In Defense of Traditional Publishers

For the past few weeks, news of self-publishing success stories have permeated the Internet. In between talk about Amanda Hocking's brilliant foray into self-publishing (check out her honest blog post What I Can Say Right Now) and Barry Eisler's no-thank-you to $500,000 in order to self-publish (I came across his story via Jane Friedman at There Are No Rules. You can read her summary and find the full interview at Bestselling Author Turns Down $500K Deal to Self-Publish), the cry that "traditional publishing is dead," or "traditional publishing is broken" runs rampant.


Traditional publishing is not dead. It's not broken either.
When something is broken, it does not function. A broken glass cannot hold water. A dead clock will not tell the correct time. If traditional publishing were broken or dead, books would not be published each month. They wouldn't arrive in book stores, grocery stores, or supercenters. Books simply wouldn't be available.

Let's face it, the publishing industry took a massive hit with the economic downturn, similar to the auto industry and housing industry. The housing market still hasn't turned around, and prices for staples such as gas and food continue to rise. Most of us have less money to spend.

Some of the success of self-published authors can be traced to the prices of their books. They typically offer bargain prices--99 cents to $4.99. Readers don't mind spending a few bucks on a new author, much like homebuyers don't mind buying foreclosures. The benefits outweigh the risk.

Can traditional publishers work on their e-book models? Yes, but that's not the point of this post.
Publishing houses aren't witches to burn at the stake, nor are they empty, greedy middle-men. Traditional publishers provide valuable services to authors like top-notch editors, talented artists, detail-oriented copyeditors, and experienced marketers. They offer authors a percentage of profits, and, if an author sells tons of books, the author makes more money.

I don't have a problem with self-publishing. Authors who have honed their craft, are savvy about marketing themselves online, and who are willing to devote a large portion of their day to promoting their books may find self-publishing rewarding and profitable.

Writers unwilling to self-assess their work or who see success stories and have glitter in their eyes about getting rich quickly will be disappointed. Just because we have a product, doesn't mean we'll be able to successfully sell it.

What do you think--do traditional publishing houses provide value to their clients? Can anyone simply plop an e-book on a website and expect it to sell without spending enormous amounts of time marketing it?

On a side-note, Amanda Hocking recently signed a four-book deal with St. Martin's Press for an estimated $2 million. Read about it at L.A. Times, "Amanda Hocking, Self-Publishing Star, Finds 4-Book Deal." Congratulations, Amanda!

And traditional publishing is dead? Hmm...

Have a terrific Monday!

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