Excellent post, Dean.

The number of things you need to know is indeed intimidating…more a learning cliff than a curve…but if you take each one separately, they’re really not that difficult to master. Aside from graphic art, that is. No way I’m going near that other that to say, “Yes, I like that,” or, “No, there are no green pixie fairies in this title”.

Merciless self-promotion right up to and probably tip-toeing on annoying seems to be a key ingredient. I’m nothing if not mercilessly almost annoying.

Editors never stopped accepting books directly from writers. They just put it in their guidelines like the old guideline. But nothing changed. You send a novel to an editor with the right package and something they might buy and they will look at it. Form rejections tell you to get an agent, but those are only form rejections. If they like it, they will write you or make you an offer. All the writers who believed in the guidelines of publishers deserve what they got with agents. But that’s me being harsh. Writers are people who take chances and don’t follow rules. If you are the type of person who can’t go against a simple guideline, being a fiction writer is going to be tough.

And I agree with you, readers should decide what’s good and what isn’t, thus why I love indie publishing, which includes not only electronic publishing, but print publishing.

I firmly believe the readers should decide which are the good books. Readers are smart. They’ll find the good books. Why do I need a gatekeeper to decide for them? The gatekeepers are readers, too, with their likes and dislikes. And they don’t necessarily like what I like.

I’m just as scared as anyone of the new publishing world. I’m relatively new and e-pubbed only, which has given me some flak from the traditionally published. But, just maybe I started out the right way. Good luck to all, me included.

I have on Trek novel, still in print after 17 years, that when I get a royalty report, it shows 23 different ISBN tracking numbers. (Every time it changes state or even cover, it gets a new ISBN number for their tracking systems in the royalty area.)

So do what you want, but my suggestion, go cheap. They are just not that important.

Dean, I wonder if you could give us some advice at some point re: ISBNs. I’m having the dickens of a time figuring out whether to buy my own, or let the PODs assign them for free. If I go the latter route, potentially I would have several POD outfits selling the same book under different ISBNs. I’ve done all the research I can, but there’s nothing like hearing it from the Voice Of Experience. How do you handle ISBNs? I hope it’s okay to post this question here.

Sarah

I agree 100% with what you’re saying but I wasn’t talking about traditional publishing (although they are crying right now (and for good reason))

I meant Indie authors that are making a GOOD living. I keep hearing talk about how everyone will be priced at 99 cents then everything will be free….

uh WHAT? Yes not only will ebooks be 99 cents but then that won’t even be good enough.

Do any of these people READ? I’m sorry…

RA Salvatore comes out with a book. I don’t care if its 25 dollars. I’m spending my money on him…

Because book’s aren’t indistinguishable commodity and I like his work….ugh

Writers need to stop acting like they are selling corn. Heck even Starbucks was able to make a commodity (Coffee Beans) into a premium product.

Anyways, I really appreciate the positive attitude and general sanity here.

Everyone else is so bitter and negative. In failure and in SUCCESS.

I don’t see everyone selling their stuff for 10 cents a song on Itunes and *gasp* indies can easily get their music uploaded there.

So Itunes found a profitable model but when books go digital within 5 years no one will pay for one…oh really. (rolls eyes)

Peace,
Alex Hajicek

http://hollylisle.com/discussing-ive-quit-big-publishing-to-publish-myself/

As for indie-publishing being unsettled, well, sure, it’s a growing part of this business, no doubt, and players will come and go, sure. But the risk to writers is just about zero. A few hours time, a few bucks here and there for a cover art or a special program in CreateSpace, but not much else. Zero risk, easy cash flow.

Will things be bumpy at times in indie publishing? Yes, but we are only dealing with distributors and they have no interest (meaning hold on copyright) of our work, where you sell your book to a traditional publisher and they go down, they control your work and that’s a HUGE risk. So sort of comparing white rabbits with spoiled fruit. Indie publishing keeps the control and ownership in your hands (unless you do something really stupid like have your agent publish you). Traditional publishing you are giving over control of your work to company that might not exist in a half year.

See the difference. A bookstore is a distributor. Just because a bookstore goes down doesn’t mean you don’t still control your own work. Smashwords, Kindle, B&N and so on are all just distributors, bookstores. Nothing more, thus you hold control at all times. All safe.