Tag: self publishing news

news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 7.2.2018 – The Company Files!

july

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically news from or regarding self-publishing companies!

Like it or not, there’s a widespread cultural assumption right now that because bookstore chains are struggling, therefore so too must authors be. Mercy Pilkington of The Good e-Reader is here to complicate that picture with an article that opens with the above provocative question, and sets out to disentangle common misconceptions about the lives of self-published authors as well as their traditionally-published counterparts. So, what, exactly, “does the industry hold for the traditionally published authors, the ones who’ve managed to snag the Holy Grail of writing and find both an agent and a publisher?” Pilkington goes on to answer: “Here’s a hint: the clearance bin at your local dollar store is filled with books that had a traditional publishing deal.” Being traditionally published is no insulation against common market pressures, she infers. Being an author has always, except for the ultra-rare zero-point-one-percent-likelihood blockbuster breakout success, been more about the art than the money for obvious reasons. And Pilkington’s closing thoughts are just as hard hitting. She writes:

But is this a chicken-egg scenario? Are publishing contracts paying authors literally minimum wage because all deals are getting smaller, or are the deals getting smaller because authors are shunning publishers and they aren’t earning as much as they once did? Either way, this situation sheds light on the increased professionalism and credibility that now surrounds the indie author space, indicating that this is (still) a great time to self-publish.

What do you think?

If you haven’t heard about “book-stuffing” … well, don’t worry. Neither had we, until this latest Amazon controversy blew up. Apparently, the self-publishing wing of the website (Kindle Direct Publishing) quietly rolled out some new rules to prevent authors from bundling their books together to get around the page limits of its subscription reading service, Kindle Unlimited. But that’s not where the controversy stops. (This is Amazon after all.) In a turn which surprises no one, Amazon has failed to enforce any of these rules, according to a number of leaders from within the self-publishing community who are pushing for the industry giant to put some weight behind its regulations. The simple fact is that there’s little incentive for the company to do so; its sheer size and its often-accused-as-exploitative author contracts insulate it from many of the ill side effects that the authors themselves will face. The way that Kindle Unlimited is set up, everyone who elect to offer their books through the service is paid out of one shared pot, which is allocated proportionally to its most-read texts. Book-stuffing makes it possible for some authors to exploit loopholes at other authors’ expense, and is therefore not a neutral or mildly problematic activity; it actually threatens livelihoods. Here’s hoping Amazon listens to its detractors and does some enforcement on this issue.

Self-publishing is an emergent opportunity for game design companies these days, with Frontier (above), Bungie, and NieR Studio all making noise in the last few weeks over their intentions to start self-publishing games. Frontier, a British game design company, recently launched an entire self-publishing division after closing down its less successful work-for-hire division. Writes Christopher Dring of GamesIndustry.biz, “It completed its contract with Microsoft (which included the 2015 game Screamride and incubation work on HoloLens), built its own publishing team and now answers only to itself and its shareholders.” The company is now in the process of deciding on how to go about offering third-party publishing to game designers who want to break from the traditional games publishing process. “‘It has to speak to our values,’ [Frontier CCO] Watts says. ‘The games that we make, we want them to be remembered.'” The CEO and CCO of Frontier discuss the elements which make for successful video games, which sound an awful lot like the ingredients for a successful self-published book: authenticity, ambition, attempting something new, and attention to detail. The article serves as a deep dive into the history of one game design company which is “going indie,” but it might just serve as a template to follow for other such companies in the near future.

spa-news

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.

icon logo self publishing advisor

news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 6.25.2018 – Publishing Trends Roundup

june

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!

We’ve written occasionally about the happy synchronicity between self-publishing and genre fiction, but this article more or less proves it: while traditional sales in some of these genres, here specifically science fiction and fantasy, actual sales may have actually doubled when those crunching the numbers include information from indie and self-publishing sources. The difficulty, of course, is that many of these companies (here’s looking at your KDX service, Amazon!) refuse to give up information, or at least to do so reliably. Still, from the information available Adam Rowe of Forbes is able to speculate, drawing upon Nielson reports among others, that while “Indie-published authors may be just 48% of the SF&F market (and their unit prices average just $3.20 compared to traditional publishers’ ebook average of $8.04), but these authors are likely still earning the majority of the profits.” This is good news for self-publishing authors, Rowe writes, but may not be the kind of boost or reminder that traditional publishers need to invest in these genres in which authors are jumping ship. The authors are, in part, jumping ship because they weren’t being invested in; they have good reasons to leave the traditional route, just as much as they have good reasons to choose an indie route. At some point, are the Big Five going to reach a tipping point where they simply discontinue their science fiction and fantasy (as well as other genre fiction) imprints? Because that would be a loss to us all.

Speaking of science fiction, did you know that the history of zines is inextricably tied up with this genre? As Claire Williamson of the Japan Times Culture column writes,

“The Comet” is widely acknowledged to be the first zine — first published in 1930 by the Science Correspondence Club in Chicago — and its release heralded the beginning of a decades-long trend of fan-produced science fiction zines. By the 1970s and ’80s, zine culture was decidedly punk; in the 1990s it centered on the feminist “riot grrrl” movement. Nowadays zines often combine elements of both text and design, running the gamut from in-depth, research-based publications to pocket-sized collections of personal doodles, and encompassing myriad topics.

Zines are also, of course, tied up with self-publishing. Writes Williamson, “From the modern ukiyo-e prints of the Edo Period (1603-1868) to contemporary dōjinshi (self-published) fan comics, there has always been an outlet in Japan for artistic self-publishing.” It may have begun in the Edo period, but “The mid-2000s, for instance, heralded the rise of keitai shōsetsu (cell phone novels), which were written in sparse, colloquial Japanese — ideal for drafting or reading on cramped cell phone screens — and appealed to the masses. Meanwhile, nijisōsaku (derivative works) that draw on copyrighted characters have historically been protected from lawsuits to allow the growth of the parent work’s fanbase and encourage budding artistic talent.” As Williamson points out, in such a historical context, self-publishing as we know it today makes for a natural fit. Williamson unpacks the rich story of zines and self-publishing in modern Japan, as well as several of its current players, making this a must-read article. The article may be of local interest, but its implications are global.

Not familiar with The Kissing Booth? That’s alright; until two weeks ago, no one else had either. This made-for-and-by-Netflix teenage drama has risen to through the ranks of most-watched films online in its brief time in the world, and is forcing entertainment companies to re-evaluate where they find their source material. Because The Kissing Booth? Yeah, that was self-published. We’ve written about Wattpad, the blogging and self-publishing site so popular with teens, before on this blog–but it’s worth point out again that self-publishing doesn’t ever look like any one thing. It’s microbloggers like Rupi Kaur who use Instagram to find an audience. It’s fanfiction and lengthier bloggers like those who use Wattpad, LinkedIn, and Tumblr to find their audiences. It’s authors writing full-length novels and publishing them through companies like Amazon and Outskirts Press. It’s zine makers making and distributing their work by hand or through the Internet. It’s indie comic creators and game designers pushing the envelope of what’s considered self-publishable material, as well as musicians and artists and so, so many more. Now that companies like Netflix are literally banking on self-publishing authors and other creators, it’s only a matter of time before we see an explosion and diversification of the base definition of self-publishing, and before that list is multiplied by a factor of ten. If you’re a self-publishing author or creator reading this blog, you’re in the right place at the right time. We can’t wait to see what happens next.

spa-news

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.

selfpubicon1

news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 6.18.2018 – New Releases!

june

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically new releases written by self-publishing authors and published by independent presses! Today we’ll be featuring brand-new releases in the Outskirts Press Bookstore!

If you’re anything like us, every now and again you just really need a good and powerful historical mystery to set its hooks and draw you in, and Daniel K. Edmondson’s new novel, The Parchment, is exactly what the doctor ordered! A pastor with more than 40 years of experience, Edmondson knows more than a little about life and how the human mind works, and he brings that knowledge to this book. Steeped in biblical archaeology, The Parchment follows the intrepid James and Anne down a path which leads to both religious epiphany and historical revelation as they uncover the mysteries of an ancient library, one hard-won clue at a time. For readers of both Dan Brown and Frank Peretti, but with a voice and a style all of its own, The Parchment is sure to remind all of us why books like these and films like National Treasure remain the bedrock of many people’s love of history.

Life was different way back when, wasn’t it? If you’ve spent much time in the American public school system, you’ll already be more than aware how tightly budgeted the average child’s time is, and how little of that time is given over to play. Well, other sources have dedicated a great deal of time arguing for more play and freedom from sociological, psychological, and developmental perspectives, but until now it has been rare to find nonfiction narratives for the kids themselves which point to an alternate way of doing things. In My Nana Was a Free-Range Kid, author and illustrator (and all-around Rennaissance woman) Nancy Peek Youndahl lays out the story of her grandmother, “an outrageously mischievous child that was left to her own devices” and who grew up running “free range” in North Carolina during the 1940s and 1950s. Part biography, part entertaining story, and part argument for more freedom and more play during a child’s formative early years, this book covers a lot of ground and does so with grace.

With its eye-catching cover, Titanus’ Rage is sure to be a popular pick with lovers of science fiction and fantasy, but this latest book from author Miles Monahan has a lot going on under the surface to delight readers of any genre: biting prose, interesting characters, and a crisis of galactic proportions to avert. The first installment of what will hopefully be a long-lived series, Titanus’ Rage proves once and for all that genre does not define or limit a book, but rather opens doors for comparison and connection. Here is a book to satisfy even the most hungry of space-shenanigan lovers!

spa-news

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.

selfpubicon1

news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 6.11.2018 – The Interviews!

june

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!

If you’ve spent much time browsing our blog over the last few years, you’ll know that self-publishing isn’t just a thing for authors of novels and book-length manuscripts; there are all sorts of materials that can be self-published, from music to video games to comics, and that the indie sector in all of these industries is growing at a rapid clip. This week, Nicole Herviou of Comics Verse put together a great interview with comic creator and letterer Ryan Ferrier, who has had a hand in many major “mainstream” comic franchises (including Godzilla and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) over the years, as well as a profound influence and prolific presence in the indie and self-published corners of the comic market, most notably multiple D4VE arcs and Curb Stomp, one of our personal favorites). What’s so special about this particular interview, you might ask? First of all, Ferrier’s experiences run the whole gamut of possibilities for a comic creator, and he’s not shy about talking about any of it. He also delivers some great insights into how the world of comic publishing (and self-publishing) has changed over the years, particularly in relationship to and support of creator-owned material. This is one enlightening conversation, and we highly recommend you read the whole thing if you’re at all interested in pursuing a career in comics.

One of the things we love most about running this blog is the opportunity to identify, discover, and boost the stories of authors who are finding new and unique ways to make self-publishing a part of their lives–and those lives all look very different, making for quite the diverse field of possibilities. Meet Marie Force, another author so prolific that it would take hours simply to list and describe her more than 70 books out on the market. Force is, ahem, quite a force to be reckoned with (sorry, couldn’t resist)–and after years of publishing, she’s now partnering up with Kensington Books (distributed by Penguin Random House, one of the Big Five traditional publishing houses still scraping by) in a deal that at first glance might seem to be trite, but on a closer look is anything but.

What do we mean by that? Well, there’s a common misconception that success in self-publishing–success of the kind that Force has achieved–is followed by an immediate transition to traditional publishing. Force has added Kensington to her arsenal, that’s all. In this Publisher’s Weekly press release, the traditional publishing house notes that Force “continues to see the advantages to both indie and traditional publishing models,” and that their role is to get “behind her on some previously published and forthcoming original novels,” not to replace her indie and self-published presence.* As the release notes, Force is a champion of the “personal touch,” and that extends to honoring all of her readers. As we mentioned earlier, there are as many ways to be an author as there are authors in the world.

 

*NOTE: Marie reached out to us on Twitter to correct a few errors in our original post. She writes: “[Q]uick point of clarification: I’ve been traditionally published, without interruption, since 2008. I’ve been with Harlequin since 2010 for the Fatal series. I’m not a self-pubbed author suddenly discovering trad publishing.” Many thanks to her for keeping us honest and right in the facts.

spa-news

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.

icon logo self publishing advisor

news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 6.4.2018 – The Company Files!

june

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically news from or regarding self-publishing companies!

Every once in a while, an article comes along which is the complete package, in that it will address issues relating to self-publishing as a whole, to the authorial experience, and to the method behind our not-madness as we each separately pursue our own writing and publishing goals. This article by Sabine Brix of ArtHub, profiling Melbourne author Alice Boer-Endacott, is one such article–and it’s special in part because rather than placing the establishment (i.e. academia) at odds with self-publishing, it finds the middle ground. Boer-Endacott, writes Brix, sees her graduate studies and her self-publishing experience as complementing her overall goals. Says Boer-Endacott, “I definitely credit the EMA as crystalising what all my various interests were that I loved and then pushing me back towards what I had always – at the heart of it – been circling around.” What was she circling around? Writing, and making a life from it. Boer-Endacott goes on to say: “I am my own business and I think that’s what the course gave me [….] Even if I am not working in a business, to view the world though that lens and be professional in my communications and learn how to set standards for myself and how to protect myself.”

That’s a message for writers and entrepreneurs of all kinds that we can get behind.

Self-publishing isn’t limited to books, as you are probably already well aware, especially if you spend much time on our blog here at Self-Publishing Advisor. We’ve written extensively about the relationship between self-publishing and zines, comics, and video games, after all. But what about other media–is there a place for other forms and kinds of material to be published with a indie or self-publishing ethic?

You bet there is! In fact, that’s exactly what’s been happening with adult coloring materials in the last year. Writes Adam Rowe of Forbes, the adult coloring movement really took off in 2015 and 2016, but in 2017 the bottom fell out of the market.  But only out of the traditionally published market! As Rowe explains, the sharp decline in numbers is indicative of a shift away from traditional methods of publishing by creators of adult coloring books and other materials. If you’re an artist with an interest in line-work and creating interactive coloring pieces, this may just be the year you ought to consider putting that out into the world … and retaining complete artistic control of the process, while at it. Rowe’s article makes for a great starting point if you’re looking to identify some options to get started.

In this week’s news of important self-publishing company discounts, here comes the good word from Outskirts Press: for this month only (the month of June, 2018), authors who publish through this top-rated company will receive a free custom cover design with the purchase of one of their two top self-publishing options. It’s worth a look, especially in light of our various arguments for seeking out professional assistance when it comes to cover art and graphic design.

spa-news

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.

icon logo self publishing advisor