Pubbing Solo

As the paradigm in the publishing world shifts, and more people get e-reading devices, taking the independent route is becoming a more attractive option. Brick and mortar bookstores, which are dominated by the traditional houses, are going the way of the video store--they are going away. It will take years, but it will happen.

To compete with the big publishers in the digital space, indie authors must write great stories, have interesting covers and concepts, and put out professional-looking ebooks. You will also need to promote your work and develop an online presence. If you decide to publish on your own, be aware that you are running your own business. You are the marketing team, accountant, website admin, and sales force. 

Why go through all that trouble? In addition to having control over your work, there are people who are actually making a living at it. Here are a couple of indie pub-stars:

• Joe Konrath. He's making over $40K a month on ebook sales, most priced at $2.99. Joe's blog is a must read. I encourage you to read his blog article titled: Are You Dense?
• Amanda Hocking. Her ebook sales are astonishing. She signed a four-book deal with St. Martin's Press for two million dollars. She wrote a great blog about the pros and cons of independent publishing and traditional publishing titled: Indie vs. Traditional. 

Their success is remarkable. Just realize that they are the top guns. They spent a lot of time and put in a lot of work to achieve what they have. Many indie pubbers will live in the realm of the unknown--like their cousins--indie band member and indie filmmaker. But there will be others who do make it. Who do break through. Who do write for a living. And one of those people could be you.

The more quality content you put out there and the more time you spend marketing it, the greater the odds are that you will succeed. Each new ebook you put out there is a digital seed that has the potential to grow into something big. Someday your e-seed may become a towering e-redwood.