For anyone tracking the self-publishing revolution, this is an exciting time! I thought that last month, but I swear, things just keep getting better. Virtually every day I find another self-published author online realizing their dream of sharing their fiction, and even selling their work!
Here are a couple of resources I’m keeping track of as I work to self-publish my first novella this summer:
- Smashwords: A free ebook self-publishing service, using automated technology to put your ebooks in the hands of readers real quick; potentially within hours. The most awesome platform ever. Seriously, if you have any skin in the publishing game, traditional or indie, it is a MUST to check out Smashwords. If you’re traditionally published, this is what your model is competing against…in a name — FREE AND FAST! And if you’re Indie, you’d be nuts not to be excited about the potential here. Visit www.smashwords.com.
- A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing: The publishing world is changing so rapidly right now, it’s really hard to keep track. J.A. Konrath has made it his mission to help writers be aware of their opportunities. His blog has trumpeted the shift to authors holding the power, over their work, their pricing, and their future. Konrath also divulges details of his own experiments with the pricing of his self-published works and the results in terms of income. He’s gotten other authors to share their secrets in this arena, too. Valuable information that’s difficult to find, because most folks aren’t as willing to talk about their personal finances. Thanks, Joe! Visit jakonrath.blogspot.com.
The more research I do, the more excitement I feel about the potential for self-publishing. No longer must our beloved manuscripts find their final resting place in some editor’s slush-pile. You have the power, writer! So write! And when you’ve written (and revised, edited, rewritten, let it rest, revised and edited again — because you can’t skip these steps or no one will read your work) PUBLISH!
