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December 10, 2012 by keithogorek

In the December 10th issue of Time magazine , reporter Andrew Rice wrote a lengthy article on self publishing under the title, The 99 cent Best Seller . The full article is only available to subscribers, but I thought there were some very interesting points made in the article that support many of the things I have been saying for years.

So if you don’t subscribe and didn’t see the article, I thought I would highlight four key things I took away from the article.

Self publishing is no longer the last option. Rice makes the statement that, “In the book business self publishing used to be considered an act of desperation” Then he goes on to say how that is no longer the case. In fact, some of the most savvy authors are looking at self publishing as their first option, not their last.

Self published titles are no longer excluded from the review lists . According to Rice, “Self published titles now regularly appear on the New York Times ebook best seller lists. Four were in the top 25 on Thanksgiving weekend, the beginning of the holiday book shopping season.”

Seeing the first copy of your published book is an emotional high . I have been saying for years, one of the greatest thrills of being an author is holding or downloading a copy of your book for the first time. Rice supports that point in the article when he relates how he asked author Sheryl Hoyt what went through her mind when she downloaded her first self published book, Dangerous Heart . She choked up and told him, “It was a euphoric feeling.”

There is no reason to die with a manuscript in your drawer. Again I like the way Rice summarizes this point. In his words, “Publishing can be humbling, but it is better than keeping the stories to yourself.” Self publishing doesn’t mean everyone will be successful, but everyone has the opportunity to be successful.

I know I say it over and over again, but it truly is the best time in history to be an author.

…some of the most savvy authors are looking at self publishing as their first option, not their last.

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Posted in authors , book marketing , book selling , Indie book publishing , Kindle , Publishing , self publishing , writing | Tagged Amazon , authors , book marketing , Book publishing , book selling , books , Dangerous Heart , digital publishing , DIY publishing , ebooks , indie book publishing , indie publishing , Keith Ogorek , manuscript , self publishing , Sheryl Hoyt , Time magazine , writing | 6 Comments

on December 10, 2012 at 9:34 am | Log in to Reply dchubbard2012 Publishing is a Darwinian affair. Self-pubbing broadens the playing field and results in some amazing successes. But as always, only the fittest survive. D C Hubbard, author of The Peace Bridge on December 10, 2012 at 12:32 pm | Log in to Reply keithogorek I agree with your analogy, but what is most exciting is while every author won’t be as successful, every author now has the opportunity to be successful.

Publishing is a Darwinian affair. Self-pubbing broadens the playing field and results in some amazing successes. But as always, only the fittest survive. D C Hubbard, author of The Peace Bridge

on December 10, 2012 at 12:32 pm | Log in to Reply keithogorek I agree with your analogy, but what is most exciting is while every author won’t be as successful, every author now has the opportunity to be successful.

I agree with your analogy, but what is most exciting is while every author won’t be as successful, every author now has the opportunity to be successful.

on December 12, 2012 at 5:04 am | Log in to Reply SaraLynn Hoyt (@SaraLynnHoyt) Hi! saw this post and wanted to say that Andrew really got to the heart of what I was communicating. Writing isn’t just something we do to sell a book and make a buck. We do it because we have to do it and making a buck would be nice for all the time and blood we put into it. And now, we can. And now readers can decide for themselves. Love to all writers and readers…Sheryl Hoyt aka SaraLynn on December 13, 2012 at 1:18 am | Log in to Reply keithogorek Thanks for reinforcing the point I was trying to make. How did you find the post?

Hi! saw this post and wanted to say that Andrew really got to the heart of what I was communicating. Writing isn’t just something we do to sell a book and make a buck. We do it because we have to do it and making a buck would be nice for all the time and blood we put into it. And now, we can. And now readers can decide for themselves. Love to all writers and readers…Sheryl Hoyt aka SaraLynn

on December 13, 2012 at 1:18 am | Log in to Reply keithogorek Thanks for reinforcing the point I was trying to make. How did you find the post?

Thanks for reinforcing the point I was trying to make. How did you find the post?

on December 12, 2012 at 7:24 pm | Log in to Reply Robert Briggs 12Dec., 2012 I think this article is very good in that it points out that every author has a chance to be sucessful. Which gives hope to the new writers like me who have a book in progress. I know that my book has to be interesting and entertaining which is my goal in writing this book. So many books I have read was just plain BORING! After the last boring book I read I thought I could do better than that and proceeded to tell that author as much. His response was so why don’t you write a book if you think you could do better! So today I up to my knees in Rattle Snakes so to speak with ( Bobby The Sea Going Hillbilly ) many parts of this book will be true accounts of my adventures while serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy. The first twelve years as an aircraft mechanic while assigned to VA 52 an Attack Squadron on board the USS Coral Sea and later on where a change to Mineman working with underwater explosives. My tour of duty in Iceland for three years was an experience I an so glad I had. The rugged beauty of Iceland is unrivaled by all but Alaska with the snow and the Northern Lights. If I had to pick which Northern Lights were best it would be Iceland where I was assigned to NAS Security Department as a patrolman on nights (7pm to 7am) six days a week. Best Regards Robert Briggs The Sea Going Hillybilly/ USN Retired on December 13, 2012 at 1:17 am | Log in to Reply keithogorek Robert, I appreciate your comments. I don’t know if you are familiar with the C.S. Lewis books, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, but those books came about because of a similar challenge. Lewis complained that there were no good fantasy books out there so his writing group, The Inklings, which included authors like J.R. Tolkein, challenged him to do something about it. And voila! The books that have enchanted people for decades and became major motion pictures were born. Best of luck on your writing and publishing.

12Dec., 2012 I think this article is very good in that it points out that every author has a chance to be sucessful. Which gives hope to the new writers like me who have a book in progress. I know that my book has to be interesting and entertaining which is my goal in writing this book. So many books I have read was just plain BORING! After the last boring book I read I thought I could do better than that and proceeded to tell that author as much. His response was so why don’t you write a book if you think you could do better! So today I up to my knees in Rattle Snakes so to speak with ( Bobby The Sea Going Hillbilly ) many parts of this book will be true accounts of my adventures while serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy. The first twelve years as an aircraft mechanic while assigned to VA 52 an Attack Squadron on board the USS Coral Sea and later on where a change to Mineman working with underwater explosives. My tour of duty in Iceland for three years was an experience I an so glad I had. The rugged beauty of Iceland is unrivaled by all but Alaska with the snow and the Northern Lights. If I had to pick which Northern Lights were best it would be Iceland where I was assigned to NAS Security Department as a patrolman on nights (7pm to 7am) six days a week. Best Regards Robert Briggs The Sea Going Hillybilly/ USN Retired

on December 13, 2012 at 1:17 am | Log in to Reply keithogorek Robert, I appreciate your comments. I don’t know if you are familiar with the C.S. Lewis books, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, but those books came about because of a similar challenge. Lewis complained that there were no good fantasy books out there so his writing group, The Inklings, which included authors like J.R. Tolkein, challenged him to do something about it. And voila! The books that have enchanted people for decades and became major motion pictures were born. Best of luck on your writing and publishing.

Robert,

I appreciate your comments. I don’t know if you are familiar with the C.S. Lewis books, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, but those books came about because of a similar challenge. Lewis complained that there were no good fantasy books out there so his writing group, The Inklings, which included authors like J.R. Tolkein, challenged him to do something about it. And voila! The books that have enchanted people for decades and became major motion pictures were born. Best of luck on your writing and publishing.

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