[JumpingShip]

Someone in another forum mentioned this post which is sort of a rebuttal. *sigh*

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/04/04/self-publishing-is-the-blah-blah-and-floo-dee-doo-and-poop-noise/

Here is a very short quote from it:

I distrust fortune-tellers, to be honest.

Mostly because it's made-up horsehockey.

Further, you can't just canvass a handful of successful people and immediately declare that their success draws the map to the One Shining Path Up Authornuts Mountain.

ETA: I'm giggling because Kboards changed the original word to 'horsehockey'. heh. Let's just say it wasn't nearly as nice of a word in the original quote.

 

[penrefe]

Oh noes! Two of my favourite and most respected self-pubbed people have different opinions! What am I going to do?!

 

[N. Gemini Sasson]

Ooookay. I suppose he's free to believe whatever he wants. You can't convince someone whose mind is already made up.

 

[Gertie Kindle]

Maybe he found out that mentioning Hugh's name leads to books sales. I thought that was our little secret.

 

[Steverino]

Maybe he found out that mentioning Hugh's name leads to books sales. I thought that was our little secret.

Gah! You had to say it!

 

[Rick Gualtieri]

Not sure I'd call it a rebuttal.  More just saying that there isn't a magic formula for success.  Quite possible to agree with both articles.

 

[JumpingShip]

Maybe he found out that mentioning Hugh's name leads to books sales. I thought that was our little secret.

The secret is out. I better get my use out of it while I can. "Hugh Howey! Hugh Howey! Hugh Howey!" (I'm assuming it works kind of like Beetlejuice's name? )

 

[burke_KB]

That's one negative line in a piece that complements Hugh and is pretty level headed.

He pokes fun at poll methodology while saying writers should write and try to get their stuff out anyway they can.

It made me laugh.

 

[Accord64]

Both articles make good points.

 

[vrabinec]

I'm always happy to hear about how "lucky" Hugh is. It gives me hope that my drivel can sell like that just as long as I get that lucky. 

 

[JRTomlin]

My problem with the article is that he is arguing against something Hugh never said: that self-publishing is the only way to go and we should all "put our eggs in one basket". Since Hugh neither said nor implied any such thing, that made it a rather bad article imo although he points in and of themselves weren't necessarily totally wrong. I disagree with his belief that it is not easier to get your start (for most of us) by self-publishing, but that is easier in something that is difficult either way. Perhaps, less difficult is a better phrase.

 

[Susan Brassfield Cogan]

Someone in another forum mentioned this post which is sort of a rebuttal. *sigh*

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/04/04/self-publishing-is-the-blah-blah-and-floo-dee-doo-and-poop-noise/

Here is a very short quote from it:
ETA: I'm giggling because Kboards changed the original word to 'horsehockey'. heh. Let's just say it wasn't nearly as nice of a word in the original quote.

Chuck is right. Do it all. Self and Trad publish. Put your stuff out there everywhere. It's all just another revenue stream. Regular publishing isn't going anywhere. It's not as good for non-famous authors as it used to be and you'll never again be able to "just let [them] take care of it." You'll have to hire an IP attorney and not rely on an agent. But that said, it's worth it. Try it all.

 

[Mathew Reuther]

My problem with the article is that he is arguing against something Hugh never said: that self-publishing is the only way to go and we should all "put our eggs in one basket".

Which is why I left a comment saying "way to miss the point y'all" . . .

 

[Mathew Reuther]

Chuck is right. Do it all. Self and Trad publish. Put your stuff out there everywhere. It's all just another revenue stream. Regular publishing isn't going anywhere. It's not as good for non-famous authors as it used to be and you'll never again be able to "just let [them] take care of it." You'll have to hire an IP attorney and not rely on an agent. But that said, it's worth it. Try it all.

I fail to see how wasting time writing letters is better than writing the next thing and publishing it.

Tradpub requires a) wasting time doing the aforementioned letter-writing or b) selfpubbing and becoming so successful you get offers.

So in what way does "doing it all" logically start with anything OTHER than self-pub in 2013?

 

[TexasGirl]

Chuck's article was hilarious! And full of win!

Both articles were. Both made good points. I'm glad we're getting more articles out by people who actually know what they are talking about.

We all know KBs is not the rest of the self pub world. People here research, they care, and they are WAY more likely to have good sales and do well than the people who Google self pubbing and shell out a couple grand to a vanity shop.

So both guys are right.

 

[Kent Kelly]

Differing anecdotal evidence between aces.  When you fly by the seat of your pants, it is alarming to glance over and note that your hotshot co-pilot isn't wearing any.

(This has only a little to do with the thread and that's okay.) 

 

[JRTomlin]

I fail to see how wasting time writing letters is better than writing the next thing and publishing it.

Tradpub requires a) wasting time doing the aforementioned letter-writing or b) selfpubbing and becoming so successful you get offers.

So in what way does "doing it all" logically start with anything OTHER than self-pub in 2013?

I agree, but strictly for myself. I'm not going to tell anyone else what to do. I have had an agent come to me since I self-published and I turned him down flat. If a publisher did, I'd look at the offer which I think is pretty much what Hugh did. A good enough offer, I would take or negotiate if it looked close. A bad one I wouldn't.

I don't consider that "putting my eggs in one basket" so much as making intelligent use of my time. I get nothing out of sending out queries and some intern looking at my submission. Come with money in hand and the whole story changes.

 

[JumpingShip]

My problem with the article is that he is arguing against something Hugh never said: that self-publishing is the only way to go and we should all "put our eggs in one basket". Since Hugh neither said nor implied any such thing, that made it a rather bad article imo although he points in and of themselves weren't necessarily totally wrong. I disagree with his belief that it is not easier to get your start (for most of us) by self-publishing, but that is easier in something that is difficult either way. Perhaps, less difficult is a better phrase.

Yes, that was what I got out of it too. It wasn't bashing self-publishing, it just seemed like he didn't get the point of Hugh's article--or maybe I didn't? I take it to mean for the average author, they can make more money self-publishing than they can with traditional publishing. Chuck Wendig is already traditionally published and has been for a long time. I'm not quite sure he knows how it is out in the trenches where authors are querying agents and all praying to be the one or two authors an agent may take on that year, and then praying even harder that a publisher will buy the book. After all that, they then have to hope the book actually makes it in front of some readers before the next book by the publisher comes down the conveyor belt and pushes it off the shelf. Whew! Yes, it works for some and for a few, that system works very well. It didn't work for me, and for many of us, it wasn't a matter of traditional publishing or self-publishing, it was a matter of self-publishing or trunking our books.

 

[Mathew Reuther]

I agree, but strictly for myself. I'm not going to tell anyone else what to do. I have had an agent come to me since I self-published and I turned him down flat. If a publisher did, I'd look at the offer which I think is pretty much what Hugh did. A good enough offer, I would take or negotiate if it looked close. A bad one I wouldn't.

I don't consider that "putting my eggs in one basket" so much as making intelligent use of my time. I get nothing out of sending out queries and some intern looking at my submission. Come with money in hand and the whole story changes.

That's exactly my point. There's nothing to be gained by throwing out letter after letter which will (history bears this out) almost never result in a positive response and (current trends bear this out) will generally have an advance attached to it which is pathetic compared to what even a modocum of self-pubbed success can bring and will take years to get your title to market.

Tradpub is fine. I'd take the right deal.

But actively seeking it? Wasting all that time?

WHen I could be posting on KB? No way.

 

[David Alastair Hayden]

Wendig has been doing a lot of passive-aggressive self-pub bashing. I don't know if it's just for attention or something else. Yeah, I realize he's self-pubbed some work. But then I don't care much for his style or advice, not in a personal way but in a does nothing for me way. Maybe I'm misreading what he says, but I definitely detect an undercurrent of self-pub disdain. I'd hope that it's just me.