What satisfactions do self‐publishing authors gain from the process?

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This paper, a follow-up to our previous Learned Publishing paper (http://dx.doi. org/10.1087/20130310)

Who are the independent editors, how did they reach their role and what are their associated job satisfactions?

“…There was a concentration in arts and languages, with signifi cant number of graduates in English, journalism and a cluster around classics and philosophy (half-and full-fi eld): Interestingly this high education level is not as high as that reported in a study of self-publishing authors, 5,6 where the fi nal level of education was undergraduate degree (32%) and postgraduate degree (44%).…”

“…This paper extends a programme of research into self-publishing [2][3][4][5][6] and the identifi cation within that research of a growing demand for publishing services within the self-publishing market. For example, Baverstock and Steinitz 5,6 found that 59% of the research cohort studied had used an editor and there was also evidence of them using a range of other publishing services in the development of work (21% had taken legal advice and 26% purchased marketing services such as publicity and PR support).…”

Is peer review still the content industry's upper house?

“…The growth of self‐publishing has similarly fostered a range of new publishing services that can be relied upon to improve the outcome of what is created: the quality of the product, its positioning in the market and its presentation to others who may invest. Research into self‐publishing published in this journal (Baverstock and Steinitz, and Baverstock and Steinitz, ) has undermined both industry and academia's traditional confidence that those self‐publishing were leaving editors out of the process. Rather it emerged that those taking the process seriously regularly relied on publishing services, and in particular, the involvement of editors, to help them improve their content.…”

“…Academics may find their institution offers significant support to their attempts to get published, from informal (the encouragement of collective research groups) to the paid involvement of experts to advise. Meanwhile, those approaching peer‐reviewed journals for possible submission are regularly invited to improve their manuscript before submission through commissioning editorial support, and the same cohort of independent editors is servicing both pre‐submission requests for editing services from authors and post‐submission requests for editing services from publishers (Baverstock, Blackburn and Iskandarova, and b and Baverstock and Steinitz, ).…”

How the role of the independent editor is changing in relation to traditional and self‐publishing

“…Previous research into self-publishing 1 has revealed that self-publishers often use independent editors in the development of their work. This is surprising, given the often-held assumption that self-publishing authors are choosing to 'go it alone' by managing the publishing process themselves.…”