Read about it here.
*take a breath*
I hope you didn't just read their post, but also the bajillion comments below it. This is how it read to me:
The one on top is Anonymous. The one on the bottom is anyone who thought BookEnds was doing the right thing.
Now I found all of the comments a little funny. You'd think I'd be the kid on top, right? I'm an indie author; I'm self-published. Was Anon right in some of the things she said? Sure. However, once she started attacking people, I became disgusted. Thanks for giving the rest of us a bad name.
Can any person on this planet with half a brain hire an editor, cover designer, and formatter? Sure. Can anyone do some/all of those things herself? Sure.
BUT IF SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT TO DO ALL THAT WORK, JUST WANTS TO WRITE AND ePUBLISH - WHO CARES?! It's the author's CHOICE!
Yes, there was a bit brought up about ethics, but as far as I've seen BookEnds is an extremely ethical lit agency and probably will be just as ethical an epublisher. But guess what? Any author who signs a contract with them shouldn't do it without the help of competent attorney. The author bears responsibility in this as well. BookEnds has been very open about what they're doing, except for the nitty gritty. Let them work that out with their authors. I'm sure if an author has a proven track record, their contract might be more favorable than yours. Is that fair? No, but it is business.
If I ever choose to work with an agent (never say never, right?), I don't want people yapping in my ear about how I'm a traitor or a cheater. Oh wait, that already happened to me when I decided to epublish. Yeah, some trad pubbed "friends" of mine called me those names. That's their petty problem, not mine.
You know what? I don't really care. I'm happy with my decisions and I hope other writers are too. Look at the amazing array of publishing options we have now. It's AWESOME! Take advantage of the options. Look at what suits your needs. Be realistic. Have fun. I know I am!
