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The Problem with Self-published books--and a Solution
Many writers opt for self-publishing their books for a variety of reasons. They
grow impatient with the uncertainties of traditional publishing, or their book doesn't fit neatly into any of the genres
within the industry. Some writers battle time issues--the nature of their book is timely and needs to be published now!
Whatever the reason, the problem isn't so much that these writers have chosen to take the self-publishing route.
They have the cash upfront to pay for the venture, and they know they'll need to become marketing geniuses, selling stacks
of books out of the trunks of their cars. The problem lies with the product itself. It's not up to the
standards of the publishing industry.
That might sound harsh, but the truth of the matter is, most
of these writers have skipped an important step--the editing of their book. While they've secured funds for the printing
and developed a marketing strategy and fussed over cover design, they've ignored this most vital process.
Imagine entering your favorite bookstore and cracking open a novel by Stephen King. What if, on the first page,
you noticed glaring typos or poorly crafted sentences? And what if, upon turning the page, you found even more mistakes?
You'd be disappointed, right?
This is the stigma of the self-published book. While these writers
have shelled out money for so many details, they skimp on the editing, thinking, I'm a writer. I know what
I'm doing. I've looked through this book for mistakes. I've run it through the spell-checker. That's
enough.
But, it's not enough. Books which go through the traditional publishing route
are subjected to numerous readings, copy-editing, and fact checking. While not every mistake is caught, the editing
process corrects many. The truth is, one set of eyes is not enough. All writers need an editor.
That's
where the solution lies. Writers going the self-publishing route need to believe in the quality of their work to
the degree that they will seek what's best for their book--a thorough edit by a professional editor. If every self-published
author would take the time to have their books professionally edited, it's my belief that self-published books
would start earning more respect.
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