Posted on 2013-Apr-26
Publishing Crossroads Synopsis
Sometimes, I feel like I'm caught in the love triangle between traditional publishing, self-publishing, and hybrid authoring. It should be written in an epic saga in the simulated setting of The Twilight where Bella could not choose her supernatural soul mate. Choosing one means she’s shunning the other away yet the two choices are equally tempting to transcend her life. Authors are trapped in that kind of situation at one stage in their professional life where they are at the crossroads feeling hesitant to make a critical move.
Trampling on the path people have trail blazed for you, the ride is smooth and you seem to be safe from odd obstacles. Deciding to adventure on the less traveled road, life can be a bit rough with unforeseeable obstructions. To familiarize the route and survive requires your problem-solving skill apart from the fluent expertise. The third choice makes it harder for decision-making when the middle path is established promising the obstacle-free solution and eliminating the rough path to smoothen your ride. What will you choose?
All of these metaphors are meant to show you what the current publishing industry is pursuing. The first model (traditional publishing ) provides a decent offer, showering you with rewards and a professional team of experts to deal with your issues… for a price. They have the capacity to make your book glow above the sky for readers to discover yet they are gradually losing relevancy based on their high cost of doing business and poor royalty payout. Regardless of putting ample efforts into providing authors with the latest technology and convenience, their loyal supporters declare independence and yearn for rigorous controlling system of which they have become the all-in-one content provider and distributor instead of back office clerks who nod at every approval. No wonder they need James Patterson's help to get a government bailout.
Love Triangle Unchained
Self-publishing is obviously a phenomenal boom for aspiring and established authors. They love what they do and there is even stronger motivation to turn part-time fantasy into full-time commitment now that they can earn higher income out of their writing. One big challenge is that the self-monitoring measure can be a bit exhausting at times especially when they have to sacrifice quality over quantity. Without the facilitators, it might be a big challenge to inspect your production quality from start to finish. Most parts are doable yet they require your time and energy to turn your creativity into a readable discoverability.
The hybrid choice seems like the safest best for those who have weak faith in the other publishing models. Although the term may vaguely suggest hesitation to make a standpoint, the openness to new sales channels and crowd-funding profundity (Kickstarter and other book-promoting platforms) provides flexibility to control your own work outsourcing distributional effort to the traditional publisher. An interview with Michael J. Sullivan on Digital Book World might give you some clue what hybrid authors can do to prosper.
Regardless of the choice you have made and will make, it is obvious that the former evil cause for your depression caused by rejection slips will be replaced by your readers’ comment. Readers have maintained their standard to point out errors grammatically and logically inside a book. Their basic responsibility remains the same after all these years but their reading devices have been upgraded to the extent that reading is less limited. They do not have to carry the book’s weight, physically visit the library, or feel shy to reveal favorite book out of the pocket. eBooks make reading cool inside the beautifully adorned eReaders and tablets. To read further what the trend is getting at, you can consult the teens nearest to you what why reading on digital devices matters to them.
Actual Determiners
Without a doubt, “the young adults and the teenagers are now the newest people who are beginning to experience eReaders. If they get hooked, it’s great stuff for business.” said Matthew Shear, the publisher of St. Martin’s Press. When Eliana Littos received her first eReader as a gift, she hardly watches TV shows and sometimes forget about them just to read every day. During the holiday season, the demand for YA novels strongly increased. A parent even reported how her 11-year-old daughter asked for a Kindle for Christmas.
Although the craze of print books like Harry Potter series worked magically, the newer generation of tweens and teenagers prefer Nook or Kindle to read books and accessorize them with customized covers. Monica Vila, founder and Chief Technology Mom of The Online Mom, witnessed how many parents had bought eReaders for their children. She said, “Kids are drawn to the devices…Let’s use the platform. Let’s use it as a way for kids to learn.”
Surprisingly, the rebirth of the classics can impress young readers as they invoked joy just like old times. With the massive catalogue of eBooks on public domain, kids love to treasure what they have not discovered before.
Correlation between Genre Preference and Device Selection
A Bowker report shows how the eBook market evolved as tablets sales continue to outperform eReaders. There is a correlation between genre preference and device selection. According to Consumers Attitudes toward eBook Reading survey, 44% of readers want tablets to read their eBook and 42% want a dedicated eReader. In terms of eBook genre, certain types of nonfiction perform better on the tablets. eReaders are more likely ideal for general fiction, mystery, literary fiction, or romance. How-to guides and manuals tend to please computer users as smartphone users read their travel books on the mobile gadgets. There is even “the consistent upward swing in preference for eBooks over print. Nearly 82% of those who buy eBook weekly (Power User) say that they prefer eBook to print and nearly 70 of Non-power users said that they now prefer eBook as well.
The decision is always yours to choose the perfect soul mate for your creative effort. BB eBooks stands our ground to help authors shape eBooks for your market without messing with your royalties and having a hidden agenda. Our past portfolios have helped indie authors have their say. Our customer service mindset is simple; that is, to design your eBooks professionally for you and you alone. We customize your eBook to display well for all popular eReading devices. Contact us for a quote.
Label: Self-Publishing
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