--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-publishing is fine. But in a world…" description: "\"Self-publishing is fine. But in a world of self-publishing, where everything is about what you get on the back end, there's a serious disincentive from..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/franklin-foer-3604_back_self-publishing-is-fine-but-in-a-world-o_1269580.png" --- # Self-publishing is fine. But in a world of… ![“Self-publishing is fine. But in a world of self-publishing, where everything is about what you get on the back end, there's a serious disincentive from embarking on really important, vital projects.” quote by Franklin Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/franklin-foer-3604_back_self-publishing-is-fine-but-in-a-world-o_1269580.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/franklin-foer-3604_back_self-publishing-is-fine-but-in-a-world-o_1269580.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/franklin-foer-3604_back_self-publishing-is-fine-but-in-a-world-o_1269580.png) > “Self-publishing is fine. But in a world of self-publishing, where everything is about what you get on the back end, there's a serious disincentive from embarking on really important, vital projects.” [Franklin Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-foer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑publishing democratizes publishing but can discourage tackling ambitious, high‑impact work due to financial focus. **In simple terms:** Self‑publishing can limit big projects. Key Takeaway Balance creative ambition with market realities. Themes publishing economics creative ambition Mood analytical concerned Type critical informative When to use this quote - novel writing - academic research - non‑fiction projects - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts incentive structures literary value Questions to Reflect On - How can creators stay motivated for vital projects? - What models support ambitious work? A Different Perspective Risk of compromising quality for profit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. 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When you think you have finished your book, proof read, proof read again, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-simpkin/self-publishing-is-not-as-easy-as-it-is-portrayed-when-you-think-you/) Phil Simpkin > [Self-publishing is great, but I don't want to be an icon for it, or anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/self-publishing-is-great-but-i-don-t-want-to-be-an-icon-for-it-or/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I had been self-publishing for a number of years at that stage and selling my books at markets around Melbourne - little pocket books.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-griffiths/i-had-been-self-publishing-for-a-number-of-years-at-that-stage-and/) [Andy Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-griffiths/) > [Some books and authors are best sellers, but most aren't. 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Those smaller books did well, ended up moving from doing a series to compiling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fish/i-really-started-self-publishing-on-a-serious-level-in-2002-those/) Tim Fish > [The publishing industry provides a viable channel which enables a wide distribution of books that we're not seeing in any other way. Unfortunately, self-publishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/the-publishing-industry-provides-a-viable-channel-which-enables-a/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [Self-publishing in comics is core to the whole artform. There is no scarlet letter in comics as there still is, to some degree, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieron-gillen/self-publishing-in-comics-is-core-to-the-whole-artform-there-is-no/) [Kieron Gillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieron-gillen/) > [Go APE: Author a great book, Publish it quickly, and Entrepreneur your way to success. 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(Creative Self-Publishing)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orna-ross/it-takes-a-great-reader-to-make-a-great-book-creative-self-publishing/) [Orna Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orna-ross/) > [Self-publishing has been a dubious challenge to traditional publishers, at best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dean/self-publishing-has-been-a-dubious-challenge-to-traditional/) [Michelle Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dean/) > [I'm really happy to have the chance to talk about the editing process. It's something that I think doesn't get the weight it deserves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-m-really-happy-to-have-the-chance-to-talk-about-the-editing-process/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More by Franklin Foer > [Once upon a time, if you were going to get a loan from me, I would have had to look at your file, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-foer/once-upon-a-time-if-you-were-going-to-get-a-loan-from-me-i-would-have/) [Franklin Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-foer/) > [“But in the end, the hackers were misunderstood figures. They wanted nothing more than to belong, to subsume their brilliant selves in an even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-foer/but-in-the-end-the-hackers-were-misunderstood-figures-they-wanted/) [Franklin Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-foer/) > [Not even Trump's father's wealth, nor his father's faith in his son's destiny, could save Trump from incessant discipline. 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