tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post9009234632631277552..comments2023-10-18T11:09:33.607-04:00Comments on Jo Michaels Blog: The Metamorphosis of Indie and Trad Pubbed Books in 2017Jo Michaelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02005237887461809640noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-81495603279636862732017-07-20T08:54:15.301-04:002017-07-20T08:54:15.301-04:00And you've hit the nail right on the head. Mos...And you've hit the nail right on the head. Most authors don't recognize their own errors. :) But that's what a great editing team is supposed to do. I look at it like this: If I'm going to invest $XXk in a product, I'd like it to be the absolute best it can be. Isn't that just the publishers being wasteful? Readers talk. If a product is crap, it won't sell--no matter who wrote/published it.<br /><br />I agree. One thing ALL Indies say to a newbie is? Do NOT rush to market. I think it's starting to stick. Maybe we should send the big 5 a memo. LOL<br /><br />Oh, I believe we are. A HUGE change. Remember, it used to be the big 6. ;) I think more trad-pubbed authors will hop the fence, too. I just hope the bookstores don't let it kill them by refusing to purchase/shelve Indie publications.<br /><br />GREAT comment. :) Thank you, Jamie!Jo Michaelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02005237887461809640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-36219301126497542072017-07-20T08:47:54.477-04:002017-07-20T08:47:54.477-04:00I agree 100%. It has nothing to do with solidarity...I agree 100%. It has nothing to do with solidarity and more to do with the quality/ingenuity of the stories being told. :) Indies are killing it!!! Jo Michaelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02005237887461809640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-80260048272241774742017-07-20T08:46:12.246-04:002017-07-20T08:46:12.246-04:00ABSOLUTELY! I wish the trad-pubbers would realize ...ABSOLUTELY! I wish the trad-pubbers would realize it, too. :)Jo Michaelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02005237887461809640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-52590940935883544152017-07-20T08:45:34.857-04:002017-07-20T08:45:34.857-04:00YES! I just find more excitement in the Indie book...YES! I just find more excitement in the Indie books I've read, I guess. LOL! Yeah, it is. I'm gonna wait until the series is done before I start it. Thanks for the warning! <3Jo Michaelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02005237887461809640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-56485255878417389142017-07-20T08:43:59.746-04:002017-07-20T08:43:59.746-04:00YES! That's exactly it. I've also been dis...YES! That's exactly it. I've also been disappointed with the level of detail paid to the writing. It's as though they believe anyone will buy and read anything. Indies have learned, through several missteps, that readers demand quality. Thanks for the comment!Jo Michaelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02005237887461809640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-61662733277797582672017-07-20T08:42:25.008-04:002017-07-20T08:42:25.008-04:00Oh man. She needs to listen to her mama for once! ...Oh man. She needs to listen to her mama for once! LOLJo Michaelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02005237887461809640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-81218817182979536242017-07-20T08:41:59.737-04:002017-07-20T08:41:59.737-04:00There's rarely anything new, and what is new I...There's rarely anything new, and what is new I find it to be the same old tropes in different words. Indies are bringing some serious creativity to the world right now.Jo Michaelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02005237887461809640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-50090786309216238462017-07-13T09:01:55.010-04:002017-07-13T09:01:55.010-04:00I know I definitely read more traditionally publis...I know I definitely read more traditionally published books than indie (blaming my scars from reading some horrible self/indie books when that tidal wave began years ago) and have also noticed the decline of quality, mostly with editing. For whatever reason, I've always felt it was the author who was, ultimately, to blame for this. I guess I can blame my line of thoughts on my blue-collar roots work ethic when screaming "Lazy author! Why didn't you proof this better?" I know, I know: supposedly, so much control of those kinds of things are not really in the hands of authors - especially first timers. But, ARCs and 'proofs' are still part of the standard process, meaning that even if the publisher has already sent it to 'print', the author can still (and should) read their advance copy. When something isn't as it should be, there are options for correcting, as the publisher (hopefully) wants a decent product out there, as well (right?), especially given that most books out on the market are part of a series and future sales are at risk.<br /><br />The business of publishing has become so strained on both sides of the fence, in my opinion, with the flood of self/indie and their push to improve the quality (covers, editing, marketing) as well as the obvious desperation for traditionals to improve their 'speed to market' situation for their releases, seemingly the primary drawback to going this route (other than the author making pennies per sale on these types of books).<br /><br />I'm not sure if we're not witnessing yet another change in the market; maybe some of the traditional publishers are adding a step and final proofing is now up to the (newbie) authors, with some authors not following through? I haven't heard of this but would not be surprised to find this was true. Newer authors have now been made more responsible for so much of the marketing and what once was considered work only expected by indie/self published authors, so what's one more added responsibility?Jamie from Tennesseehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18323993635556723177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-54829032013815955012017-07-13T08:33:27.466-04:002017-07-13T08:33:27.466-04:00I think you are spot on. I have a hard time readin...I think you are spot on. I have a hard time reading any trad pub YA today because I feel like they have become A. Formulaic and B. terribly, terribly written. I've read some that were so bad, I literally flipped to the front pages to see what publisher let this go to press. What really irritates me is when these books consistently get 5 stars despite their clunky plot lines, editing issues and poor writing simply because they are trad pub. I've veered away from the trad pub YA genre almost entirely now and stick with my indies. It's not just about solidarity, I just really think indies have some of the best books on the market right now. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12492969883593071713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-22988593018131288222017-07-13T08:15:59.590-04:002017-07-13T08:15:59.590-04:00Wow! Thank you for reading mine, Jo and for the me...Wow! Thank you for reading mine, Jo and for the mention. While I love books in general, I definitely think the days of considering Indie books sub-par are over. I think there is room for everyone to produce stories of quality. <3Casey L. Bondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04187253808849878331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-13830489164640973642017-07-13T08:02:01.860-04:002017-07-13T08:02:01.860-04:00I like both, but I've found that the trade boo...I like both, but I've found that the trade books that are really hyped by the publishers seldom live up to their expectations. There is excellent writing all along the publishing spectrum, unfortunately, not everyone has the fortune of visibility that some authors do. For the record, I'd say try Diabolic, I really liked it, but know it's part of a series, not a standalone.Author Kelly Risserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14959433436372626399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-912923832496399482017-07-13T01:45:29.889-04:002017-07-13T01:45:29.889-04:00I rarely read traditional published books anymore....I rarely read traditional published books anymore. They quality isn't as good and they feel a little too cookie cutter.<br /><br />Extremely Averagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12091831282668222931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-71983852271535277642017-07-12T21:34:14.933-04:002017-07-12T21:34:14.933-04:00My daughter has been disappointed in her recent tr...My daughter has been disappointed in her recent traditionally published reads. She's a teenager so she wont' read anything I suggest but I've been happy with my indie readsTricia Copelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536430195917191887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961332566292942537.post-23142305491507841472017-07-12T18:23:22.508-04:002017-07-12T18:23:22.508-04:00I so agree with you. I have been disenchanted with...I so agree with you. I have been disenchanted with traditionally published books lately, and it's kept me firmly in the indie world. If quality is what the trad industry was banking on for differentiating their books, they are failing. Sadly. Indie quality is on an upswing for the most part. Tia Bachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18336780518125138789noreply@blogger.com