And now for the news!
Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing!
Bring tissues for this one! David Holmberg over at Forbes brings us this powerful story of Susan Padilla, daughter of an Alzheimer’s patient whose self-published book “Losing Everything: A Family’s Journey With Alzheimer’s” (published under the pseudonym S.P. Murray) hasn’t yet hit the stratosphere in sales–but has had an enormously positive impact on Padilla’s family. Writes Holmberg, “Padilla, a middle-aged human resources manager who works in New York, said the book has sold under 500 copies (mostly through Amazon) with no royalties yet, but her family is ‘very happy I put my feelings on paper.’ She paid her publisher $2500, plus $350 for advertising. For her, though, the benefit was personal, and therapeutic. ‘I kept myself from going crazy by writing this book,’ she said.” Holmberg, who covers retirement-related issues for Forbes, argues that profit shouldn’t be the only factor in consideration when thinking about whether to self-publish or not. “Padilla’s made a valuable contribution to Alzheimer’s literature,” he writes, and she wouldn’t have been able to do so given the traditional publishing industry’s reliance on blockbuster sales to break even. Going indie and self-publishing makes it possible for important books like Padilla’s to get out there and find their readers, even if they’re not selling as many copies as a, say, James Patterson novel. Books with niche audiences, like Padilla’s, are hungry for good books, too. Holmberg’s response to Padilla’s story is both touching and telling: “She’s the reason I say: if you have an instinct toward self-publishing, if it’s something you feel like trying in your retirement years, go ahead and do it. Study the stats, cast a cold eye on conflicting sales figures, but go ahead and do it.” You heard the man!
We never get tired here on Self Publishing Advisor of hearing all of the cool places where self-publishing is making inroads and bringing more exciting stories to light. Self-publishing has been shining a light on important stories all over the world recently, from India and China to Australia and Britain to Nigeria and now, Kenya! At this year’s Nairobi Book Fair, which celebrated its 22nd year in 2019. Mercy Muthoni, the director of CCL-K, which was behind one of the fair’s popular self-publishing programs, says that “[h]er advice to those with the ambition of becoming writers is that self-publishing and e-book world are not short-cuts to quick riches and fame. Excellence must be cultivated, and some of the programmes CLC-Kenya is pursuing can be both instructive and inspirational in the pursuit of excellence and cultivation of a healthy reading and writing culture in Kenya.” Other events at the Kenya Publishers’ Association-sponsored book fair included further discussions of the value and role of self-publishing in providing quality content that can do great work in representing Kenyan stories and culture to the world. We look forward to seeing what else is in store for self-publishing in Kenya!
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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