Change for the Sake of Change

I recently attended a book clubs summit where, for a weekend, participants gathered to meet and greet writers from around the country.

Authors signed books and thanked readers for support of our work and artistry between giving individual talks, and participating in panel discussions with other writers.

Many of the reader participants belonged to book clubs in the cities where they lived. Many stated that the books written by us and that they purchased, would go on to form the reading list for their book club in the upcoming year. Attending the summit was as much a matter of marketing as promotion.

In that you were working alongside colleagues, an author’s participation in the summit offered opportunities to meet and network with fellow writers.  As has become the norm, both traditionally published and self-published authors comprised those attending this event.

Yet one noticeable quality caught my attention. While the traditionally published authors often spoke of the staggering number of titles bearing their name, and that their publishing company had issued in the previous year, it was the self-published authors who appeared most relaxed, and in command of practicing their artistry.

This is not to say that the traditionally published authors lacked skill. Quite the opposite. Their years of experience encircled those of self-published authors new to the business.

Yet it was in listening to an experienced author who had been successfully published for over two decades explain why they chose to start their own publishing company, that I came to understand the grand change that has been subtly overtaking publishing.

“I wanted to feel respected. I also wanted to work with industry professionals whose artistic decisions reflected commonsense marketing and business savvy.”

The author turned publisher then detailed how for over 25 years, they like other authors, and despite being paid a 6-figure salary, had experienced the dispassion exhibited towards them by employees of the publishing company with whom this author had been contracted.

The author explained the growing frustration with decisions and changes made concerning the marketing of their book that apparently held no clear goal at increasing sales, and attracting more readers.

Change for the sake of change, would seem to form the basis for alterations made concerning the book covers, titles or strategies for reaching readers versus observing what had worked well financially in the past.

I listened to this author speak on a panel with other authors, all of whom had self-published at some point in their careers. Slowly I became of aware that self-publishing offers the writer/author not simply an alternative way to get your stories into the hands of readers, but also an opportunity to learn about the business of writing and selling your work. That these authors, both self and traditionally published sat and comfortably shared their stories of achieving publication from various angles was endearing to watch.

One author had chosen to self-publish after having had several of their titles traditionally published. Yet another author, after having successfully self-published, had gained the attention of a publishing company, and a book contract.

I could not help but recall what I heard Alan Rinzler, the editor of Jossey-Bass Publishing, state in late July, that, “Self publishing has become a very respectable way of seeing your work in print.”

The self-published author must be intimately involved in both the creative and the business side of writing and publishing. And despite what many like to think, the two go hand-in-hand when considering how to achieve successful story creation, and long term sales.

Possessing the knowledge required to successfully self-publish puts the author who chooses to underwrite the publishing and printing of her or his work leagues ahead of most writers and authors who seek and achieve publication through the traditional route, and nearly all the people working in traditional publishing.

Would you like to see your work published, and if so how and why?

Have you ever read a self-published book?