Self-publishing is great but I don't want to be an icon for it or anything else.
The Nobel Prize is run by a self-perpetuated committee. They vote for themselves and get the world's publishing industry to jump to their tune.
When self-publishing started it was mostly people who really couldn't write. And they just wanted to get their book out and they couldn't get traditional deals.
My self-publishing adventure led to my work being picked up by a traditional publisher and eventually hitting the bestseller lists. That led to two more bestselling novels.
I knew people were independently publishing and I buy books on Amazon. I began seriously considering it when Amanda Hocking was in the news about her self-publishing success.
I have been incredibly lucky with my novels but I had absolutely no idea if anyone would be interested in a cookbook. So I started to think about self-publishing.
What I've come to learn with self-publishing is that if you want to provide readers with something of equal quality it requires the same amount of time and expense.
I really started self-publishing on a serious level in 2002. Those smaller books did well ended up moving from doing a series to compiling everything into a trade paperback in about 2005.
I'm really happy to have the chance to talk about the editing process. It's something that I think doesn't get the weight it deserves especially with the rise of self-publishing.
Overall one of the things that excites me most about self-publishing is that the highest-value use of my time in promoting the books will be found in writing more of them.
What sells a book sells a book same in traditional or self-publishing . You gotta shake your tail feathers.
I enjoy self-publishing & sending publishers rejection letters. They're like 'Who is this guy?' And I'm like 'the end of your industry.
Reality TV blogging and self-publishing are all evidence of a society's or culture's desire to be more public. And that's a sign of a healthy or energetic culture.
Self-publishing a shitty book doesn't make you an author any more than singing in the shower makes you a rockstar or squeezing your pimple makes you a dermatologist.
Go APE: Author a great book Publish it quickly and Entrepreneur your way to success. Self-publishing isn't easy but it's fun and sometimes even lucrative. Plus your book could change the world.
Self-publishing is still my basic recommendation to anyone wanting to do comics. Do it. Do it until you get good. Do it after you get good. It's good for your spirit as a creator.