tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692547621086235345.post6709879701983370337..comments2023-10-30T03:16:11.490-07:00Comments on The Populist Publisher: Why Ask Subsidy-Published Authors What They Think?Lynn Osterkamphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14710614789241804674noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692547621086235345.post-73088689115210024222008-02-28T10:12:22.000-08:002008-02-28T10:12:22.000-08:00Lynn, this is very interesting. In a way maybe thi...Lynn, this is very interesting. In a way maybe this dialogue is good for everyone - Self-Published, Small Press and or Subsidy...Okay, so let me get this correct: according to the responses in the blog, if I had spent $500.00 of my own money and taken my book to a printer myself (whether edited professionally or not), created a publishing company name and bought an ISBN I would be okay because I truly self-published my book.Or if I spent 10-20 years submitting my work over and over again to a publisher/agent who likes the idea, but won't make any money off of it, does that mean my story should be shelved or stifled?And because I put that effort into someone else's hands and paid them the money I would have spent doing the same thing on my own (whether professionally edited or not), I am considered a poorly written author with a bad cover and no chance of ever becoming even remotely read. And because of that there are people out there who would deliberately not read my story because they have a prejudice against subsidy publishing?Wow. I knew it was bad, but I didn't realize it was this bad. There are levels of quality at every level. I'm not going to judge a book by where it was printed, but on it's content. Every book published now, irregardless of where it came from has a flaw, some more apparent than others, but does that stop us from reading them? We're there for the content, the characters, the plot and whatever else may draw us to the book.Shame on those who are so closed minded!Laurie Pooler Pelayohttp://www.lydiaproctormysteries.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692547621086235345.post-26451061871757195952008-03-01T08:46:39.000-08:002008-03-01T08:46:39.000-08:00That seems to be pretty much the way it is, Laurie...That seems to be pretty much the way it is, Laurie. You've summed it up well. Personally, I'm going to keep promoting the idea that books should be judged on their merits.LynnLynn Osterkamp, Ph.D.http://www.lynnosterkamp.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692547621086235345.post-80349557494974669982008-03-01T09:00:51.000-08:002008-03-01T09:00:51.000-08:00I was surprised that most responds to your posts a...I was surprised that most responds to your posts about the survey were reasons not to do it. I shouldn't have been. My suggestion to collect sales figures was met with blank incomprehension. I would have though the potential for bad experiences and the earning ability would be the first two things anyone would want to know.veingloryhttp://www.erecsite.com/blog.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692547621086235345.post-12612764800209076432008-03-05T09:32:25.000-08:002008-03-05T09:32:25.000-08:00I'm a little bemused as well about some of the...I'm a little bemused as well about some of the negative criticism. I welcome any survey or analysis on subsidy publishing. I find any heated discussion on this topic seems to throw up as much about the attitude of traditionally published authors as it does about the subsidy published ones! I think authors who have been published through both channels will, perhaps, return a fairer and more balanced view of the subsidy publishing experience.As different authors will have had varying experiences with subsidy publishers, all will answer the survey questions in a highly subjective manner. I think every author is on their own journey, and often, that journey is pre-determined by their starting point they choose in an effort to be published. I've been researching POD subsidy publishers for a while and I've found that writers (because all authors are first writers) fall into three broad groups.Group 1 - Those who write for pleasure and have limited or little understanding of the publishing world. They set out on their writing journey and often, many of them will board the first bus that arrives. They board the Big Bright Subsidy Bus, because it seems to be the first bus to arrive, even though they have not quite worked out where it is they are going.Group 2 - Those who don't see themselves as writers and pursue entirely different journeys. Somewhere along the way, something wonderful/extraordinary/tragic/notable(read celebrity/politician etc) happens them, and they decide to write about their experience. With belief and support and champions close around them; most of these writers will ultimately board the Traditional Bus, that's if the driver thinks they really have a book in them and the masses will want to read it.Group 3 - The most interesting group. They know/believe with a real purpose that they are writers. Doggedly, they will not let go of this, even if their belief is misplaced. They may study literature, the arts, join a writing workshop, but along their journey they will hone their skills. Some may find themselves working behing the scenes in media (print/tv/promotional), all the time they are becoming more familiar and accustomed to the publishing world. Some of these writers because of their 'knowledge' will publish traditionally, and then, perhaps grow frustrated with the industry, eventually moving to subsidy or self-publishing. A small few will subsidy or self-publish directly, and then get the opportunity to move to traditional publishing.I do believe that many of the above groups will merge over the next 10 years with the advent of in-bookstore pod technology, the general traditional publishers embracing pod technology for 50% or more of the books they publish; the continued development of digital print and E-publishing; a continued reduction in pod digital costs per book, and ultimately a proper ethical publishing charter that all pod subsidy publishers will have to sign to operate as a business.Lynn, I welcome and wish you the very best with your survey.Mick Rooneyhttp://mickrooney.blogspot.comMick Rooneyhttp://mickrooney.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com