Any time I go to a bookstore, I walk along the bookshelves from A-Z looking for one particular spot. In the middle of the M’s, nestled in between “Mac’s” and “McCs.” That’s where I immediately go. One day my books will sit here … if they get published. Which, at this point in the publishing industry’s life cycle, seems less and less likely.
The problem with publishing is that it has become too exclusive and no one wants to take risks. Publishers want you to prove that your book has an audience through social media marketing — which is insane because that’s the publisher’s whole job — to find books their audiences will enjoy, market them, then get it in the hands of readers. No wonder some authors have forgone traditional publishing. If they are already doing the brunt of the work, they might as well self-publish and get a say in every step of the process.
If you want good writing, find the self-published author, who worked for every copy sold. They didn’t get here because they knew someone who knew someone — they put their heart and soul into their book, cover to cover.
