Mar 5, 2013

Some Writers Don't Want to Self-Publish

 The topic of self-publishing has come up time and again. I sometimes wonder if the debate will ever end as to which one is "better."

The thing is, neither is better than the other. Any more than mayonaise is better than ketchup. They're both just different choices people can make. On more than one occassion I've had to defend my decision to go traditional. And not only that, to stay traditional. I honestly can't see myself ever wanting to move over completely to self-publishing.

I read this article last week, on Chuck Wendig's blog, and everything he said made perfect sense to me. It felt like I finally found a way to articulate the differences between traditional and self-publishing and why my preference is for traditional.

At some point, perhaps, I might dabble in it. Maybe release something on my own, perhaps if I decide to sell one of the roleplaying games I've designed or I really want to put a particular book out, come Hell or high water.

But the fact is, I love being a writer. I love the promotion work I get to do alongside my writing.

I do not love the idea of having to deal with cover artists, layout designers, a freelance editor, distribution, Amazon's upload system. They're just things that lie so far outside my comfort zone and areas of expertise that I am more than happy to let my publisher handle them.

I hear a lot of worrying things being said about traditonal publishing. Another timely post on Chuck Wendig's blog addresses the misinformation being spread. I'm all for people making their own choices and deciding their own path. However I can't abide the spread of misinformation, whether intentional or accidental. I think it's hugely important that, as much as traditional publishing is not held as being superior to self-publishing, it can't be demonised, either.

And aside from that, I love my publisher. I enjoy working with them. I want them to succeed as much as I want to succeed myself. I was once told that, when I become famous and can rely on my name to sell books, I should make the move to self-publishing so I'd get even more money. I was told I could even set up my own publishing company to handle all the non-writing side of things.

Well I'm sorry to say that won't be happening. If I'm not built for self-publishing on a small scale I'm certainly not built for running a company!

And the thing is, if I am fortunate enough to become a household name, why wouldn't I want my publisher, the company that brought me into the industry in the first place, to share in that success?

I'm not a publisher. I'm a writer. And I couldn't be happier with that arrangement.

8 comments:

  1. "And the thing is, if I am fortunate enough to become a household name, why wouldn't I want my publisher, the company that brought me into the industry in the first place, to share in that success?"

    Exactly. All the greedy me-me-me GIMME MORE MONEEH corporate mentality in literature feels really misplaced. Not that one doesn't need money to live and all that, but when all our choices are made with money as the focus, NOT storytelling and community building and art-gorging, then something's really off with our mindset.

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    1. Definitely. None of us should go into this industry expecting to become wealthy overnight, so when one of us is fortunate enough to hit that jackpot, the last thing we should be doing is losing sight of why we're writers to begin with.

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  2. I've had these thoughts myself so many times lately but never managed to post about it as articulately as you did here, Paul. I've written and deleted a number of posts on the topic until finally I decided to drop it altogether. But yes yes and yes to all of your points. (And I am so happy that you like your publisher!)

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    1. Thank you, Karen.

      I know I keep going on about it, but I couldn't have asked for a better experience with a publisher. The better I do, the better WiDo does, and the more new authors it can help!

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  3. This sure is a hot topic these days. I run into it all over blogland. I'm still very much an amateur - one story published in an anthology to raise funds for homeless shelters in our community. BUT it was my activity and presence as a blogger that got me that gig. I think the key is community building and mutual support regardless of which publishing path an individual chooses.
    However, I do sort see the writing on the wall like what happened in the music industry. E-books are gaining in popularity, accessibility, as this Kindle addict will tell you.
    I guess my final thoughts are, whether self-publishing or traditional, the e-format isn't going away, in fact it's heading for us as an avalanche.
    Thanks for your visit today at Life is Good. Nice to meet an Irishman. Ireland is on my bucket list. All that green (and I will admit freely, all those pubs) beckon me.

    Tina @ Life is Good
    Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
    @TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge

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    1. E-books are definitely here to stay. We just need to treat the technology responsibly.

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  4. Ok, was going to buy your book after the really informative reviews on Amazon...but then discovered with my Prime Membership, I get to borrow it for free...I hope you get something for that...curious as to how that works. Very excited to start reading it. Sounds just like my sort of story.

    Tina @ Life is Good
    Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
    @TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge

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  5. I'm not sure I do, but I hope you enjoy the book in any case!

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