The self-publishing must be named

I have seen a survey that asked Why wouldn't you choose a self-published book? The question itself reveals the bias and prejudice against self-publishing that the person conducting the survey holds.

Knowing this, I wasn't surprised by the options provided for people to choose from. There wasn't even any debate in the comments, which indicates that the survey audience was already aligned with the survey creator's premise.

The options were "I don't trust it", followed by "I don't even bother" and concluded with "Fear of wasting my money" It made me very sad. Not because of the voting itself (as there are many similar surveys on social media), but because of the lack of comments contradicting those three responses. As I mentioned, the person who conducted the survey didn't even bother offering a positive option that countered their own personal campaign. So, I presume it was an anti-self-publishing maneuver. Did you think we were past this? I did too. Especially because there are online self-publishing platforms that have more readership than many traditional books.

I'm not sure what other writers think about this, but I believe a positive campaign for self-publishing is more necessary than ever. I've read self-published books that are better than some bestsellers; they simply haven't had the contacts or luck to expand their work into all bookstores, press tours, or literary festivals. But that doesn't make anyone a lesser professional or diminish the quality of their work.

Today, good work isn't only found through traditional publishing. Many creators choose to decide for themselves what they want to show, how they want to do it, and under what conditions. This doesn't produce a lower-quality product if it's crafted with care; rather, it demonstrates the commitment, effort, and dedication we're willing to put into what we believe in.

Does this mean that self-publishing is better? Of course not. Neither option is better or worse than the other; they simply offer different advantages and disadvantages for those of us who write. For example, self-publishing provides freedom and absolute control over the work. However, traditional publishing offers broader reach, especially if you don't have financial resources.

Regarding publicity for the work, if you can afford good marketing, there aren't significant differences compared to publishing under a traditional imprint. Many people, despite traditional publishing (where it's assumed they take care of almost everything), still have to do their own marketing to achieve minimum sales if they want the publisher to take them "seriously" and offer them additional exposure to the public. It's true that if a publisher decides to publish your work, they bear all the risks and are exposed if things go wrong, which doesn't affect the author's wallet. But as I mentioned earlier, it also has its downsides, such as not having real control over sales and receiving only 5%-10% of the work. That's why, for me, neither is better or worse. You always have to weigh the options and choose what's most beneficial at each stage of life. Understand that at any moment, you can change your mind.

Let's stop denigrating self-publishing once and for all. There's no sense in doing so just because you've come across a work that doesn't meet your expectations. Surely, more than one traditionally published book hasn't fit your taste, and you don't run a negative campaign about it; you simply move on to the next one that catches your attention. Self-published works are still waiting for the opportunity to be read and enjoyed by you, with the same enthusiasm as the author.

When someone conducts a survey like the one I mentioned, all I see is that person having an issue with paying for the products they consume. If that's the case, it's no longer a matter of where it's published or with whom, but rather personal greed. Thinking that because a work doesn't carry a traditional publisher's imprint, it should be free because you don't want to take risks is a completely different issue, one we'll discuss in another post.

The struggle to break down prejudices continues. Read self-published literature.

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Trÿa, the Leyend of the God Zanaán

«Sira Ïn is no longer a safe place. Beyond the Crown of Winds, Nara must conceal her identity, exposed to the dangers of Trÿa. While she strives to become the warrior her people need, Tyrhon Zäeh plots to halt her journey, destroy her companions, and prevent her from uncovering the truths hidden behind the legend of the powerful god Zanaán.»

After an initial local release, "Trÿa, the Legend of the God Zanaán" was published for the general public, becoming one of the four finalists for "Best Self-Published Novel" at the Avenida Awards in 2019.

This book is only published in Spanish.*