davidtye Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) I don't think many would-be authors and new authors have the resources to have their work professionally edited and that is a big issue here. It is very important that any author edits and re-edits their work to ensure mistakes are taken out. Like most of us here I have read many so called 'professionally' published books bought from the likes of Waterstones etc, BUT alas more and more of these have grammatical and spelling mistakes so it seems the publishers standards are somewhat lower than they used to be. There are equally a lot of dross publications published and on the book shelves which have done absolutely nothing for the traditional book market and is another reason why so many people are turning away from that and onto self-published books. Of course the traditional publishing route is far more established so self-publishing has a long way to go but will there come a time when you won't know the difference between self-published and 'professionally' published books? Yes I think so. David J Tye Edited January 25, 2012 by Kell changed font back to normal size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) I think so too David, and I completely agree (speaking from experience) that the majority of self publishers, as much as they would like to, just cannot afford to hire a professional editor and/or proof reader. The fact that a book has not been edited is not then necessarily a reflection on the authors writing ability (or lack of), but is more a reflection of how little authors are paid, and the value that we place upon books, where the majority are now sold at discount. Edited January 25, 2012 by Talisman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 (edited) Just had to jump in here on this one ,mainly because of a book I "attempted" to read yesterday . I've been in a sort of wonky mood lately,which means it's hard to settle on a book at the moment and have it keep my interest . So, I attempted a freebie I got for my Kindle, This one needs deleted . Poor spelling ,lack of puncuation, sentences that make no SENSE .... GEEZ LOUISE ... I almost wish there was a way to contact this guy and tell him not to quit his day job . It's been the worst one I have found like this. Mistakes on almost every single line . I can't read a book like that . I feel like I need to get out my red marker and circle all the errors ,and I'd sure hate to do that to my Kindle . I also have an issue with the TYPE books being tossed out there now by Amazon . I really don't know what their criteria is for someone who wants to place their book into Amazon's list of freebies,but I think they need to raise their standards a bit. Lately , when doing searches through all their new releases of freebies, I have found a HUGE number of really grossly explicit titles and covers . I know I'm an old Grandma,but I am not a straight-laced , church - choir type person. In fact, if I get riled up, I can curse like a drunken sailor ,and often do . I am all for people being allowed to read anything they enjoy ,but some of these new books are so grossly titled that it sounds like they should be available in Hustler magazine or worse . Some are suggestive of older men with young kids .. NASTY . So, I clicked the CONTACT US button for Amazon,and I CONTACTED them big time . I did the live chat, the email, and the phone thing . I told them to please send this to a higher up person to get it addressed. Amazon has always been a well resepected company ,and by leaving these disgusting dislays right out in the open like this, it somehow makes them look bad. If they have a market for people who like this crap,then they should be in a password-protected type place . I gave my 13 year old granddaughter a Kindle last year. I'd certainly not want to have her or any other kid stumble across some of this FREE STUFF that is so gross. I think maybe they have cleared some of it up,or else I have been lucky and havent run across it lately . I think Amazon should definitely be allowed to choose what content is listed on their website . If I were choosing, that stuff wouldnt be there at all . Edited February 8, 2012 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I definately agree with the so-called 'adult' stuff (which is really, let's face it, porn), but sadly when it comes to badly written or edited self published stuff in general Amazon really have very little input. If someone wants to upload their book to their site as the author and publisher and sell it for free then it is their right to do that. I personally have no idea as to why anyone would give their work away in this manner, when they have worked hard to write it, but I guess that's their business (or lack of). I have considered reducing the price of my own book to £1.99 or even 99p to see what happens, but definately wouldn't give it away for free. When it comes to free books, my own experience has been very much that if you pay peanuts you get monkeys ! I don't bother with them at all anymore, apart from the classics, as they are just not worth getting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 I think it's a great idea, it gives all new authors a chance, and allows for more creative works to be exposed to us, without the publishers' "filter" which might unintentionally block new trends in their rise, just because they are, in fact, new. Besides, think of it this way, poor quality work will always be filtered out by us readers: let's not underestimate the power of word of mouth! Deborah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norm wilson Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 (edited) With me self publishing was handy way of getting a book out there . Because you were writing about a subject you felt strongly about . The book I self published was about the Heysel stadium disaster which I was present .A big Kevin Sampson fan I needed to tell the story of events from a street level prospective over the week leading up to the disaster . I hired a cottage in Oxfordshire banged it out in 5 months . That was in 2003 it sat on the shelf till 8 months ago . I went down the traditional routes with it with the usual rejection letters . Probably down to bad editing. But still feeling it was a true reflection of events . With wide interest , So loving writing I moved on to two new projects and I will going down the traditional routes once more . One about the Music Business the other about Free Running . Which one is all but completed with the other two thirds complete . But with my first novel sitting on a shelf an story untold . So along came self publishing . the perfect answer , So giving it a dust down 2 months going through it out it went . It has sold copies not thousands but it has stopped the nagging feeling I had inside, as I carry on working on my other projects. Edited June 5, 2012 by frankie removed link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I know I'm an old Grandma,but I am not a straight-laced , church - choir type person. Nice. Well I do go to church and I do sing in a choir and I'm certainly not straight-laced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaeLea Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 While yes, there are drawbacks to self publishing, which have mostly been notated above. Bottom line, for me, I want the chance to discover an author who's either been rejected by main publishers for one reason or another or who's decided to make the leap of faith and do on their own. I believe that we readers will simply need to cast our reviews and help weed out the unworthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 And of course the wonderful thing about Kindle is the fact that you can download a sample chapter to help you do just that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaeLea Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 And of course the wonderful thing about Kindle is the fact that you can download a sample chapter to help you do just that. HA! Exactly so! I do appreciate that feature, very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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