Saturday, October 20, 2012

Self Publishing and the eBook: How Credible Is It?

Image courtesy of adamr / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As an author, the allure of self publishing is definitely a draw. Higher royalties, no need for agents, no threats of rejection, and complete control (for better or worse) of your marketing and production. With the proper approach, it can be a way to launch us into a successful career as an Author- capital A.

Howsoever, for those of us that strive to write to the best of our ability, that aren't in it just for the money (not that we'd turn it down), and are honestly in love with writing, it's bound to get tricky. With so many "get rich quick" scammers and writers that purposely put out trash just hoping to ride the wave, the legitimacy of using eBook self-publishing stands to take a hit as consumers are burned. How many terrible books that don't entertain, educate, or have horrible editing can one take? If time and money is wasted on downloads, how many will a person buy before they begin to think that they have been duped and turn again to only the big names of traditional publishing. Probably not many.

How do we get them to take a chance on OUR book? What can we do or say to help keep the odds in our favor? I don't know all the answers.

My instinct tells me that if we write for QUALITY and not quantity, this issue will self-resolve. We build and utilize our networks from the moment that we make ourselves accountable as writers. We take responsibility for what we produce by making sure that the story is cohesive, that the information is accurate, and that it's readable and understandable. No cutting corners.

But, this may just be preaching to the choir. If you're reading this, you obviously care enough to wonder if self-publishing is right for you, which means that you're not just looking to make a quick buck. How do we combat those that take this Golden Age of authoring and flush it down the toilet? Sure, eBooks are here to stay, but how do we ensure that our opportunities as self-published authors aren't tainted?
Image courtesy of Tina Phillips at FreeDigitalPhotos.net





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