| Sumario: | In the literature and in Zambia's public life, there exists a dichotomy of perceptions about published works. The works published by mainstream publishers are viewed as prestigious: in cultural circles, in firm opposition to self-published books, they are ‘the right thing to do’. This article seeks to problematise such perceptions. I discuss the Zambian publishing environment and my own experiences of self-publishing. I also explore ideological perspectives on the commonly assumed axioms that anchor the dichotomy of perceptions about published works. I maintain that literary products that enter the market should be judged according to their inherent appeal, quality, marketability and profitability, rather than their mode of publication.
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