An article by a self-pubber who has no regrets...

[AshK]

Thoughts from Cyndi Tefft, author of Between.

http://booksbywomen.org/published-does-it-matter-how/

[munley]

An interesting article, thanks!  The follow-up comments were interesting, too.

I think the first comment's point about the importance (in being published traditionally) of your book having been taken seriously by people established in the publishing industry really is not very important to readers, who now have many avenues, like goodreads.com, to find books in the subjects, styles, and/or genres they're interested in. If the write-up is intriguing, or the comments of others who have read you book, readers will buy it, regardles of who did or didn't publish that book.

There are only so many avenues within the traditional route, only so many agents, only so many publishing houses. You have a good chance of your novel being rejected simply because a traditional publisher can publish only so many books in a given season, even if your book is well-written. Nothing wrong with trying to go the traditional route, but the day may come when you have to decide how much longer you will wait for this limited pool to pick your book.

[shadowwalker]

I've started seeing this "limited number of books" thing only recently. Is this actually true, or is it just another pseudo-argument for self-publishing started by certain gurus? Not meaning to be snarky, but having spent several decades in the manufacturing field, I know that high demand just means gearing up and meeting it, so the idea of having more good, money-making books than one can publish seems a bit off.

[bodwen]

Publishers do have lists.  I read an article from an editor talking about how an author fired off a nastygram after being told that the editor absolutely loved the book, but can only give the green light to six books and all six slots had already been taken. 

The editor and his followers thought the author should have felt flattered and heartened by the praise, but really, there are few things more devastating than reading that an editor would absolutely love to sign your book--but it ain't gonna happen...   

[shadowwalker]

Publishers do have lists.  I read an article from an editor talking about how an author fired off a nastygram after being told that the editor absolutely loved the book, but can only give the green light to six books and all six slots had already been taken. 

The editor and his followers thought the author should have felt flattered and heartened by the praise, but really, there are few things more devastating than reading that an editor would absolutely love to sign your book--but it ain't gonna happen...   

Okay - although I'm wondering about the time frame for the six slots (or maybe that particular editor's 'allotment'). I just hadn't heard that reasoning before the last couple of weeks so I was curious about the 'authenticity'.

Thanks. 

PS - too bad about the nastygram - that author probably sank any chance of getting into the next set of slots...

[bodwen]

That's what the editor said, and I agree.  The author had a nice bridge built up, only to set a torch to it.

(When you get a rejection letter like that, it's best to accept that it was sent in the spirit of kindness, then cry yourself to sleep.)

I seem to recall it was that particular editor's allotment for that year.