This week in the world of self-publishing:
“‘I decided to choose my own magic and publish my book,'” writes Brittany Britto for the Baltimore Sun in this May 6th article, quoting indie author Elodie Nowodazkij, whose first self-published romance novel (One, Two, Three) hit the internet in 2014. Nowodazkij, who had queried at least thirty agents the year before and received so-called “kind” rejections across the board, is one of seven self-publishing authors, experts, and entrepreneurs whose journeys Britto anthologizes in her article. “The success of a self-published book, as with any book, can vary depending on any number of factors, including timing, topic and genre,” says Britto, citing marketing expert Penny Sansevieri. And while some indie authors still founder, an increase in the diversity of platforms available and the general maturation of the indie publishing impulse provides as many if not more opportunities than it does hazards. Britto’s article, while it uses local Baltimore authors as inspiration, forms a lengthy exploration of the topic on a national and even international scale, with many insightful references, anecdotes, and questions asked and answered. To read the full piece, follow the link.
In her latest addition to Inverse‘s “Job Hacks” series of articles (in which the media insight company “shake[s] down experts for the insights they cultivated on their way to the top of their field”), Lauren Sarner takes a look at the backstory of Joseph Devon, a “Self-published novelist before self-publishing was big, [and] co-creator of The Writer’s Arena, an iron chef-style competition forum for authors.” The interview, published on May 4th, delves into Devon’s approach to self-publishing before self-publishing even became (as the Tumblr kids put it) “a thing” … and he did it by giving everyone, traditionally published, self-published, and altogether new authors “an even playing field.” Engagement on The Writer’s Arena is up, with disagreements over winning pieces and authors thoughtfully fostered within healthy boundaries and managed by careful moderation. “I actually self-published way back in 2000, which isn’t that far but in the world of self-publishing, it is,” Sarner quotes Devon as saying. “But then as the internet came along, people starting creating more tools and it became a lot easier. There’s still a lot of challenges—it may not be for everyone—but I fell in love with the notion of how to create an audience and the marketing side of things.” Devon has been there from the beginning, as Sarner makes clear, and his evolution as an author/entrepreneur has deep ties to the evolution of the internet as a digital space. For more of his interview with Sarner, click here!
“LinkedIn is considering introducing its own version of Facebook’s Instant Articles, a feature that would allow publishers to host content directly on LinkedIn instead of posting links that direct people back to their own sites,” writes Alex Kantrowitz in this May 5th piece for BuzzFeed News. We’ve written about LinkedIn Pulse here on Self-Publishing Advisor before, but this latest acquisition or evolution could provide indie authors with still more practical benefits. Quotes Kantrowitz: “‘Publishers remain a very important part of our content ecosystem and we are in regular conversations with them about new ways to work together,’ a LinkedIn spokesperson said in response to a BuzzFeed News request for comment on the effort. ‘Our goal is to ensure we get the right content in front of the right member at the right time to deliver the best member experience possible.'” This is good news for indie authors precisely because it provides access to a flexible, responsive platform for publication that allows for the distribution of timely written material–the arena of all things indie. You may or may not see any new end-user tools added to the existing Pulse platform, but the potential reach of posts to said platform may expand as partnerships with other publishing media develop. All the more reason to tap into this resource as soon as possible!
As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.
ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.
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