This part of AW has become steadily busier over recent months and with that increase in traffic I've noticed an increase in misunderstandings on several levels, which has led to some rather negative behaviour.
I want AW to be a positive, happy and educational place for all of us: and so with that in mind, and with some consultation with the other mods, I've put together a few guidelines for us all to follow when posting here.
I want AW to be a positive, happy and educational place for all of us: and so with that in mind, and with some consultation with the other mods, I've put together a few guidelines for us all to follow when posting here.
- This part of AW is for discussing self publishing, but is not limited to self publishers only. Everyone is welcome to participate regardless of how they're published, so long as we all remember AW's central rule: Respect Your Fellow Writer.
- Please check your facts before posting here. That means, don't believe everything you read on the internet; don't try to disguise your opinions as fact; and don't make claims which you cannot verify. For example: if one more person states here that John Grisham self published, my head will explode. There's a useful thread here about successful writers who are said to have self published.
- It's not "traditional" or "legacy" publishing: it's "trade" publishing, or sometimes "mainstream" or "commercial" publishing. If you're not sure which, then "trade publishing" is usually the one to use. Unless of course you mean academic publishing, which is another thing entirely.
- Similarly, if you self-publish your own work you are a self-publisher, not an "indie" publisher or writer. An independent publisher is a completely different thing.
- E-publishing is not the same as self publishing and anyone who suggests otherwise will be Hello Kittied without mercy. At the very least.
- People who point out the difficulties involved with self publishing aren't necessarily being rude about self publishing, and might just have a valid point to make: but everyone is encouraged to debate this with them, so long as everyone follows our One Rule.
- If you're going to post statistics, make sure they prove what you think they do,and that they're reliable, used in context, and verifiable. Otherwise you will make yourself look like a banana.
- Despite the growth of self-publishing, trade publishing is still doing rather well. Let's not insist otherwise because doing so doesn't help anyone, regardless of how they're published.
- Finally, if you think that anyone has overstepped the line, please use the "report post" button. If we mods don't know you're upset, we can't do anything to help.
Last edited: