I’ve come to accept that many conventionally-published (read that as those published by larger commercial publishers who most likely have offices in NYC) are disdainful of anyone who is published by a small press, or who self-publishes.  Though regrettable, it seems sort of natural, like the attitude that was displayed by upper-crust Victorian-era folks toward those who were lower on the social ladder. Thankfully, there have been a lot of advances in social consciousness that have eliminated much of that.  (Not as much as we’d like, but the world is a work in progress.)

However, I’d like to make some observations about the sneering and hostility I sometimes see and/or hear going in the opposite direction, by individuals or groups of those who are unpublished or are published in a less “conventional” way (self-published, independently-published, etc.)

I have a foot in both camps, so perhaps my viewpoint is different.  But the way I see it, as long as self-published and independently-published authors continue to display a hostile attitude toward those who are commercially published, three things are evident:

  1. It validates the lack of professionalism that commercially published authors often use to label the unconventionally-published.
  2. It also shows a remarkable lack of acceptance of those who choose the commercial path of publication.  Isn’t that what the unconventionally-published are seeking for themselves, acceptance? If so, why not give it to others?
  3. It makes the unconventionally-published look just as bad as those others who are acting like jerks because they were published commercially.

Perhaps the unconventionally-published have never read Orwell’s ANIMAL FARM. Remember what happened?  There was a revolution against oppression, and as time passed, the rebels became the oppressors.

Intolerance of a person’s choice of publishing path, and displayed hostility, animosity, or disdain toward that person’s simply because of the way they chose to publish, is a bad thing no matter from which direction it comes. I’ve seen the same sort of reverse snobbery occur when poor people sneer at the middle class, when middle class people sneer at the very rich, or when people on either side of a particular racial divide sneer at those on the other side.

That kind of attitude is not productive. It’s not professional. It makes those who do it look bad, and by association, others who are in the same group with that person. There is enough room in the book-publishing and book-selling world for all sorts of publication paths, and manifesting a sneering, sour-grapes sort of attitude makes for a very ugly reputation.

If you are conventionally published, wonderful!  I congratulate and salute you, and wish you many successes!

If you made a carefully-considered choice to self-publish or subsidy publish, or to go with a small press that does not pay an advance or print huge print runs, congratulations for that, too!  I wish you well, and hope you sell many, many copies of your book(s).

If you are a member of any of those groups, and you sneer and turn up your nose at those who are “the others,” I feel sorry for you.  You’re displaying a remarkable lack of maturity and way too much ego.  Focus on promoting your book by writing well, by showing us how great it is, by letting us know how much we will enjoy it.  Don’t try to make your own work or choices look good by cutting down the other guy’s choice.  It doesn’t work very well most of the time, and you just come off looking like a self-centered cretin.