Digital self-publishing

Today’s Wall Street Journal features a great overview piece by Geoffrey A. Fowler and Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg on digital self-publishing, and how it threatens traditional publishing. A few highlights:

“ ‘[Digital self-publishing is] a threat to publishers’ control over authors,’ said Richard Nash, former publisher of Soft Skull Press who recently launched Cursor Inc., a new publishing company. ‘It shows best-selling authors that there are alternatives—they can hire their own publicist, their own online marketing specialist, a freelance editor, and a distribution service.’ ”

 “The proliferation of cheap digital books concerns even publishers who don't think readers will defect to self-published titles. ‘There is some truth to the idea that low prices will drag down our prices,’ says Dominique Raccah, owner of Sourcebooks Inc., an independent publisher in Naperville, Ill.”

“ Thriller writer Joe Konrath says that, as more consumers buy e-books, the economics will tip. Under the pen name Jack Kilborn, he sold 50,000 copies of his last novel, Afraid, published by Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, in all formats. He earned about $30,000. But if he sold it as an e-book on his own, he could make that much in 18 months by selling 800 e-books a month, he estimates.”

Comments

PatFay wrote re: Digital self-publishing on Wed, Jun 9 2010 11:51 AM I have had two ebooks available since 2001.  They are advertised on my web site. I have sold fewer than 1000 copies in total. To get more sales, I would have to spend more money. That eats up what I would make in sales.  I don't think ebooks work for every writer.  If you are an established author, you might stand a better chance.