Debut author turned down $120,000, 3 books New York publishing deal to self-publish

[DiapDealer]

The average good book is better than the average bad book.

[latepaul]

I used to buy into the "gatekeeper" thing, or more specifically the idea that the quantity of self-published stuff means there's a "discovery problem". I don't think I do any more. As someone pointed out, there are millions of blogs and web pages in the world but I still manage to find ones that interest me and are worth following it. And the discovery process for books is pretty much what it's always been - recommendations, reviews, hearing about it. I haven't read that many self-published authors but that's mostly to do with my TBR and mostly adding books by authors I already know. Since they are mostly established names it'll take time for that to change.

But one of the main reasons I changed my mind over this is that while I do think publishers act as a gatekeeper in quality to some extent, they are not a route to discovery per se. I've never picked up a book because of the publisher. I couldn't tell you who put out my favourite books without checking.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

You'll need to avoid reading anything first published after 2002 then, because that's when the corporation publishers stopped using proofreaders and started farming copyediting out to companies based in India. And for anything older than that you will need to avoid the ebook version because it will be riddled with OCR errors.

Proof for your assertion? I do that sort of work, for major publishers, and last time I looked out my window, I didn't see Bombay.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The average good book is better than the average bad book.

[Tarana]

What would make sense to me is taking the contract for the three books, getting the $120K and the cachet that comes with being a traditionally published author.

Yes, but that is what YOU want. You'd be willing to give up your rights to a book you wrote for 35 years in exchange for $$ up front, keeping in mind that some of that money is not guaranteed. She wants control over her work. She is also willing to bank on that she can do as well, if not better. It's a business decision. We may or may not think it is a smart business decision, but as a reader, we don't care. Our business is deciding whether we are going to buy it or not.

Nothing sells like success. If her self-published books are successful, these publishers are more likely to approach HER with a contract that she can live with. An established author is a much easier sell.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by Catlady

What would make sense to me is taking the contract for the three books, getting the $120K and the cachet that comes with being a traditionally published author.

She got the cachet. To judge from the links on her web site, getting the advance and turning it down got her a lot of publicity.

Now, the next debut author who tries that route won't get nearly as much blogosphere publicity. And the next after that, hardly any.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by latepaul

But one of the main reasons I changed my mind over this is that while I do think publishers act as a gatekeeper in quality to some extent, they are not a route to discovery per se. I've never picked up a book because of the publisher.

Whereas I've done (and still do) precisely that. I buy every monthly ebook bundle that Baen release (and have done so since 1999) and have discovered some wonderful authors (eg Elizabeth Moon and Lois McMaster Bujold) whom I may not have otherwise come across. I've learnt over the years that, with a very few exceptions, whatever Baen publish I'm probably going to enjoy, so for me that particular publisher has been very much a route to discovering new authors.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Proof for your assertion? I do that sort of work, for major publishers, and last time I looked out my window, I didn't see Bombay.

Wonder if a proofreader would change that to Mumbai? Or is that the job for a fact checker?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

You'll need to avoid reading anything first published after 2002 then, because that's when the corporation publishers stopped using proofreaders and started farming copyediting out to companies based in India.

What makes you think that a copyeditor in India is less likely to do a good job than one based in the UK or US?

[Ken.Hagdal]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Proof for your assertion? I do that sort of work, for major publishers.

You should have posted this as a disclaimer straight away. It adds so much perspective to your -purported- outlook and reasoning.

[Ken.Hagdal]

Originally Posted by latepaul

But one of the main reasons I changed my mind over this is that while I do think publishers act as a gatekeeper in quality to some extent, they are not a route to discovery per se. I've never picked up a book because of the publisher. I couldn't tell you who put out my favourite books without checking.

I think it's very true for some publishers. Especially the big 5, which are stuck in the same desperation for blockbusters that has led Hollywood to forget that cinema used to be referred to as the 7th Art. Agents' role shouldn't be overlooked either. In some ways, they have even more clout as gatekeepers.

On the other hand, like the example given by Harry, there are small publishers who do a great job of defending a vision of literature with quality in mind as opposed to chasing after trends.

[latepaul]

Originally Posted by Ken.Hagdal

One the other hand, like the example given by Harry, there are small publishers who do a great job of defending a vision of literature with quality in mind as opposed to chasing after trends.

I get the theory but they still have to align with my tastes and unlike Harry I don't find enough of Baen's output matches what I want to read for a "Baen book" to be some a recommendation by itself. And not that I've looked particularly but I haven't found another publisher that does. Mostly because I rarely notice who the publisher is anyway.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by latepaul

I get the theory but they still have to align with my tastes and unlike Harry I don't find enough of Baen's output matches what I want to read for a "Baen book" to be some a recommendation by itself. And not that I've looked particularly but I haven't found another publisher that does. Mostly because I rarely notice who the publisher is anyway.

Certainly it's a matter of personal taste, and I've been very fortunate that Baen's offerings are such a close match to my reading preferences.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Proof for your assertion? I do that sort of work, for major publishers, and last time I looked out my window, I didn't see Bombay.

http://www.businessweek.com/stories/...nancial-advice

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What makes you think that a copyeditor in India is less likely to do a good job than one based in the UK or US?

English isn't their first language. Plus I read a lot, and have noticed the significant drop in quality.