- Bloggers are wonderful. If you can stop in and see Susan Oloier and PK Hrezo today to say hello.
- People who write and read books are special.
- The business of publishing is shifting more and more rapidly.
- I have just so much tolerance for cats and their issues.
What I learned that is new to me is that this business seems to be coming full circle. At one time it was common place for authors to publish their own work, then as Joel Friedlander points out, “It wasn’t until book publishing consolidated in response to industrialization and grew into a national industry that publishing your own work fell into disrepute.” (Writers Digest, May/June 2012)
With the amazing advancement in technology that puts all of the publishing options into authors’ hands the old model (agent, editor, publisher) is no longer the only model. Authors can offer their work as POD. They can make eBooks available in formats for any eReader, and they can still have hardcopies for those who prefer to hold a “real” book for sale on internet marketing sites.
All of this means authors have so many options that it can boggle the mind. Here are some of the main choices:
While I’m winding up my launch I’m going to do some research about these choices and share what I find out about them on my blog. I’ll do it in small chunks because 1) that’s about as much as I’ll find out at any one time 2) I like small chunks.
As to the cats: Here’s what I did. It was so simple once a visitor to a blog I was posting on told me. I offered them YODELING LESSONS. Those cats took that offer up in a shot. There will be no more Howl Ins. I’m free at last, AND you will no longer have to hear about my plight.
Samantha May says
KITTY ๐
Sorry…moment of immaturity.
I look forward to these posts! I'm pretty curious about all of this myself.
Pk Hrezo says
Those poor cats. lol
I look forward to your post. It's definitely an exciting time to be a writer!
Sharon K. Mayhew says
Great post. There are so many opportunities to publish. ๐
Southpaw says
I'm so happy you explained about the cats! ๐
michelle says
Your blog tour rocked!!
BUDDY says
Cats. Yeesh! I could write a book on them. (It would NOT be a love story!)
But to give them due credit, in addition to yodeling, cats can dance, even though they might not know it.
They're especially good at what my BFF Mike says is a cross between Irish step dancing and Appalachian buck dancing. To get a cat to do this, you just slap a small square of duct tape on the bottom of each of his feet and set him on the floor. He actually teaches himself!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I wasn't up and at 'em this morning. I finally slept in until after 7. Wow!
Thanks for visiting today, and for saying hi over at the other blogs during this hop.
Karen, I love your comment. It's a great start to setting out this new and rapidly changing business. Thanks so much for it.
E.J. Wesley says
Said 'hello' over at PK's… that video! ๐
Barbara Watson says
Looking forward to your research and series!
L. Diane Wolfe says
Back in the day, everyone self-published!
Marcia says
I'll look forward to your "small chunks" series, Lee! ๐
Corvus Press UK says
Interesting post, set me thinking-the cat video is very funny!
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
Already visited PK this morning!
Yodeling lessons? Who knew that would sway the cats?
And bloggers are awesome people.
KarenG says
I'm glad you enjoyed your blog tour,Lee. I've got Alligators Overhead on my Kindle and the first chapter has charmed me so far. Love your writing style and voice!
You mention that a small press "offers packages" to authors, which sounds like "to buy packages" and I want to clarify since I'm with a small press, WiDo Publishing. The definition of a small press is one that operates just like a traditional publishing company only on a much smaller scale. Which means we pay the author not the other way around, and not offering services or packages for sale.
What's happened in this new publishing climate is that definitions have gotten all skewed. Indie used to refer to small presses with a twist (like WiDo). Vanity publishers are the ones that published you for a fee– and offered the editing, designing, marketing packages an author could buy to meet their needs and their budgets.
Anyway, it's all crazy now and nothing means what it used to, which is why writers need to be careful. You think you're signing with a legitimate small press and then you realize you have to pay to get services.
(Sorry for the long comment. Looks like I should just write a post on this topic lol.)