Impromptu Manifesto

Orange Prize-winner Ann Patchett has warned that authors who decide to shun traditional publishing deals and instead use self-publishing channels to “cut out the middle man” are turning their back on vital publishing services they really need…

Authors have been protected for a long time, we are very well cared for, but we need to think about our other partners, from bookshops to publishing and self-publishing.”

They are cutting out the middle man whose services they really need, such as the editor and the publicist.”

if authors forego a traditional publisher, they also forego the associated benefits. But, he said: “Self-publishing is as much a lottery as traditional publishing. Each has benefits, each has pitfalls. I think the vast majority of people who self-publish do so because they don’t see any alternative way into publishing.

 “Being a sought-after novelist also requires time and skill—and I for one hope that her bookselling activities do not detract from Ann’s ability to continue writing.”…

…self-publishing is not a nickel-and-dime DIY project whereby one does the cheapest work one can and expects readers to part with their hard-earned dollars for something that the author-publisher doesn’t have the confidence or an integrity to make worthwhile. Substantive editing, copy editing, design, layout, proofreading, and marketing all require necessary investment to maximize the quality and art of a book.