I think it might be partly a generational thing. As a writer you sort of grow up wanting one particular thing, but now, getting closer to it, some people, including myself are re-evaluating that. Like what do I really want out of this? And at this time I don’t feel that traditional publishing meets my needs of what I’m really looking for right now. I don’t know where I’ll be or how I’ll feel about it in ten years though.

I think that 10 or 20 years ago, it was absolutely true that if you were a good enough writer, someone would publish you. But it’s not true anymore. Yes, you MAY be able to find a small press to publish you, but they suffer the same distribution issues that I will have to deal with going indie. There’s no real benefit there, for me anyway, to going with a small press that isn’t run by me.

Why on earth would I publish with a small press just to avoid “stigma” when I’m making 1/4th the money on the back end that I’d make publishing myself? It’s illogical.

Which isn’t to say small press isn’t a valid way to go. It is. Especially if someone doesn’t have the time or inclination or funding to publish their own work.

I guess I think there are plenty of valid and legitimate reasons to go with a small press or try the agent route, that there is no need to denigrate self publishing as “what bad writers” do. There’s no real need to justify “not” self publishing.

I think it might be partly a generational thing. As a writer you sort of grow up wanting one particular thing, but now, getting closer to it, some people, including myself are re-evaluating that. Like what do I really want out of this? And at this time I don’t feel that traditional publishing meets my needs of what I’m really looking for right now. I don’t know where I’ll be or how I’ll feel about it in ten years though.

I think that 10 or 20 years ago, it was absolutely true that if you were a good enough writer, someone would publish you. But it’s not true anymore. Yes, you MAY be able to find a small press to publish you, but they suffer the same distribution issues that I will have to deal with going indie. There’s no real benefit there, for me anyway, to going with a small press that isn’t run by me.

Why on earth would I publish with a small press just to avoid “stigma” when I’m making 1/4th the money on the back end that I’d make publishing myself? It’s illogical.

Which isn’t to say small press isn’t a valid way to go. It is. Especially if someone doesn’t have the time or inclination or funding to publish their own work.

I guess I think there are plenty of valid and legitimate reasons to go with a small press or try the agent route, that there is no need to denigrate self publishing as “what bad writers” do. There’s no real need to justify “not” self publishing.

I love your analogy about indie bands, though. It’s funny how there’s a stigma for writers, but not for artists. Hopefully things will change over time, like you said in your e-mail.

I’m pretty sure that the big publishers who unpublished writers are trying to publish with have, in some way, “brainwashed” them into believing that self-publishing is the wrong way to go. Not entirely sure what to do about that, really.

If it’s not for you, that’s fine, but some people get very angry and hostile about it. I could almost understand someone with a traditional publisher being hostile, but I really don’t understand that reaction from the unpublished.

I mean why would you be against more options to get your work in front of people? bands without record labels never went around putting down bands who chose to put out their own record. Film makers without big industry moguls behind them, don’t denigrate other film makers who create their own small indie film.

Why is this negative attitude so prevalent amongst unpublished writers? It makes literally no sense.

So it seems to me that there are multiple views on publishing, right? Of course writers will want to be published in the traditional sense. There’s something prestigious that comes with “making it,” because everyone knows how bad the odds are. We can’t deny that, nor should we demean it.

For those writers who vanity publish, they have their own reasons as well. Sometimes they only want a small print run, and don’t want to go through the business hassle that inevitably comes with the traditional definition of self-publishing. Like you’ve said before, that’s understandable. And as a vanity-published writer, I will never demean others like me. I had my reasons for vanity publishing, just as I have my reasons for not pursuing a traditional publishing career.

What I think is most important, however, is that we not feel personally insulted that there is a stigma against self-publishing, the same way we shouldn’t feel personally insulted that there is a stigma against romance. It is frustrating, yes, that there are people who will never respect what we do. But these people are limiting themselves, and missing out. I’ve always felt it’s better to win people over with patience, because I would hope that others would give me that benefit. And if they don’t, then that’s fine. I know who my audience is, and I know what and why I’m writing. Those who understand, will. Those that are willing to try something new, I’ll welcome them with open arms.

But I’m definitely not willing to judge those writers who go the traditional route simply because I’m going the self-publishing route. Because I know that I don’t want to be judged for going the self-publishing route, despite the fact that I know it’s going to happen.

I know it’s goofy, but I just want all of us to be friends. :)

I love your analogy about indie bands, though. It's funny how there's a stigma for writers, but not for artists. Hopefully things will change over time, like you said in your e-mail.

I'm pretty sure that the big publishers who unpublished writers are trying to publish with have, in some way, "brainwashed" them into believing that self-publishing is the wrong way to go. Not entirely sure what to do about that, really.

If it's not for you, that's fine, but some people get very angry and hostile about it. I could almost understand someone with a traditional publisher being hostile, but I really don't understand that reaction from the unpublished.

I mean why would you be against more options to get your work in front of people? bands without record labels never went around putting down bands who chose to put out their own record. Film makers without big industry moguls behind them, don't denigrate other film makers who create their own small indie film.

Why is this negative attitude so prevalent amongst unpublished writers? It makes literally no sense.

So it seems to me that there are multiple views on publishing, right? Of course writers will want to be published in the traditional sense. There's something prestigious that comes with "making it," because everyone knows how bad the odds are. We can't deny that, nor should we demean it.

For those writers who vanity publish, they have their own reasons as well. Sometimes they only want a small print run, and don't want to go through the business hassle that inevitably comes with the traditional definition of self-publishing. Like you've said before, that's understandable. And as a vanity-published writer, I will never demean others like me. I had my reasons for vanity publishing, just as I have my reasons for not pursuing a traditional publishing career.

What I think is most important, however, is that we not feel personally insulted that there is a stigma against self-publishing, the same way we shouldn't feel personally insulted that there is a stigma against romance. It is frustrating, yes, that there are people who will never respect what we do. But these people are limiting themselves, and missing out. I've always felt it's better to win people over with patience, because I would hope that others would give me that benefit. And if they don't, then that's fine. I know who my audience is, and I know what and why I'm writing. Those who understand, will. Those that are willing to try something new, I'll welcome them with open arms.

But I'm definitely not willing to judge those writers who go the traditional route simply because I'm going the self-publishing route. Because I know that I don't want to be judged for going the self-publishing route, despite the fact that I know it's going to happen.

I know it's goofy, but I just want all of us to be friends. :)

It’s taken me a couple of years to figure out what I want to do, and this year I decided that I strongly believe in self-publishing. I’ve never been too keen on rites of passage, which is one of the many reasons why I doubt I’ll ever traditionally publish from the outset for a work.

Among other things, I like the idea of the challenge that comes with being an independent publisher. It’s right up my creative alley.

It’s taken me a couple of years to figure out what I want to do, and this year I decided that I strongly believe in self-publishing. I’ve never been too keen on rites of passage, which is one of the many reasons why I doubt I’ll ever traditionally publish from the outset for a work.

Among other things, I like the idea of the challenge that comes with being an independent publisher. It’s right up my creative alley.

And I think you’re right about this ‘rite of passage’ thing. To many writers, having your book “accepted” and published by someone else is a part of the process, but it’s really not the only valid way to get a book out there.

And doing it the other way isn’t “easy.” In fact I think I’m fairly crazy for doing it the way I’m doing it, but…I can’t justify doing it the other way because it’s not where my passions lie.

And I think you’re right about this ‘rite of passage’ thing. To many writers, having your book “accepted” and published by someone else is a part of the process, but it’s really not the only valid way to get a book out there.

And doing it the other way isn’t “easy.” In fact I think I’m fairly crazy for doing it the way I’m doing it, but…I can’t justify doing it the other way because it’s not where my passions lie.