Tomorrow May Not Resemble Yesterday
I've done it. I've seen others do it. I think publishers feel the same way and probably many readers do to.
What am I talking about? Ridiculing the concept of self-published novels.
It's almost a joke in the writing community that authors who self-publish their novels are idiotic narcissist who are so infatuated with their own words (or impatient) that they will pay people to publish them. Money flows to the writer. It's a well known writer axiom.
The problem with most axioms though, there is usually another one that is just as true but states the exact opposite thing. What about the one regarding risk and reward? Basically, if you take the risk, you'll get the reward.
Also consider the fact how 'big' a joke self-published novels are to a vast majority of writers. It's almost a universal concept in its hilarity. But, you know what?
So were people who said the Earth was round. Everyone knew it was flat.
When I take true/false tests I'm usually skeptical about any phrase that has these words:
Always, Never, No one, Everyone, Forever
Try it!
1. I'll always love paper books.
2. I'll never buy an e-Reader.
3. No one should ever self publish.
4. Everyone knows/was doing...( If you tell this one to your parents, they usually bring up something about a bridge)
5. I'll love you forever.
Hmmm...do you think some of those comments are dubious?
Here's where I'm coming from though. Times are changing. They may change fast. They may change slow. I'm not looking at today as I write this post. I'm gazing upon tomorrow.
Life is change. Any industry, any entity, must realize that and be able to adapt. Sometimes the changes are so minor that they become easily incorporated into the way things are--the system goes on as usual. Sometimes they are so powerful, there is revolution. Revolution does not happen often, but when it does, watch out. The system will get turned upside down.
Can you think of any recent devices/inventions/concepts that may cause revolution in the publishing industry?
I can. E-Books.
#Where we are today
Publishers:
In the publishing industry today, we have gatekeepers. Publishers, editors, and agents who judge the quality of the fiction that is sent to them. If it's good enough they buy it. If it's not good enough they don't. For the most part. There are other barriers that could cause a writer to get a rejection besides the quality of the work--editor's preferences, similar story already published recently, good but not better than other stories being considered, too many quality works & not enough room, a niche that the publishers can't/don't want to fill, and yes for a vast majority--JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH ( I'm being nice ).
These gatekeepers then pay the writer a flat rate ( usually for stories ) or an advance with a percentage of the book once the advance is covered ( the percentage is usually a lot smaller than theirs--they are taking most of the risk after all ). With this acceptance they also provide a large part of the ingredients to make the book happen: editorial skills, book design, distribution, marketing & promotion.
The writer can relax and focus on their next project. :)
Self-publishers:
There is a reason why a lot of writers look down on self-published works. A lot of times they do not get the effort put into them that publishers provide. Since the writer is bearing the cost of the book, the publisher has no other incentive or need to see that it's successful. They got their money...an oh, here's your book.
The writer now has to do more of the work traditional publishers would do. Because writers write, their skill set and time will be going to something they are not well equipped to do--which results in a less than inspiring end result.
There are however, instances where self-publishing can work better. For instance if you write in an area that has a very small niche the big publishers may not want to spend money on. Having such a niche might give the writer the audience they need to be successful.
#Some truths (a.k.a. my opinions)
1. The product that the publishing industry is based on--is created by the writer.
2. Readers care little about the publisher. The brand they are looking for is the writer's name.
3. More and more, writers are asked to do more of the marketing. ( Yikes! To many mores, I need an editor )
4. More and more, writers are asked to have a platform and a way to bring people to the party.
5. Writers need to know how the publishing industry works.
6. e-Books will continue to increase in sales.
7. When readers get mad about prices, covers ( for example racial diversity/consistency ), the availability of books based on a time table ( to protect the current model ): authors are often blamed for this, even though those items are usually beyond their control.
#Where I think we're going ( IMO )
e-book sales will continue to rise. I think publishers will adjust their business model in order to succeed (or survive). Publishers may have smaller departments ( editorial staff, book design, marketing ), smaller advances to spent on unknown writers while the big bucks are used to lure known commodities. Writers will need to do even more marketing & promotion. Distribution will change, drastically. Basically, I'm thinking writers may earn less and be required to do more. I think self-publishing will become easier in the new format, but marketing/platform will become more important. Some of those truths from above will still be true.
1. Writers create the product. New forms of publishers are emerging and offering more favorable percentages to the writer. The costs of creating the book is different, but so is the format of the creation ( it may be easier to do yourself ).
2. The writer is the brand. #3 Marketing & #4 Platform. This will benefit writers who already have their name out there. A writer with fans or following will have a better ability to be a separate entity. Lesser known writers may want to continue to use traditional publishers until there names are also known commodities.
Important Blogs & links that have shaped my thought processes and opened my eyes to what could be the new reality.
Mike Shatzkin: The Shatzkin Files check out a lot of his posts on the e-book.
Nathan Bransford's blog: Should you self-publish? post; Don't Believe the E-book Skeptics post; Can Bookstores and E-books Coexist?
Pimp My Novel blog: Prithee Inform Me... post; Battle for the Future of E-Books post;
I'm not saying that self-publishing is the way to go--at the moment. I do think, in the future, when technology advances a little more and gives the self-publisher more avenues to reach the reader, lowers the cost of publishing independently, when e-Books make up a larger percentage of the sales, and when people are willing to offer even higher percentages of the profits to the writer--self-publishing might be more ideal.
Will I self-publish something today? No, but I might in the future. Maybe a novella or novelette just to learn the ins and outs of publishing something "real".
My goal at the moment is to improve my writing to professional level, get published and get my name out there, learn even more about publishing, follow the trends and try to figure out where the future will go and then prepare myself to be in a position where I can take advantage of it.
I think it's important for writers to take note of all the good ideas that may spring forth from the discussion of e-Books. Read people's comments as well as the posts on the subject.There is a lot of wisdom passed during the discussion phase following a post. Don't just listen to the people who agree with you and discount those who don't. Ask questions. Is this true? Will it be true tomorrow? Does that work for me? Can I make it work for me?
Basically, the system as it stands today, might not be the system as it stands tomorrow. Question where the industry is headed, don't just accept the reality of the past, because tomorrow may not resemble yesterday.
What am I talking about? Ridiculing the concept of self-published novels.
It's almost a joke in the writing community that authors who self-publish their novels are idiotic narcissist who are so infatuated with their own words (or impatient) that they will pay people to publish them. Money flows to the writer. It's a well known writer axiom.
The problem with most axioms though, there is usually another one that is just as true but states the exact opposite thing. What about the one regarding risk and reward? Basically, if you take the risk, you'll get the reward.
Also consider the fact how 'big' a joke self-published novels are to a vast majority of writers. It's almost a universal concept in its hilarity. But, you know what?
So were people who said the Earth was round. Everyone knew it was flat.
When I take true/false tests I'm usually skeptical about any phrase that has these words:
Always, Never, No one, Everyone, Forever
Try it!
1. I'll always love paper books.
2. I'll never buy an e-Reader.
3. No one should ever self publish.
4. Everyone knows/was doing...( If you tell this one to your parents, they usually bring up something about a bridge)
5. I'll love you forever.
Hmmm...do you think some of those comments are dubious?
Here's where I'm coming from though. Times are changing. They may change fast. They may change slow. I'm not looking at today as I write this post. I'm gazing upon tomorrow.
Life is change. Any industry, any entity, must realize that and be able to adapt. Sometimes the changes are so minor that they become easily incorporated into the way things are--the system goes on as usual. Sometimes they are so powerful, there is revolution. Revolution does not happen often, but when it does, watch out. The system will get turned upside down.
Can you think of any recent devices/inventions/concepts that may cause revolution in the publishing industry?
I can. E-Books.
#Where we are today
Publishers:
In the publishing industry today, we have gatekeepers. Publishers, editors, and agents who judge the quality of the fiction that is sent to them. If it's good enough they buy it. If it's not good enough they don't. For the most part. There are other barriers that could cause a writer to get a rejection besides the quality of the work--editor's preferences, similar story already published recently, good but not better than other stories being considered, too many quality works & not enough room, a niche that the publishers can't/don't want to fill, and yes for a vast majority--JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH ( I'm being nice ).
These gatekeepers then pay the writer a flat rate ( usually for stories ) or an advance with a percentage of the book once the advance is covered ( the percentage is usually a lot smaller than theirs--they are taking most of the risk after all ). With this acceptance they also provide a large part of the ingredients to make the book happen: editorial skills, book design, distribution, marketing & promotion.
The writer can relax and focus on their next project. :)
Self-publishers:
There is a reason why a lot of writers look down on self-published works. A lot of times they do not get the effort put into them that publishers provide. Since the writer is bearing the cost of the book, the publisher has no other incentive or need to see that it's successful. They got their money...an oh, here's your book.
The writer now has to do more of the work traditional publishers would do. Because writers write, their skill set and time will be going to something they are not well equipped to do--which results in a less than inspiring end result.
There are however, instances where self-publishing can work better. For instance if you write in an area that has a very small niche the big publishers may not want to spend money on. Having such a niche might give the writer the audience they need to be successful.
#Some truths (a.k.a. my opinions)
1. The product that the publishing industry is based on--is created by the writer.
2. Readers care little about the publisher. The brand they are looking for is the writer's name.
3. More and more, writers are asked to do more of the marketing. ( Yikes! To many mores, I need an editor )
4. More and more, writers are asked to have a platform and a way to bring people to the party.
5. Writers need to know how the publishing industry works.
6. e-Books will continue to increase in sales.
7. When readers get mad about prices, covers ( for example racial diversity/consistency ), the availability of books based on a time table ( to protect the current model ): authors are often blamed for this, even though those items are usually beyond their control.
#Where I think we're going ( IMO )
e-book sales will continue to rise. I think publishers will adjust their business model in order to succeed (or survive). Publishers may have smaller departments ( editorial staff, book design, marketing ), smaller advances to spent on unknown writers while the big bucks are used to lure known commodities. Writers will need to do even more marketing & promotion. Distribution will change, drastically. Basically, I'm thinking writers may earn less and be required to do more. I think self-publishing will become easier in the new format, but marketing/platform will become more important. Some of those truths from above will still be true.
1. Writers create the product. New forms of publishers are emerging and offering more favorable percentages to the writer. The costs of creating the book is different, but so is the format of the creation ( it may be easier to do yourself ).
2. The writer is the brand. #3 Marketing & #4 Platform. This will benefit writers who already have their name out there. A writer with fans or following will have a better ability to be a separate entity. Lesser known writers may want to continue to use traditional publishers until there names are also known commodities.
Important Blogs & links that have shaped my thought processes and opened my eyes to what could be the new reality.
Mike Shatzkin: The Shatzkin Files check out a lot of his posts on the e-book.
Nathan Bransford's blog: Should you self-publish? post; Don't Believe the E-book Skeptics post; Can Bookstores and E-books Coexist?
Pimp My Novel blog: Prithee Inform Me... post; Battle for the Future of E-Books post;
I'm not saying that self-publishing is the way to go--at the moment. I do think, in the future, when technology advances a little more and gives the self-publisher more avenues to reach the reader, lowers the cost of publishing independently, when e-Books make up a larger percentage of the sales, and when people are willing to offer even higher percentages of the profits to the writer--self-publishing might be more ideal.
Will I self-publish something today? No, but I might in the future. Maybe a novella or novelette just to learn the ins and outs of publishing something "real".
My goal at the moment is to improve my writing to professional level, get published and get my name out there, learn even more about publishing, follow the trends and try to figure out where the future will go and then prepare myself to be in a position where I can take advantage of it.
I think it's important for writers to take note of all the good ideas that may spring forth from the discussion of e-Books. Read people's comments as well as the posts on the subject.There is a lot of wisdom passed during the discussion phase following a post. Don't just listen to the people who agree with you and discount those who don't. Ask questions. Is this true? Will it be true tomorrow? Does that work for me? Can I make it work for me?
Basically, the system as it stands today, might not be the system as it stands tomorrow. Question where the industry is headed, don't just accept the reality of the past, because tomorrow may not resemble yesterday.