Response to Jerry Jenkins on Self-publishing, continued
A few things to add. The self-publishing world appeals to our vanity. It makes vanity publishing easier. It appeals to people who don't want the input of editors and good readers, who aren't willing to get their work critiqued and altered, not understanding what good writing is. When I hear that budding writers are using something like Tate or one of the other services and have paid over $1000, I do cringe, visibly. Self-publishing appeals to those who want to get it done fast without putting the time into what good writing takes, which can be years if you can't do it full time (and who can write full time?)
But it also appeals to authors who are traditionally published but are not sold on that model any longer, who know the business, know good writing, know the technology, have had their work vetted, have taken the time to do it right, and who know what they are getting into.
If an elderly person wants to write his/her memoirs for the family, self-publishing is great. An oral history might be better and less time-consuming.
Most of the people who think they have a book in them don't. That's just the reality. The basic idea might be good but they don't know, nor care to learn, what would make the book readable or interesting for someone else. That's a big jump.
But it also appeals to authors who are traditionally published but are not sold on that model any longer, who know the business, know good writing, know the technology, have had their work vetted, have taken the time to do it right, and who know what they are getting into.
If an elderly person wants to write his/her memoirs for the family, self-publishing is great. An oral history might be better and less time-consuming.
Most of the people who think they have a book in them don't. That's just the reality. The basic idea might be good but they don't know, nor care to learn, what would make the book readable or interesting for someone else. That's a big jump.
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