Since my last writing-related entry I’ve finished first drafts for a short story and a novelette.Now though, as the pro market suffers a sudden bout of shrinkage I’ve been wondering how much effort I should be putting into it. I expect, though I’m no expert, that it means unprecedented competition from new/relatively unpublished authors like me. Or it could be the trigger for some in that same class of writer to abandon the market. Nah, who am I kidding?
What I’m considering more and more is self-publishing of some form. Whether I do that after several attempts with each story to find a pro market, or if I Just dive in to that I’m not sure. And if I attempt to self-publish, what form does it take? My options would be podcasting (something a friend is trying), or online/downloadable text files.
It seems like some of the taint of self-publishing has worn off. And it helps some authors find an audience. But is it right for me?
Dispatches from Obscurity 
It seems like some of the taint of self-publishing has worn off.
Nope.
Yeah, what I was going to say.
Or if some of the taint has worn off, there’s a hell of a lot of taint left.
And here’s a thing: why are you going right from professional markets to self-publishing? There’s a hell of a lot in the middle there — including a *lot* of awesome paying markets with established readerships.