There is so much talk about self-published books in the writing-o-sphere.
But have you actually read one?
Poll below – please click through to the actual post if you’re reading in a feed reader or via e-mail.
UPDATE: poll is closed!
Also, your further thoughts requested in the comments section. Did you like the self-published book you read? Would you read another? Do you only read traditionally published books? Etc.
After reading many comments this evening, perhaps the comparison should not be self-pub'd vs. traditionally pub'd, but rather quality/meticulous publication (by a NYC house or indie publisher) vs. more hastily published material. Just like any industry, often the less ideal ones give a bad name to the rest of us. Don't we all know a family-owned coffee place just as awesome as Starbucks? How about a personal trainer just as educated and qualified as Jillian Michaels? Don't any of us have friends who can out-cook Giada in the kitchen? Where would we be if only celebrities and big box stores and huge companies and books ONLY published by the NY houses made it? There will be lesser quality products in any industry, not just publishing, and just because an author self publishes on their own, or works with an independent/hybrid publisher does not mean the work is crap. Are we judging the work based on typos or content? We've all read traditionally published books purchased at B&N that weren't great, but perhaps the author was a celebrity. Let's not fool ourselves that agents/publishers are always looking for the best stories–often it comes down to what's going to sell. Please don't tell me that Snookie's book (Jersey Shore) is deep, existensial material! If Paris Hilton wrote a book, it would be picked up immediately–but how would any of us rate the content?! They say imitation is the best form of flattery, and many of us indie authors 'look up' to traditionally pub'd books as a standard to strive for, and obsess over every detail of our books in order to measure up. Just because we financed it and did it without an agent we are being penalized? Doesn't seem fair, especially when all the literature is telling authors now that even the big NY houses do much less than in the past to promote books, and it is up to ALL authors to do promote their work.
I've read self-published material, but only when the author was a friend, which seems a bit of a trend from the comments. My agent hasn't been able to place my first novel (which won several prestigious awards) but I'm planning on a major re-write, not self publishing. It's difficult to get in print through the main stream publishers, but what chance does a novel have without their backing, unless it's got a very targeted audience?
I find it interesting that so many people note typos as one of the greatest weaknesses of self-published books, but then note that traditionally published books sometimes have that too, as if that puts them on equal terms.
In my opinion, typos (though distracting) are often the least of a self-published book's problems. Of the few self-published books I have read I was more turned off by weakness of craft, namely prose, characterization, dialogue, exposition, pacing, etc.
That said, I'm always open to reading a self-published book if it comes recommended by someone I trust.
Yes, quite a lot of them actually. Mostly I've been pleased. There are some duds, but if you check out the first few pages you almost always know what you're in for before you buy.
To be honest, the folks that have read one bad self-pubbed book and have sworn off all of them really confuse me. So, every book they've read from commercial publishers must have been fantastic? I've had a totally different experience.
I've read a couple of excellent self-published novels, but I should point out the authors were accomplished writers who put a lot of time into getting the manuscripts edited properly and getting professional-looking covers.
These days, there are more options available to avoid an amateurish feel to self-publication. However, if the writing is amateurish nothing will save the book.
Content is the important issue. If it's good then who care if it's self-published or not! Self-published print books I don't read, but about 1/2 the ebooks I read are self-published. As an ebook formatter, I'm pretty critical of all ebooks, not just the self-published ones. Even well-established publishers can put out some really sloppy ebooks. But then I don't think I've ever read a print book that didn't have one or two (or more) issues with typos, grammar, continuity, etc.
I've been hearing a lot about self-published books among bloggers now. Unfortunately, I've never read one but I'm definitely interested on reading one.
I've read several for pleasure on my Kindle, and worked on several as a freelance copy editor. I would say most have their story values down pretty solid, but the writing quality varies wildly. But that's okay; that's what copy editors are for.
I can say this: I know dozens of self-published authors who put their manuscripts through a torture test not unlike those given to traditionally published fare. I never get a manuscript before it's been gone over by a number of critique partners or beta readers, and at least one rewrite after that process. Some of my clients hire story editors (ones that have been laid off by publishers are cheap and plentiful) as well. I provide copy-editing, and then a proofreader is hired to come in and sweep up the trimmings behind me after another revision. I also red-flag problems with the narrative if I come across them, and usually the author will fix those problems before moving the manuscript down the line to their hired cover designer, layout artist and e-book formatter.
Are they great books? No, as the authors themselves have told me. Most are formulaic genre fare. But I have no doubt they deliver just what the readers of those genres love. And that's a source of justifiable pride.
Jim Thomsen
thomsen1965@gmail.com
Yes. Also full disclosure: I am a self-published writer.
But one of the self-published books I read, "Patches of Grey" by Roy L. Pickering, impressed me so much I keep promoting it. It's an up-to-date coming of age story that makes Holden Caulfield of Catcher in the Rye look like the spoiled, rich, self-absorbed white preppy kid he actually was. Pickering's "kids" are going to public school in The Bronx. Now. Today.
I've been an avid reader since before I tried seriously writing my own stories. Many of the literary works I've read were originally self-published, or published by friends who happened to have the means (a printing press) to make a small print run–such as Ernest Hemingway's "three stories and ten poems," and "in our time," published by Robert McAlmon's Contact Press; James Joyce's "Ulysses," published essentially on the same press by his friend Sylvia Beach; even the Travels of Marco Polo and Caesar's Campaigns.
Particularly during times of political upheaval, or repression, writers have found ways to get their works out–via friends, via a small printing press, via a "mimeograph machine" (yes, I remember those) and now via the internet and ebooks.
Benjamin Franklin was the father of American printing. He published his own works, and newspapers. Samuel Clemmons (Mark Twain) essentially was self-published, and published his friends–sometimes just to help them economically, as in the case of one of the seminal works of American literature, The Memoirs of U.S. Grant.
I don't ONLY read self-published works. But I don't ONLY read "traditionally" published works either.
Who was Shakespeare's publisher? Who was his agent?
Not every self-published author is Shakespeare, or Twain, or Joyce. Or Pat Conroy. Nor is every traditionally published writer worthy of the Nobel prize for literature.
Everytime you buy a book, buy a sandwich, go to a movie, you take a risk. Your money is gone before you know if you like what you've purchased.
Sometimes, you feel cheated. Sometimes, you feel like the reward overwhelms the risk enough to try it again.
I hope people read self-published books. I hope they read more of them. I hope they read mine.
I would like to submit another challenge. My book, Children of Dreams, is published POD. I would like some more reviews. For anyone who wants to read it, I will send you a free copy for an honest review. It reads as fiction, but is nonfiction. Want an inspirational story with a Christian worldview? Here it is.
I will put my self-published book up against any traditional published book out there. I have 50 reviews on Amazon with five-stars and I want 100.
If I can do anything to eliminate the negative image associated with self-published books, I am ready for the challenge.
Please email me at LLhroberts@yahoo.com and let me know if you are interested. This is an alternate email that I use for purposes like this.
I tried to read a couple, but they were so dearly in need of editors, layout artists, book design, etc., that it was embarrassing. And, in all fairness, I did think the ideas were good and the characters and plot intriguing, but it was just falling apart in the lack of editing in a very obvious way and I couldn't go on.
word verification: quedit
I haven't read any self-published, but I have listened to a podcast self-published books. I wouldn't mind reading them, it's simply that they're harder to get a grasp of. Especially since most of my latest book purchases were from Borders sales. I don't have the money to spend on any type of book for awhile now.
Yes. Publisher's cred has gone the way of dodo a long, long time ago.
Taking some wisdom from Dave Canterbury, books need to appeal to the common man, not the MFA graduate. Sometimes I think NY doesn't get it.
I read a self-published book a long time ago. It was written by a one of my first crit group friends. Honestly, it needed fact checking. Editing wouldn't have hurt.
I'm reading a self-published book by a friend I've never met in person. I like it so far. Seems quite polished.
I have a few other self-published books in my TBR stack. Just haven't gotten to them yet. They are all by writer friends or recommended by writer friends.
I have read three self-published books: one by my aunt and two by Amanda Hocking. I was intrigued by all the hype surrounding Hocking and genuinely impressed by the number of books she has written, not to mention sold. So I picked up My Blood Approves and Switched.
Frankly, it was apparent within a couple of pages why she wasn't able to find a publisher. And it's not because of typos or editing problems. The quality just isn't there, neither in the story/characters nor in the writing itself.
My aunt self-published a novel about 6 months ago, and I (of course) read it. I love my aunt, but her book was terrible — barely readable. Again, it wasn't because of typos; she is simply not meant to be a fiction writer.
I don't think I will pick up a self-published book again, unless I personally know the author. And I can't imagine ever paying for one (even Hocking's 99 cent books I got from the library). Traditionally published books can also be terrible, of course, but generally not in the same way or to the same degree.
So even though I have been rejected several times over by them, I believe in the literary gatekeepers. (Though I suppose the fact that Hocking has landed a traditional publishing deal with the Tryll trilogy means that even traditional publishers may not be trustworthy anymore.)
Yes, I have paid good money for and have read a self-published book. I have to say that I was shocked at the poor editing and the number of typos. If what I read was representative of self-publishing, I wouldn't want to go that route.
Yes, I've read several self-published books. For research, particularly on unusual topics, self-published non-fiction can be very useful and some of the few resources available.
I tend to check reviews and read samples before buying any books (SP, indie or big six).
I’ve read quite a few self-published books. Two I’ve read recently are:
The Silence of Medair by Andrea K. Host. This novel was an Aurealis Award Finalist. After reading THE SILENCE OF MEDAIR, I purchased almost all the author’s other publications because her writing is fantastic, intelligent and well-edited.
Calling Crow by Paul Clayton. The novels in this series were originally published by Putnam/Berkely, but are now self-published. After reading CALLING CROW, I purchased all the other books in this series because the story is fascinating, and the writing and editing are excellent.
I read self-published, indie-published and traditionally published books. I’m way behind in reading because I’m still wrestling with editing the third rewrite for my own science fiction novel, but I’ve recently purchased an incredible number of self-published books. Here are some treasures I found and reasons why I purchased them:
Wired by Douglas E. Richards. The eBook is only 79 cents on Kindle and the author’s received excellent reviews by Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, Kirkus, School Library Journal, Odyssey Magazine, and more.
Selection Event by Wayne Wightman – This book has received excellent reviews, including a statement by Orson Scott Card in which he says that he looks for books by Wayne Wightman.
Replica by Lexi Revellian – Her self-published books are selling well and receiving great reviews.
Three stories by Douglas Smith, currently FREE on Kindle – all with fantastic reviews and all were a Finalist or Winner in the Aurora Awards:
By Her Hand She Draws You Down
and
Going Harvey in the Big House
and
Scream Angel.
I’ve also purchased quite a few self-published books that were previously published by the big publishing houses, including ATLANTIS and other books by:
Bob Mayer
and
Kristine Kathryn Rusch – She is the only person to have ever won a Hugo Award for editing and a Hugo Award for fiction.
…I could continue because I’ve purchased A LOT of self-published books in the past couple of years, but this post is getting rather long.
I decided to be open-minded about self-published books after your posts earlier in the year. I read the Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking and Vegas Moon by John Locke. The latter didn't seem that different from a trad published book, except it was shorter. But he was traditionally published first, isn't that right? Amanda Hocking's books needed some polishing, both in terms of typos and story development, but for 99 cents I got a few hours of entertainment and felt like I got value for money. I'm glad she's been picked up by a traditional published because I think she has so much promise and she'll be writing some cracking books with the help of a publisher.
Anyway, I'm now open to reading self-published books, but they would need to come with some serious recommendations because of the lack of gatekeepers.
Again, not I said the fly.
Bransford, you own, my gut tells me – the most reader friendly, clever Blog.
But the best is your Post summation.
Sheila Cull
Funny you should mention this – I read my first self-pubbed book recently (The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker). You can read my detailed thoughts at http://www.brouhahababy.blogspot.com but to summarise – I've read worse. Leaving all the speculation to one side, I enjoyed reading it and didn't regret my purchase.
I've read several of them – usually in the non-fiction realm. Most of them were self-serving and pretty useless, but a few were golden. You don't have to be traditionally published to have a book of value, but it does help the potential reader.
I skimmed a self published poetry book once and it was ok….but I read The Fiddler's Gun by Pete Peterson and it was _excellent_–I'm hoping to try other self pubbed work, but I'm pretty choosey. Of course…I'm pretty choosey about what traditionally published work I read…
Yes, I read Three Dreams Ago by Karen Channon and enjoyed it thoroughly. It is a memoir of her childhood battle with leukemia and her journey into adulthood.
I have heard/read that memoirs are among the most difficult types stories to pitch to traditional publishers because they are so personal in nature (unless, of course, the author is famous in their own right already). That said, I found Karen's story to be heart-warming and thought-provoking.
I haven't read a self-pubbed book yet. I started one recently and it wasn't bad but I haven't had time to get back to it to see if it holds up. On the other hand, I have read A LOT of traditionally published books that have so many problems I truly wonder how they got through. I use the sample feature on my Kindle whenever possible before buying ANY book, self-pubbed or not.
My response is biased – I'm one of those self-published authors.
For those who have commented that they would never read a self-published novel, all I can say is, too bad. You're missing out on some really well written stories for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.
Yes, there are a lot of rat turds among the SP, but using the "look inside" feature will quickly tell you whether it's worth a full read.
There are a couple of things that traditionally published authors have over their SP "cousins":
Professional editors and marketing pros.
As to the editors – there are plenty of quality non-professional editors around and the serious SP writers are using them.
Marketing is, for me, the only real advantage of the traditional group. Sometimes I feel like a second class citizen when approaching distribution companies, reviewers and even Amazon's own "Shelfari" group; all of whom are not eager and often hostile to the idea of supporting a SP author.
But, as the black folks chanted in the early 1960's, "we shall overcome". They did, and so shall the serious SP authors…;o)
I love your blog for many reasons. But one reason why I love it is because it's so interesting to read the comments.
And the comment thread patterns, too. You've written smart, educated blog posts that are equal to any mainstream articles in mainstream publications and you've been lucky to get 23 comments at the most. And then you ask one simple question, "Have Your Ever Read a Self-Published Books?" and you get over 200 hundred comments.
I love it. The possibilities are endless 🙂
I've read several self-published books, and I've self-published one book.
The worst bok I've ever read was self-published, but it was the only self-pubbed book I read that was awful. The grammar/punctuation typos and story were so bad it was almost funny. Almost. Most of the self-pubbed books have been cometitive (in quality of story and writing) to the traditionally published books I read.
The second worst book I've read in terms of typos was a Kindle version of a popular book published by a major publisher. I was shocked at the frequency of typos-no doubt from the print conversion-and it seemed not a single person had proofed the ebook before releasing it (and charging $9.99 for it was kind of insulting to me as a consumer).
These days I don't even check if a book is self-pubbed or not…If the story is intriguing, I'll consider it.
WORD VERIFICATION: hythe. His, with a bad lisp.
I read self-published books – as long as they hold the same standards as traditionally published ones.
I've read a wide variety of quality with self-published, from stellar, highly polished writing, to badly formatted, mistake-filled crap.
Generally I won't pull the trigger on a self-published book unless it's either free or cheap, or I've read enough of the book or the author's work to know I'll like it.
It's a gamble, but then, I've also read traditionally published stuff that was utter crap.
Either way, good writing, editing and polishing makes for a good book. And bad books are bad books, whether self- or traditionally published.
Read them, loved them, and would be happy to read more.
I actually run a podcast reviewing self-pubbed books, so I've read quite a few.
To me, the quality varies a lot. Some of them I love. But I have certainly seen some that I wouldn't view as "publishable" quality. Some are quite amateur, but a lot just have a few clumsy bits, and feel like the first work by someone who has every chance of turning into a terrific writer.
Vetting seems like the biggest thing self-pubbed books are lacking. If this publishing model is going to succeed long-term, that's the thing that will need to be replaced somehow–reviewers, or crowd-sourcing, or what-have-you.
I actually loved the self published book. The only thing I noticed, was it lacked the polishing that makes a professionally published book so pristine.
My mother sent me a self-published book as a gift. I think the 7th word of the book was spelled wrong. I never read past that…
I've read 23 books since Christmas, on my new Kindle. Didn't think I'd like it but received it as a gift and love it. For a variety of reasons, I can read much more quickly than my usual pace.
Yes, I've purchased self-published books. Yes, I like them. Yes, I will continue to do so. The majority of what I've read since Christmas has been self-published. It is interesting to me that the only two self-published books that I've regretted buying, were both paperbacks and both purchased years ago.
I have also regretted buying some "traditionally" published books over the years.
I have read some self-published books. I have to say, the errors and stuff do bother me, but often it is the odd turn of plot or poor characterization that bothers me more.
To make a comparison: self-pubbed versus professionally edited is a little unfair and inaccurate, I think. Many self-pubbed authors do seek out professional line-editing help, but fail to seek out editors that may impact their content. I think this is natural, since the choice to self-pub is not always due to the author's inability to make it through the editorial gauntlet.
In addition, as has been pointed out here, even editors make errors. I just finished THE ROAD by McCormac. At least in the paperback version, there were a number of errors and gaffs.
This debate really comes down to taste and affiliation. The self-pubbed folks have done a marvelous job of marketing their brand, have developed a readership despite the lack of consistent quality across the field, and pose a legitimate threat in the failing market.
As readers buy less books in total, as more books than ever are crammed into the marketplace to compete, self-pubbed authors are finding a niche. The question is: is this niche a foothold that turns into a plateau or is it merely a tenuous position that will be swallowed up by whatever future iteration of Amazon/B & N/Apple?
I meant copy-editor. Not line editor.
I have read tried to read a few self published books. I have yet to make it through one.
I've read books by two different self-published authors. One book was being promoted by an agent who just happened to like the book and had not been hired by the author. It was basically an endorsement by a professional. I really, really, liked that book – it had no pretensions and some mistakes but for what it was, it fulfilled expectations and I would purchase the book and others by that author.
The other author attracted me at first and I thought showed some power of mind… but on reading the books I always felt there was something missing or something "off" when I compared the quality of writing, editing, and storytelling with the very high price he was charging. I actually corresponded with the author for a few months. He turned out to be mentally ill. He also related experiences of trying to get published and being told he had talent but would never be published because of lack of broad appeal. By the time I ended correspondence with this person he was pressuring me to write reviews for his books and purchase his outrageously over-priced volumes.
My take-away… there is and always will be a lack of prestige with self-published books. You just don't know what you are getting. A certain number of quality-filters such as endorsements from professional or otherwise qualified people is something that would encourage me to buy a book. I would probably stay away from someone who was completely going it on his own in future.
I suppose I should elucidate the point of the second author's attempt to get published. Like many narcissistic people, he was unwilling to adapt his work to professional standards, feeling attacked by the slightest criticism. He overvalued his work. (When he asked me to review one of his books, he instructed me to describe it as a masterpiece.) Obviously this is a one-time experience and I'm not trying to say it's characteristic. There are many reasons why people self publish, especially in the changing market. The experience simply made me aware that there are still people who do it because they are too mal-adjusted, conceited, and/or sensitive to try to meet professional standards or work with others. I would be far more inclined to try an author who was self-publishing or e-publishing through a service that provides some filtering or editing.
I've read a lot of self-pubbed books. Some of them are very well-done. Some are crap. But then, the same can be said of traditionally-published books.
Yes, I enjoyed the self-pubbed book. I am looking forward to the next in the series. I can see where a little editing might have been helpful here and there, but overall, it was a good experience.
In response to Alana Roberts' comments, I am a Roberts, so her name caught my attention, I would urge her to trust the capitalist system. The best will always rise to the top. It's not the way it's published, but the end result that the end user cares about.
Those books that are poor, whether mainline-published or self-published, will never do well. The market will dictate those that are the best in a free capitalist system. There will always be choice, which is good for the consumer. They choose the best.
The problem for self-published books is not the way they are published, but the ability to market them afterwards. I started the John 3:16 Marketing Network to address this issue. It's a revolutionary way to market books with no cost to the members.
There will not always be a lack of prestige with self-published books. That is the wave of the future.
I am excited about the future, ebooks, and all the rest. As long as authors are willing to invest themselves and their work to the max, they have a chance. They aren't limited by a system that is unwilling to take monetary risks on unknown authors.
I've read a few self-published books, and only one of them was not ready for publication. The others ranged from competently-written to well-written. Most of my reading has been from traditional publishers, including many books that were not ready for publication (probably would have been rejected by the garbage man, in fact). Certainly a lot more questionable writing is self-published than traditionally published because it's so easy and inexpensive to do and many self-publishers don't rely heavily enough on feedback or they publish before their work is ready for publication. But to say everything that is self-published is of questionable quality is like saying that everything that is traditionally published is of excellent quality–neither statement is true. Folks who claim they don't read self-published books probably are not familiar with the histories of some now famous books. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, for example, was self-published because Mark Twain was weary of "the foolishness" of his publishers.
I've read more self-published books than I can count. I've enjoyed many of them. Most were a little outside the box or in some way something a traditional publisher would not accept. That did not diminish the quality of the story. Quite the opposite, actually, I found them very refreshing. I continue to read a combination of self-published and traditionally published books. The only major thing that diminishes the value and quality of a self-published book and gives self-published books a bad rap in general is lack of editing. Editing is important.
Every self-published boo I read were simply awful. And there's a whole lot I didn't even finished.
I've read a few, though I've only been able to finish about 25% of the self pub books I've read, whereas I'd say I finish about 90% of the traditional books. One that I really liked was The Black God's War by Moses Siregar.
I've read more than one. Some I've liked, some I haven't. I'm being more cautious lately. I won't read one unless I can read a solid sample first. I won't be so picky if I know the author and have liked his/her other books. As Amber said way back in the comments (she's #2), if the storyline pulls me along, I can overlook some of the "little" things like typos and formatting problems, and what today seems to be a constant repetition of the characters' names when a pronoun will do nicely and not stick its finger in my eye! I can overlook them if they're not too glaring. Sometimes they are. But then recently I read a book by one of the "big" publishers and found a lot of such problems. I don't know what's happened with editing in the last ten years!
Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror, A Memoir of Shattered Secrets
Yes, even before I became a self-published author, I read self-published works because I like to buy "cheap" books. I have a hard time sometimes finding a traditional print author that I like so it is easy to buy and try out a book for $2.99 or even 99 cents. I have found many that were quite good. You can usually tell by the book description and reviews if it is worth your while. When in doubt, you can download a sample. I don't see that traditionally printed books are any better (or worse) than self-published books. You will find gems and stinkers either way.
I'm a successful print published author. (Stats below for those who have an 'hmm' look on their faces.) But I chose to go the self-publication route for ebook editions and I was blown away. What I found was that because I have so many books published in so many diverse editions around the world, some going out of print, others not yet published, etc, readers can't get hold of my entire body of work in a single bookstore, online or traditional. But the moment I began offering my self-published ebook editions, I started receiving requests for subscriptions to entire series and to ALL my work. It was quite amazing. I sold more in four months than an individual publisher in any territory – even a major US publisher in the US, for instance – was selling the traditional route.
eBooks sell like blazes if you're successful as an author, have built reader trust and loyalty, and can reach readers more easily through self-publication.
I'm now revamping my website and have hired people to handle the second wave, starting November. Since I began self-publishing, I started reading a number of self-published authors and books. Most are amateurish as people here have already commented but then again, so are most traditionally published books, in my opinion. The ones that are good are just as good as traditionally published authors or books. It's not the form or the medium, it's the content. An expensive hardcover doesn't guarantee a great book, neither does a free ebook always have to be lousy.
The world is changing, for the better. I still ten way more from traditional publishing advances than my self-published ebooks but the reader feedback and satisfaction is ten times more from the ebooks. Go figure. There's also the thrill of dealing directly with readers, selling them ebooks at a fraction of the print price, yet earning more than I earned from print editions. It's a total win-win!
And yes, I'm staying anonymous by choice but I'm the real thing.
(Stats as promised – over 1.2 million in worldwide sales, 56 countries, 23 books so far over almost as many years in 12 languages. Earn the equivalent of US$ five-figure advances per book in my own country for local publishing rights–times are good, our economy is booming here, book sales are growing fantastically. US and UK rights sales through my agents are actually just gravy on the meat. eBooks are now fast becoming the potatoes and bread.)
Have a great day!
I've read self-published books before, but only in the non-fiction section. Self-pubbed fiction? No thanks…