And now for the news!
Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically interviews with or articles written by self-publishing authors and experts!
Here’s a story to kick your week off right! Terence Toh of Star2.com covers the story of 17-year-old Mitsuyo Machida, who set off to teach Japanese to Burmese refugee children at a center in Kuala Lumpur. Frustrated with the lack of available resources, she decided to create her own–Nihongo No Hon Beginner (“A Book Of Japanese Language For Beginners”)–and self-publish it so that she could get the material she wanted, the illustrations she wanted, and the details which matter to someone using a textbook in the field to change lives. Mitsuyo Machida also describes in detail her self-publishing experience: “It was really difficult at times, I didn’t have a professional editor or designer. So it was challenging, but I enjoyed it,” she writes, and the quality and creative control was important to her. And her closing comments? “It’s important to start small. Small things can make big differences in other people’s lives. You don’t need to get involved in teaching or creating textbooks like I did, but what’s most important is to be aware of people out there who need your help.” The world is in very good hands, indeed.
This article comes to us courtesy of Ernie Smith at Associations Now, and describes the Alliance of Independent Authors’ (ALLi’s) new public awareness campaign, which “urg[es] members to build their own sustainable platforms with multiple revenue streams, rather than relying on Amazon or others to fuel their success.” The campaign is called Self-Publishing 3.0, and Smith writes:
Why 3.0? ALLi says the shift represents the next wave for the industry since the rise of desktop publishing and print-on-demand technology in the 1990s made it possible for writers to self-publish. The arrival of the e-reader (particularly the Kindle) created a second wave. The third wave, says the group, emphasizes independence though side businesses such as online teaching, subscription services, and direct sales via author websites.
An awareness of consumer trends is woven deep into the fabric of this campaign, and there are plenty of resources available and linked through the article for indie authors looking to participate. Check it out!
Last but certainly not least, here’s an article from Emma Wenner of Publishers’ Weekly on the poet Lang Leav, who got her start by way of self-publishing and is now an established voice among poets of the highest caliber. Before she even got to the self-publishing stage, Leav was using platforms like Tumblr to share her poetry: “I was building up my following and saving up to self-publish my first book, Love & Misadventure,” she writes, “and I was just hoping to make back what I spent. It went a lot better than expected. I was only self-published for a couple of months and I think I had sold over 10,000 copies.” Yeah, that’s not bad at all, is it? In her interview, Leav digs into her experiences (positive and negative) on social media, the role of poetry in modern life, and what it’s like to pick up the torch after poets such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs lay the groundwork for “Pop Poetry” during the Beat Generation. A fascinating read we highly recommend!
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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