My library has hosted author workshops, and some authors are quite candid about the pros of big publishing houses. Indie authors are writers, editors, publicists, marketeers, and more. If this isn't all in someone's wheelhouse, and especially if a big publishing house will offer some serious promotion, it can be worth the loss of control and profit. It's just that until now, few have had the opportunity to choose alternatives and experiment. Print-on-demand through Amazon or Lulu are out there. Kickstarter and Indiegogo are just the tip of the iceberg for crowdfunding. With any luck, we are seeing the emergency of new artist opportunities for text and music alike. I'm optimistic on this front.