Indie vs self-published: is there a difference CLARIFIED

I posted a few days ago about Indie vs self-publishing, and Ian O'Neill replied.  I know Ian from elsewhere on the 'net.  Anyway, we had a good little gossip and it turns out he thought I was insulting him.

I was shocked.

No, Really, I was Shocked.  Okay, maybe I'm taking the piss a little here, but I saw this ----------------------------------->
and wanted an excuse to use it.

It was not my intention to be insulting (well, not to insult Ian.  There are some people who might be best served by being insulted.  Then they might go away and stop self-publishing crap books that no one will read because the writer doesn't understand basec gramar).

Yes, I know I put two spelling mistakes in there.  I was making a point.  It's ridiculous trying to read books with bad grammar and worse spelling.

So, anyway, I'm following Ian's advice and re-posting to clarify some issues.

What I think self-publishing is:

*    My daughter's school did a book about the janitor.  They sold about 30 copies.

*    My local writer's circle did a great book of new Scottish poetry, and sold 150 copies.

*    I picked up a self-published book from the College Library.  It was so bad I regretted having learned to read.

*    Self-publishing can be bad, or awesome, but is ALWAYS small-scale.

What I think Indie-publishing is: 

*    someone who has made over 4000 sales from 1 book on Kindle

*    someone who has gotten out more money than they put in

*    someone who is at a level where they could have been published by a NY publishing house

*    don't ask why this is accompanied by a photo of a typewriter; I have no idea

Zoe Winter's first novella, "Kept," is available from most places for free.  Amazon doesn't deal in free books, so she's selling Kept for just under $1 over there.  She has made over $1500 from Kindle sales.  Including free downloads, her novella has been downloaded nearly 25,000 times.   And her next book won't be free.  All these people who read the novella, and I bet at least half will buy book 2 in her Therian series.  Go, Zoe.

Ian O'Neill mentioned in the comments that he was a former Indie author who'd made back more than he'd put in.  Well done, Ian.  I'm sure it was hard, but I'm sure it was also worth it.  Although only Ian knows for sure.

Okay, to clarify my P.O.V. on the whole indie - self-pub thing:

No one would compare a big NY publishing house to a University Press.  I wouldn't compare someone like Zoe Winters to someone who's sold a half dozen copies to siblings and cousins.

Sorry, but I wouldn't.

Now I'm not trying to steal the Indie Publisher or Indie Author hat for myself and leave all my fine Indie fellows, guys and gals, hatless.  I'm not saying there all crappy little self-publishers.  That's really missing the point of what I want to do.

Anyway, this is getting long, so I'll post the other half tomorrow.  Until then, keep your hats on!

PS, you really should read Kept.  It is free, after all.  You can find it here.   I haven't read it yet (so don't think I'm saying it's good) but I intend to within the week.  I'll call it like I see it when I do (the sample I read was excellent).

You'll find part 2 of this post here.