Fred over at The Truth About Writing has written his opinion on the merits of self-publishing – and he raises a good point. Here’s my take on the subject:
The biggest detractor I’ve heard about self-publishing is the fact that 90% of self-published authors are hacks – folks who really don’t know how to write to save their lives. The rubber really meets the road when a lot of these authors are some of the most arrogant folks you’ll ever meet who think their novel is the best thing since sliced bread – and who will ridicule and berate you for not agreeing.
Personally, I’ve always been pretty split on self-publishing. On the one hand, it’s true that a lot of folks who probably shouldn’t be published because they actually can’t write go this route, making for a lot of terrible books to weed through. But on the other hand, I don’t see why self-publishing can’t be used as a viable alternative to getting books published, if you can write something that’s quality and that readers will actually enjoy. In those cases, the biggest advantage to going through a “traditional” publishing house is that they do all the publishing and promotion legwork for you. But if you don’t mind do a lot of your own sweat-work, then self-publishing certainly seems like a viable alternative.
What are your thoughts on the topic?