Another decade has come and gone, and Y2K has yet to strike. That’s all right, because the Mayan calendar says we have Dec. 21st, 2012 to look forward to. And since we have a little over two years until the earth’s demise, Stef and I would like to make the most of our time. What better way to do that than spend more of our hard-earned money and republish our books?
2010 is upon us. A fresh decade. A new beginning…for us Indie authors. Independent publishing, self-publishing, or P.O.D.—whatever you want to call it—has been around for some time. Ever since its inception a stigma has been attached to self-publishing. The main problems are a lack of quality in the books, the inability for brick and mortar stores to return said “amateur” books, and the absence of a marketing team. These are valid reasons to judge books not published the traditional way. But that is the past, and things are changing for the better.
Traditional publishing is in the toilet, so to speak. Fewer and fewer new authors are being introduced into the mainstream these days, and the quality of books—that includes both story and grammar—is plummeting. Publishing houses are dwindling, meaning less of a chance for those already struggling to make it big. The Stephen Kings and Stephenie Meyers of the world have little to fear. Or do they?
Some of the reasons for the publishing world’s turmoil can be traced directly back to its competitor: self-publishing. Though if you want to get technical, it would only be fair to say that the Internet is the real reason for self-publishing’s recent climb toward respectability. Sure countless unedited, poorly-written “garbage” books still clog cyber space. Many self-publishing companies don’t know what the heck they’re doing. Still Indie authors are finding new avenues to reach prospective readers.
Anyone who is anyone knows what a Kindle, Nook, or Sony E-Reader is. Like it or not digital books, or E-readers, are the way of the future. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony are all seeing to it that paper becomes pixels, and most importantly, dollar signs. In this technologically-advanced “green age”, who can blame them? E-Readers can hold upwards of fifteen hundred books in a device no larger than a paperback. Struggling authors can tap into this resource as easily as self-publishing, and in most cases, converting books digitally is free!
But what about marketing? To be honest, it’s still up to the authors to pitch themselves. Stef and I know this first-hand. However, being chosen by a respectable publishing house does not equate to winning the lottery. Authors going the traditional route still have to promote themselves, and that’s after they acquire a surefire agent. Good luck finding one of those. Marketing is an uphill battle all authors must face.
Returnability. All Indie authors know this dreaded word. For the longest time the returnability of our books has been impossible, keeping us from promoting in most brick and mortar stores. That no longer is an obstacle for us…as long as we’re willing to open our wallets. Yes, it is expensive, and it’s also the reason why most people still continue to vie for traditional publication. But the option is there, and those of us who take self-publishing seriously and wish to make a career out of being an “Indie”—that’s us—and present our novel the way we truly intend it, then we will opt to take the financial loss and hope to turn a profit down the line.
Being an author is not about making money. It never has been—despite what some believe—and never will. We write because it’s our passion, and we want others to experience what we’ve created. With the advent of self-publishing, this is now possible. The number of authors—whether legitimate or not—has increased over the past ten years. Nearly every one of them has yet to make a profit. Has that stopped some of them? Sure, Stef and I have yet to break even, yet we press onward and will continue to do so until we are financial incapable or illness takes us. Let’s hope neither comes to pass, because we have many stories left to tell.
-Matt
2010 is upon us. A fresh decade. A new beginning…for us Indie authors. Independent publishing, self-publishing, or P.O.D.—whatever you want to call it—has been around for some time. Ever since its inception a stigma has been attached to self-publishing. The main problems are a lack of quality in the books, the inability for brick and mortar stores to return said “amateur” books, and the absence of a marketing team. These are valid reasons to judge books not published the traditional way. But that is the past, and things are changing for the better.
Traditional publishing is in the toilet, so to speak. Fewer and fewer new authors are being introduced into the mainstream these days, and the quality of books—that includes both story and grammar—is plummeting. Publishing houses are dwindling, meaning less of a chance for those already struggling to make it big. The Stephen Kings and Stephenie Meyers of the world have little to fear. Or do they?
Some of the reasons for the publishing world’s turmoil can be traced directly back to its competitor: self-publishing. Though if you want to get technical, it would only be fair to say that the Internet is the real reason for self-publishing’s recent climb toward respectability. Sure countless unedited, poorly-written “garbage” books still clog cyber space. Many self-publishing companies don’t know what the heck they’re doing. Still Indie authors are finding new avenues to reach prospective readers.
Anyone who is anyone knows what a Kindle, Nook, or Sony E-Reader is. Like it or not digital books, or E-readers, are the way of the future. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony are all seeing to it that paper becomes pixels, and most importantly, dollar signs. In this technologically-advanced “green age”, who can blame them? E-Readers can hold upwards of fifteen hundred books in a device no larger than a paperback. Struggling authors can tap into this resource as easily as self-publishing, and in most cases, converting books digitally is free!
But what about marketing? To be honest, it’s still up to the authors to pitch themselves. Stef and I know this first-hand. However, being chosen by a respectable publishing house does not equate to winning the lottery. Authors going the traditional route still have to promote themselves, and that’s after they acquire a surefire agent. Good luck finding one of those. Marketing is an uphill battle all authors must face.
Returnability. All Indie authors know this dreaded word. For the longest time the returnability of our books has been impossible, keeping us from promoting in most brick and mortar stores. That no longer is an obstacle for us…as long as we’re willing to open our wallets. Yes, it is expensive, and it’s also the reason why most people still continue to vie for traditional publication. But the option is there, and those of us who take self-publishing seriously and wish to make a career out of being an “Indie”—that’s us—and present our novel the way we truly intend it, then we will opt to take the financial loss and hope to turn a profit down the line.
Being an author is not about making money. It never has been—despite what some believe—and never will. We write because it’s our passion, and we want others to experience what we’ve created. With the advent of self-publishing, this is now possible. The number of authors—whether legitimate or not—has increased over the past ten years. Nearly every one of them has yet to make a profit. Has that stopped some of them? Sure, Stef and I have yet to break even, yet we press onward and will continue to do so until we are financial incapable or illness takes us. Let’s hope neither comes to pass, because we have many stories left to tell.
-Matt
