Self-Publishing - Gaaaaahhhh!

In a post entitled "The Self-publishing paradox; or, why I love my editor", author Shannon Hale carefully lays out her reasons to celebrate books that are professionally published as opposed to self-published.  I am with her all the way. As a long-time reviewer; as someone who has served on both the Caldecott and Newbery committees; as someone who cherishes beautifully crafted writing, plot and illustrations for children, I am aware of how grating most self-published books are.

Agents, publishers and editors fulfill a key role in the evolving work of authors. I am sure I am not alone in listening to book creators talk about multiple rejections that spurred them on to re-craft and refine their writing and make their books even better. Editors work closely with writers and illustrators to bring out the best quality books.And the publishing houses provide massive support for the books they publish that a self-published author handles on their own. Editorial Anonymous also advised on this topic here.

I blogged about our current library policy in dealing with author's of self-published materials here. I fear we will continue to see more self-published works. While I appreciate the passion of those who write, I find myself, with ALA about to happen and all the amazing book creators celebrated there (Susan Cooper! Kadir Nelson! Jack Gantos! Chris Raschka! Duncan Tonatiuh!Melissa Sweet! Josh Schneider! Shane Evans!), wishing that those who can't stand the heat of the publishing crucible would re-consider their path. A look in the mirror; an honest look at their writing might yield a re-commitment to honing their craft.

I thank Shannon Hale for her words and hope we see many someones out there listening and reflecting on them.

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Thank You and May the Gods Bless You

This shout-out goes to Editorial Anonymous the always wry, witty and to the point (ouch!!) children's book editor who anonymously answers queries about writing and publishing and sometimes skewers the clueless and the crass.  Today's missive addresses the dreamers who imagine that all that is needed to write a children's book is a knack for rhyming "cat" with "mat".  Zing!  Her last three summarized pieces of advice are ones we should all keep in our back pocket to trot out when we get the dewy-eyed hopefuls who drop off their "children's book I've just written today!"

Image: 'Books, anyone?'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/14228046@N03/4444473213

What to Do When Faced with That Self-Published Book Donation?

We all have received unsolicited donations of self-published materials from eager community members.  It's hard to accept everything that comes through and painful to find the right words to let down the person who is so proud of their work. Some work is worth adding to the collection - most misses the mark so severely that it is simply impossible to even give it away.  At the same time, one can appreciate all the work and love and passion that the person has put into the work even when it is not noteworthy. 

I like the policy statement at my present job that was developed to help us when faced with this situation:

"We sincerely appreciate local authors who are willing to support the library by donating their works. However, we are not able to add all donated material to the collection. The following paragraphs explain the standards by which materials by local authors are selected for the library collection.


All materials donated to the library become the property of the ...... Public Library and are examined by library staff to determine which are to be added to the collection. The staff, in choosing materials, assures that they meet the criteria established in the ...... Public Library Materials Selection Policy. Materials not selected are offered to other libraries in the ......Library System. Those gifts still remaining are then placed in book sales conducted by the Friends of the Library.

We select only those materials that fit within the scope of our collection. The scope of the circulating collection does not include materials that are rare, unavailable through established vendors, or sparsely owned by other public libraries of similar size. Exceptions may be made for materials by local authors that create community interest by being featured in library or community sponsored programs, as well as those reviewed or publicized via local media.

Although it is necessary for us to subscribe to the above guidelines, we understand the significant effort involved in publishing one’s own creation and applaud the generous spirit with which these materials are offered."

How do you handle this situation?

Image: 'The end is, in fact, nearer than+he+thinks+-+Explored' http://www.flickr.com/photos/40252592@N05/3857844352