[bitmason]

So are you not going to edit the book? Or just have a friend do a cursory job for free? How are you going to promote the book so people know about it? Of course, you don't have to do any of those things to get an ebook out there but getting a quality ebook out there and marketing it are something else again.

[TweedHeads]

I understand your point, but the thing is lowering the entry barrier so everybody can write AND publish on their own. If you want to spend on a more professional publishing I bet online stores can give you extra exposure for a "fee" at the same time a new crop of side business like editing, proof reading, marketing, etc can grow to make the market healthier and self sustainable.

So, a newbie can write an publish, their work may start at 99cts so if they hit the jackpot a million copies sold can make them millionaires over night.

Professional books, best sellers, academic books etc, can hire professionals to do their job, same as you can do your own web site if you wish, or hire web designers to do a more professional job, which most big companies do. And sure they can sell it for $9 or a thousand, up to them or to the market to decide their price and worthiness.

It all starts at 99cts.

Again, no need for the publisher.