And now for the news!
Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically regarding publishing trends within the publishing industry, and their implications for all authors!
Well, I suppose the title of this article is a touch misleading: indie author Jonathan Kile didn’t actually trade away his love of or involvement in self-publishing for the titular road trip–but he did write about both in this excellent article for Tampa Bay’s Creative Loafing column, as excellent a place as any to find reflections on music, art, and lifestyle. In his column, Kile deliberates upon what exactly it looks and feels like to “take a moment” while self-publishing. The temptation, one assumes and Kile confirms, would be to constantly take work with you; after all, portability is one of the self-publishing author’s greatest freedoms. One of technology’s–and therefore self-publishing’s–greatest strengths may, in the end, make it hard to clear your head. And while it is, theoretically, possible to make edits to your manuscript and even your published book while tent camping in the Sierras, Kile’s column is the reminder we all need that sometimes it’s okay to take a step back, take a deep breath, and leave work at home.
Did you know that there’s an annual self-publishing summit in Durban, South Africa? One of the most amazing aspects of taking part in this blog is learning about the global self-publishing movement, and how the tools we know and love here in North America are empowering and enabling indie authors all around the world to craft their platforms and find their audiences. The Durban Self-publishing Summit 2018 was by all accounts (including this one from Berea Mail) a great success, and if you’re in the area or will be around this time next year, it might just be worth penciling into your calendar for 2019. Here’s to many more successful self-publishing summits in far-flung places we hope to visit!
If you’ve spent much time around book blogs, you’ll know that we are often a bit … snobby. And don’t get me wrong, snobbery and gatekeeping is one of life’s finest pleasures … so long as you’re using it as an avenue to celebrate books and open up doors for authors, not the reverse. And it has long been an assumption, these days entirely unfounded, that self-published books suffer from poor cover design. But as this fabulous article from The Bookseller makes plain, it’s time for this particular brand of snobbery to disappear into the void. Writes Stuart Bache, the initial wave of self-published books may have struggled more with design simply because of tight budgets and limited options. These days, he goes on to say, are different. Writes Bache: “We had only dipped our toe into the self-publishing world for mere seconds before we were swept up in its authors’ enthusiasm and positive attitude towards publishing. Even on a tight budget. some of our indie clients were doing phenomenally well. There are entire communities on Facebook where an author can ask for advice about marketing and ask for recommendations for editors and designers they can use – the support network is one of the best.” Self-publishing companies like Outskirts Press offer design services, as do many independent contractors and graphic designers. These days, it’s much easier to craft a beautiful book, and Bache’s article for The Bookseller goes a long way toward pointing out options if you yourself are looking for a good place to start.
Do you know that old saying, “The King is dead. Long live the King”? Well, while traditional publishing is a long way from dead, the new kid on the block is definitely on the ascendant. This article from Frank Catalano of GeekWire is packed with good news for indie and self-publishing authors, and we all need a bit of good news after the last quarterly reports from Barnes & Noble. Writes Catalano, “Over a thousand independent authors surpassed $100,000 in royalties in 2017 through Kindle Direct Publishing,” and many of the statistics pertinent to indie authors are not included in the general publishing reports, including those for ebooks. If indie authors are discounted, ebook sales continue to drop as they have done ever since publishers won the right to raise ebook prices in 2015. If indie authors are included, writes Catalano, the numbers are much less dire for authors as a whole, although they certainly indicate that the healthiest portion of the ebook industry lies firmly toward the indie and self-published end of things. Long story short: Catalano breaks down the numbers (and uses infographics!) to explain just what is up with ebooks in 2017 and the first half of 2018. Well worth a look!
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.
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