Not All Indies Are Created Equal: DIY-Pub Vs. "I Run My Own Publishing Company"-Pub

Once again, I see folks on the message boards complaining about "self-pub" or "indie" authors and how shoddy "those" books are.

Problem: You can't clump every self-published book and author into the same bin.

Just as you can't clump every traditionally-published author/book into the same bin.

I just read a Harlequin filled with typos and errors.

I also read a self-published book filled with typos and errors.

I also read a trad book that was well-executed and produced. AND I also read another self-published title that had excellent quality writing and production.

So what's going on?

As far as trad-published books...the big pubs are clearly cutting editorial corners. As well as digital formatting corners. That's nothing new.

But what I would like to really address today is the whole "indie" thing because not all indies are created equal.

I own a business. A publishing company. For me. I make all the decisions. And because I want to produce a high quality and professional product, I hire professionals to help me with this business.

I hire a professional cover artist.

I hire someone to format my books for print.

I hire someone to format my books for digital release.

I hire someone to professionally edit my books.

I have a crew of beta readers who edit for content.

I pay money for ads and other promotional options.

Is this expensive? Maybe. It's an investment in MY business.

There is a very big difference between a publishing business (whether it's run by a New York company or a smaller company or a single person) and a DIY-pub.

A DIY-Pub could be your Aunt Ethel who wrote a family history and wants to throw that baby up on Amazon so she can say she "published" a book. Good for her. I have no problem with that.

However, if you...

--make your own book cover

--do NOT hire a professional editor

--do NOT hire professional formatters

--promote yourself by fighting with peeps on message boards

...I do not consider you a professional publisher.

That's a DIY project.

Maybe you're awesome at formatting. And maybe you have a graphic design background and can whip off a gorgeous cover. Fine.

But even the most experienced authors--who have been writing for YEARS--need an editor. They just do. I can tell when the big-wig NY-published authors are skipping the editing portion of the equation. It's glaringly obvious and pretty embarrassing.

Once again, the bottom line is JUDGE EACH BOOK ON ITS OWN MERITS.

Clumping all self-published authors together into the same barrel is ridiculous.



Feeling irked,
Penny

Indie Authors Beware: Integrity Matters

Would you sell your soul to the devil to get your book published?

Would you sell your soul to the devil to make a bestseller list?

How far would you go?


I can't think of a group of people more vulnerable than writers with a dream. They are desperate to get published. They are desperate for success. They're easy prey for unscrupulous folks looking to make an easy buck.

The explosion of "indie" or "self-pubbed" writers has opened up a whole new sleazy world of self-professed "social media experts" and "promo consultants" who promise everything under the sun. For a buck. And unfortunately, newbie writers with little experience are very easy prey.

Indie Authors, let me tell you this....

.....Anyone who is offering to help you with your writing is a FRIEND.

.....Anyone who is offering to mentor you, in terms of craft and hands-on marketing experience, for FREE, is a FRIEND....

.....Anyone who gives you an HONEST critique, maybe one you don't want to hear, is a FRIEND....

.....Anyone who tells you it takes years of hard work and dedication and that you need to have patience is a FRIEND.....

.....Anyone who tells you that this isn't a numbers game---not about sales and bestseller lists----but about the QUALITY of your writing, is a FRIEND.....

....Anyone who tells you to get your friends and family to write glowing reviews on Amazon (without identifying themselves as F/F...aka "shills")....FRIEND? NOT SO MUCH.....

.....Anyone who tells you to make up fake identities at Amazon (sock-puppet) to give yourself glowing reviews....FRIEND? NOT SO MUCH....

....Anyone who tells you to down-vote bad ratings and reviews, and to encourage your friends to do the same....FRIEND? NOT SO MUCH....

....Anyone who tells you to put fake tags/labels on your book to crank your rank in a search engine....FRIEND? NOT SO MUCH....

....Anyone who tells you to offer a reciprocal service to other indie authors re: 5 star reviews (you give me a 5-star, and I'll give you a 5-star) without you actually reading the book....FRIEND? NOT SO MUCH.....

.....Anyone who tells you "I'll help you out if you promote me"....FRIEND? NOT SO MUCH.....

....Anyone who tells you to spam Facebook/Twitter/other social media all day with book announcements, tells you to do drive-by announcements, tells you to leave comments on other folks' blogs with your purchase link (even if it's not related to the blog post in any way), and generally encourages you to make an enormous nuisance of yourself in hopes of selling your book.....FRIEND? NOT SO MUCH.


Do you want to be a hard-working author interested in honing his craft and supporting his colleagues in an honest way? Or do you want to "game the system," and spend your time figuring out ways to lie and cheat your way to the top?

Bottom line: Do you think readers are dumb? We can't figure out that the 47 glowing 5-star reviews are all shills? Especially when we download a sample and it's filled with grammatical errors, piss-poor writing and typos? No matter how many fake reviews you get, the readers will sniff out the truth.

There are entire boards at Goodreads and Amazon which discuss "authors behaving badly"....the authors who have fake reviews, do spammy-style promo, and harass honest readers.

Since when did it become okay for authors to act like a bunch of sleazy used car-salesmen? Harassing folks, cheating, lying, and manipulating the system to get ahead?

To say that I am appalled by the so-called advice by some of these "experts" is an understatement.

Integrity matters.

To the indie authors who care about their writing, are honest and hard-working and have integrity, I say.....bravo. And thank you. We, the readers, appreciate your books, appreciate your honesty and integrity, and look forward to supporting you.

To the indie authors who are one small step above a used-car salesman, I say....Good luck. You're going to need it.


Penelope