I'm completely new here, so forgive me if this has been discussed before, but I was wondering what people here think about the different options available to an author trying to get her or his book published these days.
I've heard a variety of arguments from either side in favour of both self-publishing and traditional publishing. Most of them seem to revolve around prestige, accomplishment and a broad distribution vs. self-control over the publishing process and personal disagreements with the way the traditional publishing world works.
I myself do not think I will ever self-publish, unless the publication is a personal piece for friends and family not meant for wide distribution. The short stories I've had published have all been sold to ezines and magazines that work by a process of picking and choosing, not by heaving up the sluch pile and hoping to make a quick buck off hapless authors. If I ever finish a full-length novel, I will hawk it around NZ's various publishing houses - and if it fails to garner any interest, I will keep writing, and improve my storytelling ability. I don't think that publishing something by myself, or paying someone to do it for me, would count for me as a success.
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