I hate it too. It just degenerates writing when one says this way is the correct or official way to publish a book. Some people can't or won't work with agents, but I think it just depends on what you want from your writing. If you want to see a physical book in shops and have a three-book deal, then perhaps scouting out agents and publishers is a better set-up for you. If you want to put your work out there and be your own boss, as it were, then self-pub your work, or whatever.

In the end, we're all writers. It doesn't -- or it shouldn't -- matter what publisher has bought our work, or what agents reps us. Our job is to write stuff we're passionate about and what to share with people.

[Sorry if this seems ranty, your post just got me thinking]

:) xx