Posted on 2013-Sep-16
Liberation from the Golden Chains
Thanks to the link provided on The Passive Voice, NYT best-selling author, Frank Schaeffer, must have felt as if he were liberating himself from the golden chains. Writing exclusively for Huffington Post Media, in the first paragraph he self-proclaims how he publishes his latest book simply and clearly. The questions that follow beg the reader to witness his self-doubt throughout the entire journey to describe the superlative degree how he has penned his favorite book. “This is my funniest, darkest, and most spiritually reaffirming book,” he writes. Ultimately, the final question leads him back to the sense of liberation.
Frank Schaeffer’s Success
Having a string of published works in the market dating back to 1982 according to his Wikipedia page, there is no doubt about his writing skill. Earning positive feedback from the press proves to be the loudspeaker of his successful career. Yet, it seems there are certain things missing in his traditionally published journey. He states all the five reasons why traditional publishers miss their mark.
Self-Publishing Advantages
First, takeover in the publishing industry changes the way he deals with the person he worked with. The changed environment alienates him from the place he calls “home.” Second, marketing has become the new challenge for the publishers who stick to their old tradition of book promotion. Sending copies to traditional publication like newspaper will not make any difference due to its declining popularity. Also, authors have to do the hard work using their own budget anyway. Third, publishers are not likely to stock books as they opt into the Print-On-Demand option. Although this way the publishers can lessen their risk, authors can rely on their self-study session to earn higher income independently. Fourth, self-publishing on Amazon is the best alternative to go and that requires no help or whatsoever from external parties. Lastly, it is obvious that self-publishing will be here to stay contrary to the slow pace of “old school publishing.”
Vanity Press’ Hidden Agenda
Everything sounds optimistic up to this point until Frank reveals his publisher. What Outskirts Press has responsively helped him to set up online presence and pay directly to him. This ‘vanity press’ draws a lot of harsh criticisms from many commenters who accuse it of ripping off authors. The exorbitant fee for the Hollywood action plan got the conversation going. According to the press’ product details page, authors will have to pay between $799 and $11,940 “to be set into motion by a Hollywood production company.”
Social Media and Personal Connection Strategies
Back to his method of production on his personal Facebook and Twitter accounts, Frank announces to give his free copy to those who are willing to review the book and share it on their social media pages. According to him, there are more than 200 people who got back to him. Friends also become his representatives to handle media outreach and social media.
Frank Schaffer’s testimony adds credibility to self-publishing. Taking the DIY route requires better management of your book production and promotion. Once the author realizes what they are capable of connecting, promoting, and selling, they can significantly save a lot of money bypassing the middlemen’s service charge. At the same time, they should study all the possibilities carefully and read the warning available on the World Wide Web.
Label: Self-Publishing
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