And now for the news!
This week in the world of self-publishing:
Did you know Mark Twain, E.E. Cummings and Emily Dickinson were self-published authors? In this compelling article by William Kowalski, we are given ample reasons to reject any notion that self-publishing is for those without talent, for those with things that aren’t worth publishing or for “hacks.” If the commercial publishing world has rejected your book, Kowalski wants to assure you that’s not because your book is bad or that you are lacking the skills needed to be a successful writer–it’s just that they don’t see a market for it. We live in a society that follows the whims of the invisible hand of the market, and that means, like most businesses, most publishing companies’ bottom line will inevitably be the almighty dollar. In Kowalski’s view, this bottom line is part of the reason they’re dying out; because it has driven amazing authors to find other means, such as self-publishing. According to him, genre writers are now better off self-publishing, as they do substantially better than genre writers who seek commercial publication. This article is a giant affirmation of the fact that we live in the 21st century and no longer have to hold ourselves prey to the commercial publishing industry, but can instead take matters into our own hands and connect ourselves to the global market via resources like the internet.
In this article, discover how Mary T. Wagner of Wisconsin became a children’s author after a stint of cat sitting for her son’s cat, Finnigan. Her story is set in Wisconsin and is centered around two circus mice who come into cahoots with an unlikely friend, the cat Finnigan, with whom they adventure at a circus museum. Wagner says she had trouble going through traditional publishing companies with her idea–especially because it tested her patience too much!–so she decided to self-publish. She even went so far as to take out “how to draw” books from the library so she could be her own illustrator. The positive response Wagner received after winning a few awards were compelling enough for her to develop her book into a series. Read the article to get some great advice from Wagner on becoming a better author in any genre.
Lisa Marie Latino’s experience as a business woman has helped her immensely in her first pursuit in self-publishing. After Latino approached “about fifty literary agents, and got rejected by all of them,” she decided that she would just add another business skill to her resume: self-publishing. Latino’s enthusiasm for writing is apparent when reading more about her. “For four or five days at a time, all I would literally do was write,” says Latino. “I did this five times over the course of a year and a half until the manuscript was done. Being away from everyone was like going on vacation. It was a lot of fun.” Find out more about Latino’s approach to self-publishing, and some enticing details about her newly published book “Ten Years Later,” which features a woman trying to squeeze out some serious life experience the year before returning to her ten-year high school reunion.
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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