Thanks for putting it so clearly. I agree. My father was a bookdealer. My mother was a librarian. One passed on and the other retired before books essentially vanished, but even before that, I could see the digital writing on the virtual wall--and I felt kind of guilty for being excited about it.

I've seen comments on certain fanfic to the effect that "this is so good you should publish it," honestly intended as sincere praise. And it's not an insult or anything, but...why? What pittance could the author get after stripping the heart and soul and grit and porn from their work to meet publisher's guidelines? A thousand bucks? Five, tops?

And what's more, little or no feedback! It's not worth it--at least, it doesn't seem worth it to me. I know one or two writers who are hoarding their novels, trying to get them printed on paper and distributed in trucks to the last two bookstores in the world, and while I wish them joy of the enterprise, I think: I can put my stuff out there today, and have reactions tomorrow, and I'll make just about the same amount of money.

Thanks for the link to a good Rivkat story, by the way.