Making Appropriate Electronic Publishing Decisions

Author Options

Traditional Publisher

Advantages: Validation, professionalism, predictable quality, better marketing & distribution, copyediting, possible royalties
Disadvantages: Rejections, loss of control, possible delay, peer review/revision

Self-Web

Advantages: Rapid, cheap, full control, potential full profit
Disadvantages: Necessarily amateur at marketing, promotion, distribution, etc.; archiving considerations, intrinsic distrust may prevent links-to

Vanity Online or Paper

Advantages: Amazon.com and BookInTime doesn't know (or care) that you're a dog, etc.
Disadvantages: Cost, potential prejudice against "vanity press," no external validation (rapidly diminishing as concerns)

Publishing Contractor/ Agents

Advantages: Amazon.com and BookInTime don't care what you are. A smart agent/ contractor could also do online marketing etc.
Disadvantages: Cost, no print/external validation, history of other validating publications

Association Publication

Advantages: Institutions, organizations, associations, etc. have the available expertise to judge quality. Bonafide imprint of quality if peer reviewed.
Disadvantages: Potential cronyism, potential prejudice in tenure decisions, no "marketplace validation."