When I speak at workshops and conferences, and we’re delving into the whys and wherefores of finding a publisher, a question invariably arises: “Should I just go ahead and publish an eBook?”
I fight to hold back the sigh, because the image of an eBook shouldn’t be that of last resort. However, the ease that has developed in publishing eBooks has unfortunately been misinterpreted as a chance to publish when other hopes are gone.
Via emails with the disheartened, I see all the wrong reasons for creating an eBook:
- Rejected by agents and publishers —
One author thought twelve rejections was too much to bear, so he self-published his story as an eBook.
- Traditional takes too long —
Young writers say they have to make a name for themselves electronically to be current and savvy like Amanda Hocking, and they rush to join the traffic of writers making big bucks online. Senior writers say they don’t have enough years left to wait for all the steps of traditional publishing.
- Traditional is too complicated to learn —
The Barnes & Noble Glossary of Book Terms might make your head spin (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/oopbooks/s_out_of_print_glossary.asp ), but if you don’t understand the business, how do you know you’re making the right decision for that story you’ve slaved over for months, even years?
With Memorial Day just around the corner, the folks at GalleyCat compiled a list of ways you can give a book or eBook to US soldiers serving abroad. 
