Saturday, May 28, 2011

E-pubbing Questions Around the Web

Last weekend, Michael Bracken had a post on his blog called "Show Me The Money" http://crimefictionwriter.blogspot.com/2011/05/show-me-money.html where he asked how other short story writers were doing selling shorts on Kindle.

This week he's back with a breakdown of his sales since he started epubbing his own work. Interesting reading and a very real look at those who aren't at the top of the Kindle heap. http://crimefictionwriter.blogspot.com/2011/05/kindle-reality.html

Another writer who's diving into epubbing is Chuck Wendig who talks about it here http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/05/25/confessions-of-a-self-published-penmonkey/ One thing that Chuck talks about that few others do, is pricing your books.

And Allan Guthrie has a blog called Criminal-e where he does interviews with a variety of self-pubbed authors from short story writers to novelists. In the interviews there's always a few questions about the business of self-pubbing your work as an ebook. http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/

It's a confusing time for both writers and publishers and only by asking questions and listening to answers can we judge what is best for us.

4 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

A very confusing time. How does someone not know even get the knowledge they have an ebook out there. It seems like you have to count on the kindness of friends.

sandra seamans said...

Yes, Patti, the kindness of friends and a great deal of word of mouth. The ones I've seen selling reasonably well are the ones who've managed to get the word of mouth going but also getting their work reviewed and doing interviews. Much as I hate to say this, being well-known on the web and in the genre community is a big advantage with this new publishing.

Allan Guthrie said...

Hi Sandra,

Many thanks for the mention! Much appreciated. Just one little detail: the interviews on the blog aren't with self-pubbed authors exclusively. My only criteria is that an ebook must be available. I've interviewed Steve Mosby, Charlie Williams, Roger Smith and dozens of other authors who haven't self-pubbed. I make no distinction, as long as there's a digital version.

Patti, I fear it's always been the case that obscurity is an author's natural state. Traditional publishing has a euphemism for it: 'mid-list'. My experience is that it's far easier to get word out in the digital arena than in print.

sandra seamans said...

Welcome to the Corner, Mr. Guthrie!! And thanks for the clarification. I sometimes forget that the traditional publishers do have ebooks available as most of the ebook discussion revolves around publishing one's own book.