Is there a place for self-publishing at a writing conference?

[jongibbs]

In recent days, there's been some, shall we say 'spirited', discussion amongst my friends at the  the Greater Lehigh Valley Writing Group about whether or not our annual Write Stuff Conference should cater for folks interested in self-publishing

Comments

[year_anda_day]

Perhaps if it was a talk detailing your options, listing it as an option would be valid. Or if you are a doing some sort of a 'writer beware' to help people avoid scams, talking about some of the pay to publish scams that are going on out there.

But if you have a lot of other subjects to cover, I don't think it should be a high priority to include. So no-ish. :)

Also, when is this writer's conference? It sounds like something I would like to attend.

[jongibbs]

Hi Laura, It's on March 17th next year. The details are on the GLVWG website: http://www.glvwg.org

Sadly, I won't be attending this year (I went to the last four). I'll be at the Liberty States Fiction Writers conference that day.
http://www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com/

[lyonesse]

if folks are going to do it, shouldn't it be a topic for discussion?

[jongibbs]

I don't think so, no. My objection isn't because I think traditional publishing is the better option (though I do), it's because, for better or worse, a large part of the self-publishing industry is in direct conflict with the traditional method.

[lyonesse]

in that case, perhaps you should call it a "traditional-publishing-oriented" conference, rather than overall a "writing" one.

[jongibbs]

Lol, maybe we should at that :)

[jongibbs]

One of the many undoubted attractions of self-publishing is the fact that you, and you alone, get to decide what constitutes 'good enough to publish'.

Trouble is, when it comes to our own work, we're not always the best judge.

[darkspires]

Since getting my kindle, I have seen just what a wide range there is in terms of those who self-publish. I can see why the indy writers get so steamed up about these guys

[jongibbs]

'...expecting the Morlocks to develop table manners when visiting the Eloi. Just won't happen.'

Regardless of which side of the argument folks are on, I hope they appreciate that line :)

[jimhines]

Why not? Unless it's a writing conference specifically geared at traditional/commercial publishing, then I don't see a reason for excluding something that's become a significant part of the publishing landscape.

I do see problems sometimes in that there seems to be a greater tendency for the self-publishing experts on panels to focus on promoting their own work and/or pushing self-publishing with an almost religious fervor as the One True Way. (Not saying everyone does this; only that I've seen it more frequently with self-publishing panels.)

But self-publishing topics in and of themselves seem relevant and important for most writers to know about, and I don't personally see a reason to exclude them.

[jongibbs]

What self-publishing topics would you put on the menu?

[jimhines]

Hm ... maybe a panel on what you realistically should and shouldn't expect from both traditional and self publishing, if you can find the people to do it.

Get some experienced folks to talk about the basics of creating e-books and what's required to do it *well*.

Might be fun to see a panel on what commercially published authors can learn from self-publishing successes and failures. That might work the other way too, with a panel for self-published authors taking lessons from successful and failed trad. published books.

[jongibbs]

That could work, but the kind of panels folks seem to want are nuts & bolts workshops on how to go about self-publishing.

I'm not saying those aren't valid subjects, but like I said in the main post, I think they're better dealt with in a separate program.