And now for the news!
Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing!
The Good E-Reader is back with more excellence, this time with a piece by contributor Michael Kozlowski on exciting developments in the world of manga—a visual art form most often described as the print version of anime—and the opening of a new self-publishing platform for that genre. As with any other new development in indie and self-publishing—whether or not it relates to a genre or field we personally read—the mere fact that more options are opening up for creators and readers in a genre and field parallel to our own is exciting, indeed. We’re excited to see what comes from VIZ Originals latest project!
Speaking of fascinating developments in the vein of “modes/genres/fields I didn’t know could take part in self-publishing but definitely are“, the latest news from Michael Futter of Variety relates to developments in the videogame industry, one which has long been the subject of conversation around alternate, indie, and self-published games—and how difficult it can be for a new studio or development company to “break in” against the kind of competition that churns out all of the PS3 and XBox games you may already be familiar with. Crowdfunding, which involves requesting many small promises of financial support from thousands of supporters before distribution can happen, may just be the way of the future. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and GoFundMe have now been around for long enough that the mere act of crowdfunding has evolved since its early days—and Futter is here with the details in an engaging and delightfully voicy piece that updates us all on where things are now.
It’s something of an open secret that people are really, really good at policing each others’ definitions. Luckily, Dave Armstrong of Patheos manages to steer clear of many of the policing stumbling blocks one might fall over in attempting to understand the self-publishing experience in the context of its stigma—and comparisons to the traditional publishing model—by framing his piece through an interview with Karl Keating, another successful author. Speaking of “voicy” articles, Armstrong’s is a pleasure to read, rich with humor and also with the kind of spicy—and highly useful—details that may just provide a self-publishing author new to the market figure out some of the process, including how to price e-books and how to select a platform that works for you instead of restricting you from doing what you really want to do, and how to craft covers that you wouldn’t mind readers judging the book by. All in all, it’s a great little introduction to the act of self-publishing, and also includes details that may be of use to authors writing in the genre of religious and Christian literature. Be prepared to learn about Amazon sales rankings!
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 each month to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.
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