hey guys, got a question..with so much technology out ther and so many e-readers available is it a good idea to do an ebook or does it make more sense to go the traditional route of finding a publisher and putting out a paper book?
I'd say that the decision is absolutely not ebook versus paper book, but self-published versus traditionally published, where "traditionally published" means that you're published by a traditional publisher who takes on your book, takes on all costs of editing and production, and pays you royalties. Traditionally published is far, _far_ more likely to make you some money, and will be better for your reputation. Most self-published books, paper or electronic, sell very few copies compared to traditionally published books, paper or electronic. Of course, the difficulty is getting a traditional publisher to take your book. But if I get a book to the point that I consider it publishable to a wide market (as opposed to a little thing that might be fun to sell to a club or an extremely small group of hobbyists), I will certainly pursue traditional publishing, and won't even consider self-publishing until the traditional path has failed for, oh, a decade or so.
I'm assuming you're actually asking whether one should self-publish in e-format or go with commercial publishers (who do both ebooks and print). There is no easy answer to that. It depends on the author, their experience, the book, etc etc. Pretty much every writers forum has had discussions on this. The only caution I would have is to keep your feet planted firmly on the ground. Ignore rhetoric on either 'side' (in fact, ignore any one who takes sides). Pay close attention to those who have done one or both and are willing to acknowledge the drawbacks as well as the positives. Recognize that neither path is easy; the difficulties are different, but not lesser.
By ignore them, do you mean "take their arguments into consideration, but ultimately make your own decision"? Because that's what I would say. To address Daryl's question, there are definite pros and cons to either choice. I made a chart: Self-Publishing: Pros___________________________________| Cons_________________________________ You get all the proceeds (Instead of 15%)___ | You have to do all the advertising (which can take over your writing time) No pressure for deadlines_________________ | Maybe you prefer deadlines to get work done No contracts to worry about_______________ | There are currently very few self-made authors It's easy to self-publish ebooks_____________ | Really hard to distribute self-published paperbacks Many bookstores will agree to sell your books | You have to contact each bookstore Traditional Publishing: Pros________________________________| Cons_____________________ An agent can be a great companion_____ | An agent can screw you over A publisher can advertise you__________ | Publisher's often don't advertise you well You can contact publishers directly______ | It's easy for great manuscripts to be overlooked by both agents and publishers Contracts can ensure you certain benefits | You need to hire a lawyer to look over your contract or you might be screwed Agents are free______________________ | The times are changing, and agents are becoming increasingly obsolete This is just a short list I made right now. Anyone have more to contribute?
you left out the fact that they are highly unlikely to amount to much, or equal any profit... while 15% [or whatever your royalties amount to with a paying publisher] are much more likely to make you anywhere from a decent to huge amount of money... and cost you a bundle out of pocket that won't be recouped
I was referring to things like someone calling commercial publishers "dinosaurs", or saying the only reason someone self-publishes is because their work isn't good enough. Those are clues that the people either don't know what they're talking about or have an agenda (which is not to help fellow writers). Advertising can also take a chunk out of your wallet. I don't understand what you mean by 'self-made authors' (or the relation to pro/con) Some local bookstores will agree to sell your books - but the further from home you go, the less likely the 'hometown author' will appeal to them. An agent can get you contacts and contracts that benefit you the most. Publishers will advertise your book in the areas that self-publishers are pretty much closed off from (national/international booksellers, conventions, reviewers, etc). You can contact some publishers directly - many, perhaps most, will not accept un-agented ms.
Here's an interesting article that came out today about how Amazon plays into all this: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/23/145468105/publishers-and-booksellers-see-a-predatory-amazon
I use Amazon to find information on books - then I head to my local brick-and-mortar or order through someone else.
To quote Maurice Sendak on ebooks, author of Where the Wild Things Are: "I hate those ebooks. They cannot be the future. They may well be, I will be dead, I won't give a ****."
