Good, reputable freelance editors, formatters, and artists are available at reasonable rates. If a self-pub'er chooses not to rely on their services...
Well, again; it's their brand.
(Sturgeon's law applies justt as well for indie books as it ever did for trad-pubbed titles.)
One thing Eisler highlighted in the ongoing conversation in the comments to the GUARDIAN article:
Quote:
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There's a widespread tendency to compare the reality of self-publishing to the ideal of traditional publishing. I think it's more accurate and useful to compare reality to reality,
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Or, in this case, the worst case self-pub scenario to a best case trad-pub scenario.
Again; Indie publishing offer up the freedom to choose poorly as well a wisely. But even when choosing poorly, the author will experience the result of their *own* bad choices, not somebody else's. (The horror stories from the trad-pub world are *not* uncommon.)
The fact that so many authors are rushing for the exits at the first crack in the gatekeepers' barriers suggest all was not sweetness and light under the hegemons' rule.
It'll be a while before things shake out and *both* sides learn to properly value publishing services. But I'm
pretty sure the final outcome will not be built off 100-year contracts with 15% of revenue for the author.
