As the stigma of indie publishing disappears and the sea of traditional, indie and hybrid books mixes and deepens, the challenge of connecting author with reader (make that readers) will grow even harder. We suspect that when we look back from the year 2030, we’ll likely find that the big winners of the early 21st century publishing industry paradigm shift were those who figured out “novel” ways to triumph in the game of discoverability. It’s a wide open field, reminiscent of the days of the wild west. And just like that era, the winners will need a combination of boldness combined with smarts and speed.
“Discoverability—the problem traditional publishers also face—is only going to get trickier. Huffington Post blogger Julie Gerstenblatt wrote about trying to grab readers’ attention for her book, Lauren Takes Leave, in her series about her experience self-pubbing. With her HuffPo connection, she figured she had the coveted platform that helps writers launch their careers. Instead, she said, “Turns out that platform of mine is less of a high-dive springboard and more of a children’s step-stool.”
The quoted material above is an excerpt from a thoughtful blog post from Kirkus Reviews Senior Indie Editor Karen Schechner. Read the full post here.
In the coming months, we’ll share tips and other interesting perspectives on this frontier topic. The quick answer? Try everything at least once. And remember: Pumpjack Press is shooting for the winner’s circle.
Location, location, location; my father’s cautionary advice to me upon purchasing a first home. “Nothing else matters, Kath, location, location, location.” It was good advice, I was glad to have it. The advice, it turns out, is relevant to a novel’s setting too, but since Dad had no similar editorial advice, Clark and I learned this literary lesson — and the ripple effects on everything from post-publishing marketing strategies to taxes — on our own.
