How to Decide Whether to Read a Self-Published Book

First published at IndieReader.com

Good news: self-publishing means that there are many books to read. Bad news: self-publishing means there are many books to read. Life is short, money is finite, and brain cells are a terrible thing to waste, so what's an avid, open-minded indie reader to do?

Life is not fair sometimes, and we often make snap judgments about whether we want to help, trust, or even date a person by first impressions: how they smile, shake hands, or dress. The same is true of books. Here are ways to decide whether to read a self-published book.

Don't get me wrong: I'm all for discovering diamonds in the rough, but a good self-publisher will put her best foot forward and try to equal or surpass the look and feel of a traditional publisher. With a modicum of effort and expense, a self-publisher can achieve this, and you, the reader, deserve it, so keep your standards high while you peruse the infinite selection of indie books.

Read more at IndieReader.com

Guy Kawasaki is the co-author of APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book (ISBN 978-0-9885231-1-1) with Shawn Welch. The book's thesis is powerful yet simple: filling the roles of author, publisher and entrepreneur yields results that rival traditional publishing. See what people think of his self-published book and how many blurbs he uses.