Posted on 2014-Mar-10
Indie Authors to Dominate eBook Market by 50%
For indie authors who have published their works and sold them on different online retailers, you know what it is like to craft your writing and sell it directly to your target audience. Mark Coker states 10 reasons how indie authors will dominate 50% of the eBook market in 2020. Apparently, some of the points have already happened in the current market when taking a lot of factors into consideration.
Mark Coker’s Voice of Reason
#1 With the decline of print book being top on the list, eBooks will certainly serve as the reading medium for readers to go to due to its lower price, large catalog, and easy-to-find availability.
#2 The closure of physical bookstores will lessen the storefront opportunity for print books whereas more eBook promotion and subscription providers start to emerge.
#3 Due to the flexibility in setting oneself as a publisher, self-publishers who have had necessary skills and their professional assistance resources ready will be able to get their works published in a matter of days not months or years.
#4 Indie authors learn first-hand what their fans love to read as they develop the quality of their content in their genre. Several romance authors are skilled at approaching fans of sub-genres: Sport Romance, Historical Romance, Erotica, etc. using their social media pages to get readers hooked on the book with cover reveals, virtual signings, etc.
#5 The self-publishing stigma will fade away as indie authors stick together. There have been reports how writing organizations have accepted self-publishers as their members but there are a few things you should concern yourself with. More genre-related conferences are expected to cater to readers’ demands.
#6 It is no wonder that indie authors hit it big on the chart. According to Digital Book World, indie-published titles represented by Amazon Publishing have claimed the No. 1 spot outperforming several other traditionally-published ones.
#7 Successful indie authors are harder at work not only to deliver top-notch stories to their fans, but they are also willing to share their sales tips with fellow authors. They contribute their time and effort to showing their colleagues to a plethora of new sales opportunities. Orna Ross founded The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) for indies and professionals of diverse background who work with indies; Hugh Howey provides sales data in his author earnings report, engages himself with other self-publishing gurus to clarify the current state of eBook sales, and reach out to his fans and fellow authors on his website; Joanna Penn shares her insightful advice regarding self-publishing and encourage indie authors to speak up and share their success.
#8 With increasing sales and wider distribution, the hard work can be celebrated when the sales reports are generated. Although results may vary depending on the level of success you have achieved, the digital presence of the fruit of your labor is transported with you anywhere on the cloud. Apart from checking your sales data regularly, you can respond to comments or questions pertaining to one of the characters in your book in real time—standing a chance to convert random followers into potential readers.
#9 Back to basic. The prevalent presence of eBook helps solidify your reputation in the market. Using personal connection coupled with eBook promotion services to promote your book can guarantee the higher rate of discoverability. When the excerpt is sent out to readers, chances are your book will likely be discovered, shared, and bought because they are hooked on your story.
#10 Publishers have evolved to become the author’s business advisor who provides the tasks the authors lack the time to handle themselves and connects authors with readers. Although it remains true that indie authors can self-publish and distribute their work, the more time they invest in DIY production, the less time they can devote to writing. Perhaps, this point will continue to be a case-by-case scenario depending on the level of complexity the authors want to engage themselves in the production process.
Indie Authors’ Success
Regardless of the shift the eBook industry is heading towards, indie authors have greater choice to equip themselves with necessary tools and affordable professionals to get their words out and monetize them more sustainably. They are both the creator and the quality inspector of their finished product before it is being dispatched to their devoted fans. However, they must be prepared to overcome the challenges by presenting the story that resonates with the readers the most. Obviously, they are doing well on the best seller chart.
Label: Self-Publishing
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