Are You an Author With a Following? Read This

On November 2, 2008 at ECPA’s CEO Symposium and Publishing University in Lombard, Illinois, Simon & Schuster CEO <a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6613172.html?nid=2286&rid=1058842098&source=title”>Carolyn Reidy</a> warned that publishing may be headed for the worse times ever. Book sales have been steadily spiraling down for years, but there is definitely a money crunch this year, and Ms. Reidy says it might get worse.

With the easy access of information via the Internet, authors no longer have to rely on editors and publishing houses to get their message out. Amazon.com has ambitions to publish books themselves, and the number of books created by Print-on-Demand publishing is skyrocketing.

<blockquote>Reidy mentioned several challenges, including powerful retailers who have ambitions to be publishers. Reidy also wondered out loud that with self-publishing so easy, “is it only a matter of time before one of (the major authors) actually strikes out on his or her own?”</blockquote>

What is stopping authors with large mailing lists from stepping out on their own and going directly to their readers? A combination of factors.

<li><strong>Getting out of the comfort zone</strong> tops the list. We are all creatures of habits and writers with large followings are used to receiving book reviews, offers of more contracts, and even royalty checks.</li>
<li><strong>Techno-challenges.</strong> The learning curve and the time factor inhibit successful authors from branching out. They want to do what they do best and what’s also working for them–write. No time to learn how to post to YouTube or set up an interactive blog.
</li>
<li><strong>The scariness of the unknown.</strong> Until they hear of hordes traveling down this “virgin path” called Internet marketing, renowned authors would rather tread the beaten track where the dangers are all known dangers and the company is comfortable. Most don’t know that millionaires are made every day through online marketing and that is still happening regardless of the downturn in the economy.</li>

The good news is that one medium doesn’t eliminate the other one. It could be a great idea to set up an Internet presence with unpublished material, see how it goes and then make a decision. Why can’t we look at this subject as All of the Above instead of Either/Or?