Self-publishing has seen some solid press over the past couple of weeks.
Once predominately considered vanity publishing, self-publishing 1.0 generally meant books were, produced, printed, and then sold to authors to sit in their garages or basements.
But with new information technology, distribution methods, and integrated marketing support self-publishing is rapidly finding its place in the industry with even newly pressed self-publishing authors finding write-ups in the New York Times.
Readers and consumers, publishers, and retailers are adapting. Now even brick and mortar bookstores are changing the way the see self-published books as a value to their customers. From our friends at Self-publishing Review came this cool new program at the legendary Boulder Book Store:
At the 20,000-square-foot Boulder Bookstore in Boulder Colorado, Arsen Kashkashian said self-published books are “definitely a growth market for us.” After getting “inundated” with local authors looking to sell their self-published books, the bookstore instituted a policy and fee structure loosely modeled on publishers’ co-op policies. Self-published books are taken on consignment, and authors are charged a basic one-time stocking fee of $25. The fee goes up from there for a book’s newsletter placement, website promotion, etc. There is also a fee for participation at events, which usually feature several authors who divide the cost. As long as the book looks professionally bound, Boulder Bookstore will accept it on consignment. By the end of the year, Boulder will stock about 100 self-published titles on its shelves.
Regardless of where you may be in the writing and publishing process, self-publishing is barreling ahead full steam. Research, know your options, and become as successful published author as you can be.