she would have gotten picked up by one of the big guys.
Most people who go this route are not going to make much money on their “works” nor garner fame.
(Found via the excellent Passive Guy – his blog is highly recommended.)
Computers have changed the publishing landscape. Traditional publishing, with its bloated costs, is shrinking fast. Those bloated costs have always been paid by readers and, to some extent (by means of insultingly low rewards), by authors. Self-publishing authors make more money and their readers pay less. What’s not to like?
Answer: the slush-pile. The “reviews” at ebook stores aren’t much help. Most of them are not reviews at all, but personal reactions. They are valuable and interesting in their way, but mainly to authors. Then we have to filter our way through the five-star “reviews” posted by friends, family, and other shills.
Sampling is a help, but time-consuming. Book-blogs are also a help. One very interesting book-blog is Awesome Indies, which carries this message on the home page:
The difference between this site and others that showcase Indie books is that the only criterion for inclusion on this list is quality, and the quality is determined by publishing professionals.
I must declare an interest, for I received an email this morning telling me that, without my knowledge, The Drowning has just been listed there. But even if it hadn’t been, Awesome Indies is a great idea. It will help to sort the wheat from the chaff and encourage the chaff to become wheat; and, perhaps, persuade the irredeemably chaffy to give up their hobby, take up macramé or photography instead, and leave the field a bit clearer for readers to discover authors worthy of the name.
That site is a great idea. I used to buy a ton of cheap indie books back when I still bought from fictionwise. Some of them better than others.
The site still seems to leave up to pure chance the likelihood that a self-published book will be discovered and reviewed by these English Lit degree’d “authorities,” since apparently an author cannot solicit their own works (unless, of course, they’ve already been positively reviewed or recommended by one of those English Lit degree’d “authorities”)… as always, getting ahead comes down to who you know…
Steven, I agree to a large extent, but then “authority” is what is mourned by those who regret the passing of the traditional gatekeeper. My own book was recommended without my knowledge: no insider dealing there. As with any review process, the reader is the ultimate judge.
http://ireaderreview.com/2012/05/03/top-100-indie-authors-for-may-28-authors-to-watch/
I recommend keeping an eye on this monthly list too. Many of these authors have been approached by publishers and elected to go on their own.
I certainly don’t mourn the passing of the traditional gatekeepers. I’ve discovered quite a few intriguing indie authors, some of them serially rejected by said gatekeepers. Reader recommendations (especially the helpfully picky reviews) and associative algorithms have brought many enjoyable ebooks to my view.
It’s not so much a slush pile as a treasure hunt. 🙂
Where is the quote included in the above article sourced ? The link doesn’t appear to be accurate.
This Awesome Indies site – I wouldn’t give it the time of day and it’s a complete waste of space. Another elitist attempt to tell us what ‘professionals’ think is good writing … more of the same rubbish gatekeeping we have been subjected to for decades.
Anyone with an independent brain should steer well clear.
The very concept that “someone with a degree in Creative Writing” is somehow any more competent or qualified to certify a piece of writing as ‘quality’ is both a hilarious and outrageous one.