Writing For A Living by Toby Neighbors

Author:Toby Neighbors [Neighbors, Toby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Nonfiction
Publisher: Mythic Adventure Publishing, LLC
Published: 2016-04-17T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Independent Publishing

Not very long ago the idea of self publishing was met with ridicule and condescension. Only people who didn’t have the chops to make it in the publishing world lowered themselves to what most people considered vanity publishing. Then Amazon came along with Kindle and not only offered people an affordable, convenient way to read books, but they presented a new opportunity for authors to publish what they wanted, when they wanted, and in the way they wanted.

Self publishing was never an ideal choice before ebooks came along. In days gone by the self publisher had to not only hire an editor, typesetter, and cover designer, but also had to pay for the printing of books. Then, once the books finally arrived from the printer, they were stuck with the arduous task of getting the books into places that might sell them. It was an expensive, high-risk endeavor that required a lot of work.

When ebooks first started gaining in popularity the whole concept of self publishing changed. Gone were the days of spending thousands of dollars and filling your garage up with books to sell. Instead, a writer could write a book, have it edited, formatted, and wrapped in a professional cover for a very small investment. Then, with a few clicks of the mouse, the author could upload the book to online retailers who were willing to give the author the lion’s share of the royalties. It was a complete game changer.

The first people to really take advantage of independent publishing were traditionally published authors. Many already had books written that they had failed to sell to publishers, and they were only too happy to release the books in digital form. Once the money started rolling in, these new independent publishers did whatever it took to get the rights to their books that were no longer in print. Suddenly the rules of publishing changed, and although the traditional publishing industry still scoffed at the idea of anyone self publishing, the authors who were making real money began to turn heads.

My own passion for self publishing hinged on retaining control of my books. Sure, I would love to walk into a Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million and see my paper books on the shelves, but I didn’t want to give away control of my books to do it. Not to mention nearly all the profits from my work, which would be gobbled up by the publishing company. In days gone by, a writer needed the publisher because there was no other way to get one’s books into bookstores. Now people walk around with access to the world’s biggest bookstore (and several others) right on their smartphones. The stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and anyone can sell books there.

Some people have very strong opinions about the superiority of self publishing over traditional publishing, or vice versa. That isn’t what this book is about. My purpose for writing this book is to help people who are trying to become authors.

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