tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post9201783840482875602..comments2024-03-18T06:50:24.837-07:00Comments on Linda Pendleton's Drops of Ink Upon the Page: Self-Publishing DebateLinda Pendletonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-47783845490974524432010-07-19T14:37:56.176-07:002010-07-19T14:37:56.176-07:00Good for you, Linda. It has become much the same f...Good for you, Linda. It has become much the same for artists and musicians. Though I never made much money from my CD Crayon, I think self publishing is the way to go. If I were to cut another CD, I would take the same route and take my chances with something I can reach out and touch any time I want. It's hard to lose control of your work, make no money and have no access for making appropriate decisions or changes to make it better. I agree with you 100% on your blog.Ricky Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10291670568107980266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-34547166835552992242010-05-31T10:39:33.413-07:002010-05-31T10:39:33.413-07:00Jon - I will definitely stick to it and I will def...Jon - I will definitely stick to it and I will definitely keep reading Linda's blog. <br /><br />I mostly avoided the things that the industry says because I didn't much reach out to them, but an ex-agent acquaitance said to me, "I couldn't put it down, but I'm not sure the publishing industry is ready for this." That was one of the many pebbles that tipped my indie scale.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-81522965215207134392010-05-30T13:04:19.866-07:002010-05-30T13:04:19.866-07:00That's good to hear, Wanda, because we can ALL...That's good to hear, Wanda, because we can ALL use a little hope now and then. I think a lot of writers are even tired of traditional publishing because all the industry biggies make it sound hopeless from the start.<br /><br />"Well, you might get your manuscript published after six years of trying" - or - "This isn't what we're doing now but check back in a few months." Huh? Forget it, folks! I'd like to publish something before I'm dead.<br /><br />So stick to it--and stick to Linda's blog because, if anything, she's an encourager. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-81828864568459329232010-05-29T19:30:21.180-07:002010-05-29T19:30:21.180-07:00It's so nice to see this comment string contin...It's so nice to see this comment string continuing. It's such a nice contrast to this other comments string I've been following. <br /><br />http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2010/05/prithee-convince-me-self-publishing.html<br /><br />Everyone in this string gives me great hope for the future of independent publishing and independent authors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-55634575204621463032010-05-29T19:03:16.140-07:002010-05-29T19:03:16.140-07:00Lee,
Thanks for your comments. It's a tough b...Lee,<br />Thanks for your comments. It's a tough business and it helps if we can do it our way. And change is underway.Linda Pendletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-71696472638273799002010-05-29T19:00:43.805-07:002010-05-29T19:00:43.805-07:00That's right, Jon. Look how things have cahnge...That's right, Jon. Look how things have cahnged since you and I put out ebooks almost ten years ago. Can you believe it has been that long! And then just think how publishing will be in these coming years...more and more self-publishing. And darn good books at that. <br /><br />The prices of hardcover books are outrageous now...unless you go to amazon for reduced prices--<br /><br />Ego has a lot to do with it...and as I've said in the past, NY publishing lacks vision, and so do many in Hollywood who do not take advantage of all the talent that is there to give them fresh product.Linda Pendletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-29885453266098577272010-05-29T13:32:22.085-07:002010-05-29T13:32:22.085-07:00It's good to continue to hear the different si...It's good to continue to hear the different sides of the ongoing publishing debate. I like your take on it because it gives a little more optimistic view of the oft derided approach of self-publishing. Good job.<br /><br />Lee<br /> <a href="http://tossingitout.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Tossing It Out</a>Arlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-13832186644758765952010-05-28T20:35:40.819-07:002010-05-28T20:35:40.819-07:00Very well-stated, Linda (as usual), and I'm no...Very well-stated, Linda (as usual), and I'm not just saying that because you plugged my book, although thank you for the mention.<br /><br />I think what much of the debate comes down to is ego. I mean why pussy-foot around, let's call it what it is. Self-published writers are a threat to mainstream/traditionally published writers because we may just prove them wrong after all of these years. We may actually be putting our work out there and people discover there are other writers "just as good."<br /><br />Have book sales declined in bookstores because people have stopped reading? I don't know but it seems to me Amazon.com's doing just fine for itself. I think people are just tired of seeing the same names in retail stores. How many Vampire love stories can you read before you say, "Okay, something new." I mean look at movies right now. Another remake of Robin Hood! Really people? Really? And I LOVE Russell Crowe. Sex in the City the movie shouldn't have even made the silver screen, let alone a sequel in my humble opinion. I mention movies in this context simply because publishing has gone the way of media conglomeration.<br /><br />And let us not forget that traditional publishing has fallen on its financial head (or what... aren't there just 5 heads left?) not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES in the past fifteen years.<br /><br />Why are all of the agents saying these days: "I'm not taking any new clients?" Really? Then how do you eat, folks? Name-branding your authors who publish a contrite, tired old plot identical to their last book? No thanks.<br /><br />Like you, I've been both professionally and self-published. I have plenty of readers who've told me they love my work. That's good enough for me. I need neither the banal nor pedantic blowhards of the publishing industry to validate that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-24719459247923208882010-05-25T12:35:20.197-07:002010-05-25T12:35:20.197-07:00Hi Mary,
There is that "second-class" s...Hi Mary,<br /><br />There is that "second-class" stigma associated with our self publishing...and it is time that agents, publishers, and some authors, accept the fact that our books are worthy of being published and enjoyed by readers. <br /><br />It is moving in that direction rather rapidly now, and Kindle is partly responsible for that acceptance, I believe. <br /><br />Thank goodness, times are changing. <br /><br />Debra, there comes a time when authors get frustrated and tired of playing the "game" and decide to put their quality work out there. <br /><br />I say, good for us! <br /><br />Wanda, as you may know, many of us do not rush into publishing...but after energy of marketing our work, often for months upon months, we take hold of our project and move forward, as you've done beautifully. I'm sure you have already promoted better than some publisher may have done for you. They tend not to spend a lot of resources and energy on midlist writers--so if we are not a celebrity we may be out of luck. So in the long run, you may be ahead of the game, and also have control....that's nice. <br /><br />Thanks, you guys for all your comments. :-)Linda Pendletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-55984247165685735242010-05-25T11:50:54.387-07:002010-05-25T11:50:54.387-07:00Hi Linda,
I followed your comment link on my blog...Hi Linda,<br /><br />I followed your comment link on my blog back to your blog and was glad to see your post on the Self-Publishing Debate. I agree with you. Today's self-publishing is not like it used to be.<br /><br />For our first book, we did the agent/publisher query route and got back encouraging comments like "This has commercial potential" and "Good writing" but no one "loved it" and we didn't land an agent.<br /><br />Fast forward 3 years and we now have 2 novels for sale on Kindle. Both books went through numerous edits, beta readers, etc so there was no rush to self-publish. My co-author and I wanted a quality product out there. After all, the books have our names on it and we wanted something that was professional and that we could be proud of.Debra L Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15825531924522383449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-82844642148412033732010-05-23T18:41:21.490-07:002010-05-23T18:41:21.490-07:00Thanks Linda. When I decided to self-publish I was...Thanks Linda. When I decided to self-publish I was determined to bring a more professional air to self-published literature. Too many people rave about the speed to market possible with self-publishing, but you can't hurry a quality platform.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-45673171223151195072010-05-23T15:44:41.610-07:002010-05-23T15:44:41.610-07:00Thanks for addressing this issue. There is definit...Thanks for addressing this issue. There is definitely a 'second-class' stigma associated with self-publishing. Why is it that indie muscians don't have that same stigma? It's pretty much the same thing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13267066733031149882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-30126315535642963472010-05-23T13:15:31.402-07:002010-05-23T13:15:31.402-07:00Hi Wanda,
Glad you enjoyed my comments. And it l...Hi Wanda,<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed my comments. And it looks like you are ahead of the game with your "plan" and self publication of your book. In looking over your website, you've put a lot of time and effort into making it successfully work for your book. (and your next one :-) ) <br /><br />Good luck with "Sometimes that Happens With Chicken." Intriguing title and I like your oover, too.Linda Pendletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164615258549673581.post-47204868500145047382010-05-23T11:40:33.706-07:002010-05-23T11:40:33.706-07:00Linda,
I'm glad a checked out your post and ...Linda, <br /><br />I'm glad a checked out your post and you made a lot of great points re: self-publishing. I agree that vanity publishing is an outdated word since the advent of print-on-demand but industries inevitably carry over words from earlier evolutions. I laugh when my co-workers in the web design industry say "below the fold" rarely thinking how that word held over from the good ol' print days. <br /><br /><br />Eventually, people will realize that self-publishing isn't always a last resort. I believe it's inevitable though it's taking much longer than it did in the music and film industries. <br /><br />Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com