tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17631113.post6520878986595270248..comments2023-10-17T02:48:47.712-08:00Comments on The Ester Republic: The check is in the mailDeirdre Helfferichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07176487150966377070noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17631113.post-47432184625111823942008-02-19T16:18:00.000-09:002008-02-19T16:18:00.000-09:00I've seen this done before; it's not true that one...I've seen this done before; it's not true that one needs an agent or a publicist to get a publishing house to look at your work. It IS true that you need one to get a big publishing house to even think about considering looking at your stuff. Plus a recommendation from an author they already have. <BR/><BR/>Small, independent publishers, on the other hand, frequently like new and unheard authors. The advantage of using a publisher, of course, is that the publisher acts as coordinator, marketer, bank, editor, designer, accountant, etc. The second, third, twenty-seventh pair of eyes on an author's book helps improve aspects of the craft for the author, either by pointing out and/or fixing flaws and augmenting strengths: storyline, pacing, plotting, character development, fact-checking. Some authors are illustrators and designers, but not most of them. The publisher helps find or provides these services, working to create a finished product that is usually much improved over the self-published work. <BR/><BR/>It's true that the big guys can do a much better job of marketing than the little guys, simply because of budget constraints. But the same is true of an author--you've got one person doing it on their own instead of one person and their publisher, though, so I don't see how it's an improvement to not have the help in marketing.<BR/><BR/>And I personally am a fan of the physical book. Good design and the actual holding of a real book in my hand as I read make a good manuscript into a really good or great book. I don't like reading online for very long.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, thanks for providing the link. I'll look through your site some more.Deirdre Helfferichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07176487150966377070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17631113.post-51454498479423127172008-02-19T12:19:00.000-09:002008-02-19T12:19:00.000-09:00Check out this "Reader Free" site, all Alaskan stu...Check out this "Reader Free" site, all Alaskan stuff. Goto: http://www.storylineonline.comGreen Mountain Boyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02627516767693305766noreply@blogger.com