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Re: ebooks

From RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com>
Newsgroups alt.folklore.computers, comp.misc
Subject Re: ebooks
Date 2014-03-25 15:20 +0000
Organization solani.org
Message-ID <lgs6re$6b0$2@solani.org> (permalink)
References (7 earlier) <533067cd$0$17082$c3e8da3$dd9697d2@news.astraweb.com> <5330744D.23831713@bytecraft.com> <20140325054909.075f1927b122401093f1eab9@eircom.net> <lgr9t8$37o$1@speranza.aioe.org> <slrnlj31aj.11lr.g.kreme@amelia.local>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On 2014-03-25, Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> wrote:
>   Hils <hils@saynotospam.net> wrote:
>> The idea of editors (working for a publisher, not for the author) being
>> indispensable seems unique to the written word. AFAIK art galleries do
>> not hire someone to tell visual artists how to make their work "better",
>> while the equivalent in (art) music has generally acted as little more
>> than a proofreader before handing the composer's manuscript to (in
>> pre-computer days) an engraver.
>
>> The development of music software has enabled many composers to
>> self-publish their music: IMO this hasn't led to a flood of poor-quality
>> music, but has given composers a route to the public which does not go
>> through a very conservative publishing industry.
>
> Anyone who thinks editors are not needed for writting has never written.
> (there's irony in there for you)

Love the double-T.  Your point is well made.

I've seen it cut both ways in both music and writing.  I've published
three books: two books about Nicaragua (one, a best-seller) that took
the traditional route of publishing company and multiple editors, and
the Dictator's Handbook, that was professionally edited but
self-published.[1]  The comparison gave me a lot of insight into the
business.

The big publishers can - but don't necessarily - help bring out a better
product.  Both Nicaragua books were ruthlessly edited, revised,
copy-edited, and checked by a team paid to do exactly that.  They kicked
back questions, hassled me about bad grammar or ambiguous text, and so
on.  The photo editors, on the other hand, lent close to no added value
at all, to my surprise (I'm not sure they even adjusted the contrast on
some pics printed in B/W). 

But that isn't a blanket kudo for the publishing industry.  I've read
too many books - fiction and non-fiction, even tech manuals - that have
included astonishing typos, errors of fact, and worse.  There is more
than one tech book out there whose example code doesn't run, for
example.  Too many publishing houses are in a hurry to market and skip
even the most basic steps: simply, business avarice outstrips basic due
diligence and academic rigor.

But those publishing houses take their cut, too.  The Nicaragua
guidebook retails for $20; the author earns $2 per book.  The other $18
gets consumed, half by the publisher, half by the retailer.  The $9
consumed by the publisher helps pay salaries for a whole gamut of
employees, some of whom add value and some of whom don't.

On that basis, self-publishing is forcing big publishers to ensure they
add value.  If they're too expensive or the money isn't worth it,
they're history.

On the other hand, self-publishing has allowed any schmuck with a copy
of Microsoft Word to publish the most heart-rending drivel ever foisted
upon humankind.  And the new bookshops are stuffed with crap,
incest/rape fantasies, and garbage that would never have seen the light
of day under the old paradigm.  There are some winners: there's more
than one author who has self-published something of quality and swept
the market.  The Wool Trilogy by [2] by Hugh Howey is pretty damned
good, for example.  

My Dictator's Handbook never caught the eye of big publishers because
it's too niche a market these days, and the big publishers - in this
new, shark-filled market - aren't taking any risks these days.  They are
all desperately seeking the next teenage vampire fantasy and hoping they
stumble on the next Harry Potter.  Good luck to the scientist that wants
to write something technical: the market is nearly closed to all but the
most hyperbolic stuff.  Every self-respecting author needs a
professional editor though, and the fact that you're no longer required
to have one is a damned shame.   It's too easy to publish garbage, and
that makes it harder to differentiate the good from the bad.

The music world isn't much different, as far as I can tell.  The music
industry has identified and promoted some real winners, but they've made
a lot of money by banalizing the genre too: there's just so much shit
out there to listen to, while great indy artists go undiscovered.  Yes,
self-promoting your indy-band gets you free of the MIAA mafia.  But it's
a hell of a lot harder to get noticed, too.
 
[1] http://therandymon.com/index.php?/pages/writtenwork.html
[2] www.thisiswool.co.uk

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Re: ebooks RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-23 12:06 +0000
  Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-03-23 12:11 +0000
    Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-23 14:43 +0000
      Re: ebooks Hils <hils@saynotospam.net> - 2014-03-23 16:14 +0000
      Re: ebooks root <NoEMail@home.org> - 2014-03-23 18:09 +0000
        Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-03-23 19:21 +0000
        Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-23 20:34 +0000
          Re: ebooks Alan Bowler <atbowler@thinkage.ca> - 2014-06-13 14:14 -0400
            Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-06-13 21:44 +0100
            Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-06-13 16:53 -0400
              Re: ebooks Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2014-06-14 08:37 +0100
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-06-14 18:34 -0400
                Re: ebooks RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-06-15 10:40 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-06-15 12:05 +0100
                Re: ebooks Bob Eager <news0002@eager.cx> - 2014-06-15 11:20 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-06-15 12:37 +0100
                Re: ebooks root <NoEMail@home.org> - 2014-06-15 17:48 +0000
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-06-15 15:59 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Oeter Johns" <oj19854@nospam.com> - 2014-06-16 06:30 +1000
                Re: ebooks Andy Leighton <andyl@azaal.plus.com> - 2014-06-16 04:04 -0500
                Re: ebooks Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2014-06-16 11:44 +0000
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-06-16 10:32 -0400
                Re: ebooks Andy Leighton <andyl@azaal.plus.com> - 2014-06-16 10:43 -0500
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-06-16 13:13 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Oeter Johns" <oj19854@nospam.com> - 2014-06-17 06:45 +1000
                Re: ebooks "Oeter Johns" <oj19854@nospam.com> - 2014-06-17 06:36 +1000
                Re: ebooks RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-06-15 22:43 +0000
                Re: ebooks Bob Eager <news0002@eager.cx> - 2014-06-15 23:26 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-06-16 22:01 +0100
              Re: ebooks "Oeter Johns" <oj19854@nospam.com> - 2014-06-15 06:27 +1000
      Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-03-23 19:09 +0000
      Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-24 01:55 +0000
        Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-24 10:35 +0000
          Re: ebooks Peter Flass <Peter_Flass@Yahoo.com> - 2014-03-24 13:01 -0400
            Re: ebooks Dag-Erling Smørgrav <des@des.no> - 2014-03-24 17:15 +0100
          Re: ebooks Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2014-03-24 15:07 +0000
            Re: ebooks Rich <rich@example.com> - 2014-03-24 17:13 +0000
              Re: ebooks Walter Banks <walter@bytecraft.com> - 2014-03-24 13:07 -0500
                Re: ebooks "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2014-03-24 13:28 -0500
                Re: ebooks Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-03-24 21:48 +0100
                Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-24 22:57 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Lanto J." <lantoj78@gmail.com> - 2014-03-25 08:14 +1100
                Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-25 00:01 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Lanto J." <lantoj78@gmail.com> - 2014-03-26 07:17 +1100
                Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-25 23:44 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Lanto J." <lantoj78@gmail.com> - 2014-03-26 12:01 +1100
                Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-26 13:36 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-03-26 20:08 +0000
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-24 14:48 -0400
                Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-25 18:13 -0400
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-27 01:20 -0400
                Re: ebooks Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2014-03-25 05:49 +0000
                Re: ebooks Hils <hils@saynotospam.net> - 2014-03-25 07:06 +0000
                Re: ebooks Walter Banks <walter@bytecraft.com> - 2014-03-25 08:19 -0500
                Re: ebooks Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2014-03-25 09:40 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Slp" <slp0987@nospam.com> - 2014-03-26 11:14 +1100
                Re: ebooks Peter Flass <Peter_Flass@Yahoo.com> - 2014-03-25 15:42 -0400
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-25 11:47 -0500
                Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-25 19:25 -0400
                Re: ebooks Peter Flass <Peter_Flass@Yahoo.com> - 2014-03-26 12:19 -0400
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-26 08:25 -0500
                Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-26 16:01 -0400
                Re: ebooks RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-26 20:38 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2014-03-27 08:19 +1100
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-26 15:58 -0500
                Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-27 06:28 -0400
                Re: ebooks Dag-Erling Smørgrav <des@des.no> - 2014-03-26 22:03 +0100
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-27 00:46 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2014-03-26 15:01 -0500
                Re: ebooks scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2014-03-26 20:57 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2014-03-27 13:23 +0000
                Re: ebooks Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-03-27 17:48 +0100
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-27 08:26 -0500
                Re: ebooks greymausg <maus@mail.com> - 2014-03-27 14:55 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2014-03-27 10:05 -0500
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-27 11:55 -0500
                Re: ebooks "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2014-03-27 14:25 -0500
                Re: ebooks scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2014-03-27 20:44 +0000
                Re: ebooks Johny B Good <johnny-b-good@invalid.ntlworld.com> - 2014-03-28 01:38 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2014-03-27 22:37 -0500
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-27 23:52 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Slp" <slp0987@nospam.com> - 2014-03-28 16:07 +1100
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-28 10:52 -0500
                Re: ebooks "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2014-03-28 11:57 -0500
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-28 14:41 -0500
                Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-28 21:27 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2014-03-28 17:02 -0500
                Re: ebooks Peter Flass <Peter_Flass@Yahoo.com> - 2014-03-28 23:46 -0400
                Re: ebooks Philip Shaw <jnufcvyvuc@tznvy.pbz> - 2014-04-02 01:32 +0000
                Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-04-02 14:28 +0000
                Re: ebooks Philip Shaw <jnufcvyvuc@tznvy.pbz> - 2014-04-07 05:32 +0000
                Re: ebooks "John" <j@j.j> - 2014-04-17 16:36 -0700
                Re: ebooks "Charlie Gibbs" <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2014-04-02 07:31 -0800
                Re: ebooks scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2014-03-26 13:38 +0000
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-26 11:14 -0500
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-27 00:56 -0400
                Re: ebooks Clark G <clarkm.geimsler@ieeemmm.org> - 2014-03-27 16:52 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2014-03-27 14:03 -0500
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-27 23:07 -0400
                Re: ebooks Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-03-27 21:44 +0100
                Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-26 13:51 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Charlie Gibbs" <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2014-03-26 09:22 -0800
                Re: ebooks "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2014-03-26 13:54 -0500
                Re: ebooks davidmylastname@acm.org (David Griffith) - 2014-03-27 03:41 +0000
                Re: ebooks Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2014-03-27 07:36 -0400
                Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-28 03:40 -0400
                Re: ebooks Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-03-27 17:59 +0100
                Re: ebooks Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2014-03-26 15:38 -0700
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-26 22:09 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2014-03-27 13:55 -0500
                Re: ebooks Johny B Good <johnny-b-good@invalid.ntlworld.com> - 2014-03-28 02:27 +0000
                Re: ebooks cb@bobby.df.lth.se (Christian Brunschen) - 2014-03-28 10:42 +0000
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-27 23:12 -0400
                Re: ebooks Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2014-03-28 23:17 -0700
                Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-26 16:06 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Charlie Gibbs" <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2014-03-26 09:19 -0800
                Re: ebooks "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2014-03-26 13:50 -0500
                Re: ebooks Hils <hils@saynotospam.net> - 2014-03-26 20:00 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Charlie Gibbs" <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2014-03-26 13:30 -0800
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-26 15:51 -0500
                Re: ebooks Will Honea <whonea@whonea.net> - 2014-03-26 13:09 -0600
                Re: ebooks Peter Flass <Peter_Flass@Yahoo.com> - 2014-03-26 19:23 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Slp" <slp0987@nospam.com> - 2014-03-27 08:12 +1100
                Re: ebooks despen@verizon.net (Dan.Espen) - 2014-03-26 19:24 -0400
                Re: ebooks Johny B Good <johnny-b-good@invalid.ntlworld.com> - 2014-03-26 23:40 +0000
                Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-27 06:36 -0400
                Knuth/TeX (was Re: ebooks) RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-27 14:33 +0000
                Re: Knuth/TeX (was Re: ebooks) "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2014-03-27 14:01 -0500
                Re: ebooks rpw3@rpw3.org (Rob Warnock) - 2014-03-27 03:10 +0000
                Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-25 08:19 -0500
                Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-25 15:16 +0000
                Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-25 13:32 +0000
                Re: ebooks RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-25 15:20 +0000
                Re: ebooks Peter Flass <Peter_Flass@Yahoo.com> - 2014-03-25 15:49 -0400
                Re: ebooks RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-25 15:58 +0000
                Re: ebooks Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-03-27 01:46 -0400
                Re: ebooks "Charlie Gibbs" <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2014-03-25 08:48 -0800
                Re: ebooks RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-25 21:20 +0000
                Re: ebooks "Slp" <slp0987@nospam.com> - 2014-03-26 07:31 +1100
                Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-25 08:42 -0400
              Re: ebooks Will Honea <whonea@whonea.net> - 2014-03-24 12:52 -0600
            Re: ebooks Peter Flass <Peter_Flass@Yahoo.com> - 2014-03-24 20:12 -0400
              Re: ebooks Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2014-03-24 15:54 -0500
              Re: ebooks Rob Myers <rob@robmyers.org> - 2014-03-24 22:19 +0000
            Re: ebooks "Slp" <slp0987@nospam.com> - 2014-03-25 07:54 +1100
          Re: ebooks scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us (Scott Alfter) - 2014-03-24 16:21 +0000
          Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-24 17:02 +0000
            Re: ebooks Walter Banks <walter@bytecraft.com> - 2014-03-24 12:21 -0500
            Re: ebooks Bob Eager <news0002@eager.cx> - 2014-03-24 19:50 +0000
              Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-24 22:48 +0000
                Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-24 23:42 +0000
                Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-25 15:07 +0000
                Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-25 23:40 +0000
                Re: ebooks Dag-Erling Smørgrav <des@des.no> - 2014-03-26 21:57 +0100
                Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-28 13:58 +0000
                Re: ebooks Dag-Erling Smørgrav <des@des.no> - 2014-03-28 15:44 +0100
                Re: ebooks "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2014-03-26 11:35 +1100
          Re: ebooks "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2014-03-25 07:28 +1100
            Re: ebooks Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-03-24 22:31 +0000
              Re: ebooks Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-25 00:06 +0000
              Re: ebooks "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2014-03-26 07:06 +1100
          Re: ebooks Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@library.lspace.org.invalid> - 2014-03-24 10:25 -0400
      Re: ebooks Mike Sanders <mike@taco-shack.cow> - 2014-03-24 06:04 +0000
      Re: ebooks Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-03-26 13:17 +0100
  Re: ebooks Peter Flass <Peter_Flass@Yahoo.com> - 2014-03-23 19:23 -0400

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