Agonostic about the future of books.

The controversy between Amazon and the Big Five publishers has been going on for some time now.

I still haven't arrived at a conclusion.

In many ways, I feel like I'm suppose to choose between "Indy" (or self publisher books), and "Traditional" published books.

I'm conflicted more than most because I own a store that depends on physical copies of books and I do worry about the entire industry collapsing.  I'm also a fan of physical books and not a fan of ebooks as a reader.

But as a writer, I love, love, love ebooks and self-publishing, even though I did choose to go through a hybrid publisher. 

I've decided I don't really need to make a choice, or choose sides.  It doesn't matter what I think.  I'll negotiate the mindfield either way.

In some ways, though, I have chosen a side. 

For all practical purposes, I would never attempt to sell a book to traditional publishers again.  The Indy proponents have won that argument hands down, as far as I'm concerned.  Traditional publishers are incredibly unattractive to me now.  Even if they offered to take me on, I'd probably turn them down.  Unless they change their terms and their contracts and the way they do business.

So Indy is my path from here on out.  I like writing at my own pace, not having to ask permission, not having to wait, not having to sign my rights away, not having to accept lower percentages.  It would take some balls on my part to turn them down, but it's not like they are seeking me out.

I can put out just as good and professional book on my own as I can through them.  I can come up with just as good a cover.  I can hire just as good an editor.

I wish traditional publishers a long and healthy life, but I'm not joining them.