Self-Publishing and the 'Curatorial Mark': Jon Fine

The high view of self-publishing, in Jon Fine’s words, is peopled with ‘increasingly sophisticated authors’ supported by ‘increasingly sophisticated consultants’—a movement growing into its own alongside the ‘curatorial mark’ of trade publishing. Read More

The Importance of a Web site in Self-Publishing

For authors today, no “piece of digital real estate” is more important than the author Website: It gets your message to a busy visitor fast. Read More

#AuthorDay: What divides us?

Of “trade” and “the Trade” Today we’re making the “programme reveal” for the inaugural FutureBook Author Day conference (#AuthorDay), which is set for Monday, 30th November. It’s on the 30th at the 30th, 30 Euston Square, headquarters of the Royal College of General Practitioners, we’ll all be healthier for it. Our programme should appear, if… Read More

After The Hype And Drama: Balancing Trad And Indie

‘Under The Right Conditions’ Germany is recognized as the third self-publishing market in size and activity. The United States and the United Kingdom are the first and second, respectively. And when Matting’s study of 906 authors asked them, 80 percent said they’d be willing to consider traditional publishing “under the right conditions.” Those “right conditions” for German-language authors,… Read More

In Self-Publishing, The Gatekeepers Are Dead. Long Live The Gatekeepers!

‘To Establish Trust With Readers’ Readers aren’t all the same. Readers, in fact, are very different from one another. Some only want to read what everyone else is reading, so they can join a movement and a discussion. Some stick to what’s been adapted to the big and small screen, or what’s hit the NYT… Read More

How big is self-publishing? Data-Dancing on the platforms

The conga line forms here.  If you’ve been with us in the past few days here at The FutureBook, you’ll know that we’re tripping the estimates fantastic in terms of just how large a market we’re talking about when we say “self-publishing” in the UK and US markets. As the author Hugh Howey has pointed… Read More

May The Best SELF-e Win: Library Journal Ups The Ante

‘Judged Purely On Whether We Are Worth Reading’ As the word spreads about independent authors’ new avenue into the nation’s libraries, the organization behind SELF-e,Library Journal, is launching a contest, kicking off today (11 May) and with a final deadline of 31 August at midnight Eastern time for submissions. Ebook authors in four genres — romance,… Read More

Author: Beware Having Lunch With A Logo

Have you ever shaken hands with a corporation? Have you ever kissed a building façade on both cheeks at a cocktail party? Have you ever chatted with a book cover on legs? Of course not. Which makes it all the more ridiculous that we seem to be expected to do these things online all the… Read More

Who's afraid of self-publishing? #authorsay

‘Either neutral or horrified at the thought of taking control’ My favourite line in my good colleague Philip Jones’ early look at traditionally publishing authors’ responses to the ongoing survey was just that: When asked about the possibility of self-publishing, only a minority of authors were excited at the prospect, with the majority (75%), either… Read More