And now for the news!
Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically news from or regarding self-publishing companies!
Once in a while, it can be truly life-affirming to celebrate those who kill it with their words. By which we mean: our beloved crime fiction authors! Crime fiction is, along with a number of other genres, one of the biggest staples of the self-publishing community, and this article by Heather Hummel on HuffPost does a fabulous job of detailing some of the many changes and developments which have touched the crime fiction community lately, including the advent and rise of Bloodhound Books, a hybrid/independent publisher making a name for itself in Britain (and, now, abroad). Hummel interviews Bloodhound Books’ founder, Betsy Freeman, as well as author Anita Waller, who is now represented by the company. Even if you don’t write or publish crime fiction, you’ll find many of their reasons for founding and publishing through a hybrid/independent press relatable … and compelling! We highly recommend you read Hummel’s full article at HuffPost online.
We love reading the annual Publisher’s Weekly review of their top stories, not least because self-publishing often features among them. This year’s list was put together by Jim Milliot and John Maher, and it includes several important self-publishing stories, including that of alt-right rabble-rouser Milo Yiannopoulos, who self-published after his Simon & Schuster book deal was canceled and a very public lawsuit, as well as the closing of Tate Publishing’s doors. This Christian self-publishing company had held its own for many years before crumpling under the weight of several serious accusations: felony embezzlement, misdemeanor embezzlement, and felony attempted extortion by threat. As always, it’s a good reminder that not every self-publishing company will be a good steward of your book, although the vast majority never engage in underhanded activities like Tate (and even established companies like Amazon are under fire, as you’ll see elsewhere on the list). We cannot recommend this annual review highly enough; you can read it on the Publishers Weekly website.
More big news as the self-publishing industry begins to “settle,” with big players combining forces to consolidate efforts. This week, as Ben Steelman reports for Star News, the “non-profit feminist literary enterprise” Athenian has reached an important fundraising milestone courtesy of Lulu, one of the largest self-publishing companies out there. As a result, they are now in some sort of official partnership, where Athenian will begin publishing some of its titles in 2019 through Lulu’s print on demand (POD) service. This is a big step for the self-publishing company, which has struggled to establish itself as both a legitimate independent publishing platform with a unique appeal and as a competitor to industry titan Amazon. Theoretically, Athenian’s partnership will lend Lulu some of the literary credentials it needs to accomplish the first of these two goals, and the companies’ shared marketing might just help with the second. We’ll be watching to see if this proves to be a successful partnership and model for the future of self-publishing companies everywhere!
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.
