Self-Publishing News: 10.17.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

The big news, of course, you already know: Indie Author Day 2016 took place just over a week ago, on October 8th. But the reports are still trickling in on how events unfolded at various libraries around the country, so we recommend you hop on by the official IAD2016 website and read up on a few of those and watch archived videos–and we recommend, too, that you get in touch with your local library. Did they play host? If yes, find out all the details! And if no, this is the perfect time to start raising awareness and opening up the conversation about next year’s IAD.

• Evolution of Libraries: What That Means for Self-Published Books

Other things have been happening around the Internet this week, too! As Eva Neska Natiello writes for the Huffington Post Blog, it’s all connected–what happens in libraries and what happens in the world of self-publishing. As libraries are forced to evolve in order to meet current demands and needs among their user bases, they’re offering more–and sometimes stranger, or more unique–opportunities for local self-publishing authors. Writes Natiello, after attending a conference for librarians the thing she “was most struck by was how libraries are able to evolve while staying committed to their traditional principal of democratization.” And we’ve talked about the democratic nature of self-publishing before on this blog; no doubt we’ll return to the issue again. For Natiello’s full article, follow the link.

• How to Publish Content in the Right Place at the Right Time

This article in Search Engine Journal‘s online edition by Pratik Dholakiya is a study in the timeliness of publishing digital and Internet-related content. (“The pros,” writes Dholakiya, “know which post deserves to see the light of the day and which post needs to be kept on hold until the time is right.”) But it’s also a fascinating glimpse into the world operating behind the one we can see–the structures and mechanics of generating interest in the Internet Age. “If you want to be a great blogger, you also need to be a great decision maker,” writes Dholakiya, demonstrating he can turn a phrase–but he’s at his best when deconstructing some of our assumptions about digital content, including notions of Placement, Niche, Tone, Timing, Newsjacking, and “Evergreen Content,” something I personally hadn’t heard of before his article but I’m very glad I have heard of now. For the full piece, click here.

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.