Quote:
Originally Posted by Phogg
I am a reader.
I buy a lot of indie books.
Most of them are well edited, and as I participate in kickstarter fundraisers for the books often I can say that editing and cover art can be had for $1,500 or less. Jim Zoeteway has a kickstarter for the next two Legion Of Nothing novels now.
I have seen a lot of SF series never appreciably marketed over the decades. I would go to special order something and a bookseller tied directly to the publishers couldn't get it, so don't even try to go there.
Short answer: no, we are not underestimating anything.
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I'm a reader, and have tried to wade through the piles of indie books and found most to be absolute drek. There, I call your personal experience as a data point with my own.
Sure I've read SF&F series that were not well marketed as well. I've never understood why Brian Daley's books were not better received.
It's nice that the occasional writer can succeed without publishers, though I will point out that Zoeteway does have a publisher, 1889 Labs.
But every rule has exceptions. What is the percentage of successful writers who don't have publishers? As a guess, well under 1 percent.