While Amazon's KDP publishing platform gave voice to authors all across the US, it took a little time at the onset for that freedom to reach other countries and other reader markets. The company continues to roll out not just the ability to find and devour new books in far-flung places, but also the language algorithms that are necessary for books to be published in multiple … [Read more...] about KDP Offers New Indian Languages for eBook Uploads
Indie Author News
Is Self-Publishing Still a Flash in the Pan? Yeah, Right.
In case you were waiting for the hoopla surrounding self-publishing to die down, there's some unfortunate news from Bowker: the number of ISBNs issued for self-published books just reached one million last year. That may not seem like a lot--surely there are more than one million self-published books, right?--but remember, that's only the number of books whose ISBNs were issued … [Read more...] about Is Self-Publishing Still a Flash in the Pan? Yeah, Right.
BN Press Now Offers Pre-Orders, But Why?
Barnes & Noble is still clinging to life despite years-long rumors that almost every aspect of the business model is at death's door. With physical stores closing and the Nook constantly rumored to be on the chopping block, it's hard to know what to believe. So the recent announcement that B&N's Press (formerly Nook Press, the self-publishing wing of the company) is now … [Read more...] about BN Press Now Offers Pre-Orders, But Why?
Wattpad Authors Have An Opportunity To Earn from their Stories
Okay, authors, be ready to watch events unfold without getting your hopes up too high...at least not yet. Author-reader consumption platform Wattpad is beta testing a new feature that can be a game changer if it proves to be both sustainable and expandable, one that stands to open up an entirely new marketplace for readers to buy authors' works. According to a new report by … [Read more...] about Wattpad Authors Have An Opportunity To Earn from their Stories
Canadian authors can now submit their ebooks to Barnes and Noble
Barnes and Noble Nook Press is a self-publishing system that allows authors to include their ebooks in the Nook Bookstore and BN.com. Today Canadian authors can now submit their ebooks directly to the platform. This is the first time the bookseller has ever allowed writers from outside the United States into their walled garden. Although Canadians can sell their ebooks … [Read more...] about Canadian authors can now submit their ebooks to Barnes and Noble
#CockyGate Finally Dies the Death It Deserved from Day One
Don't you love when romance has a happy ending? Or at least a sigh-of-relief ending while still shoving the villain out the proverbial window? Romance stakeholders from readers to publishers have been on the edge of their seats over one hapless author's attempt to make a name for herself by trademarking a common romance term. After months of coverage, courtroom drama (in which … [Read more...] about #CockyGate Finally Dies the Death It Deserved from Day One
Author Suzanne Brockmann Sets #RWA18 on Fire with Award Speech
Most people probably wouldn't look to the annual conference of a romance writers' group to find controversy and political outrage, but then again, too many people write off romance authors as not being the business savvy, world-changing voices they are capable of being. This was never more evident than at the annual Romance Writers of America conference, wrapping up today in … [Read more...] about Author Suzanne Brockmann Sets #RWA18 on Fire with Award Speech
Authors Who Game the System Are Eating their Own
There's no doubt the publishing landscape and the world of self-publishing have changed vastly in just a handful of years. From the earliest days of the Kindle, readers could instantly download and devour book from their favorite authors. At the onset, Amazon had worked out lucrative deals with the then-Big Six publishers to offer any title that hit the New York Times … [Read more...] about Authors Who Game the System Are Eating their Own
Authors can now easily gift Kindle Books with Buy For Others
Amazon has just unveiled a new system today for authors called Buy For Others. It gives authors the ability to buy their own ebooks and gift them for social media giveaways, give newsletter subscribers a review copy or even give them away at events. The feature keeps everything in-house: Authors who purchase their own ebook through the feature will earn back royalties just … [Read more...] about Authors can now easily gift Kindle Books with Buy For Others
Wattpad, Tongal Take Reading to the Big(ger) Screen
Author-upload site Wattpad has been an integral part of the indie author revolution, creating opportunities for authors to put their work in front of readers, publishers, and industry stakeholders. Equal parts reader-centric entertainment platform and author exposure mechanism, they've paved the way for book consumers to find their next favorite writer. But the welcome … [Read more...] about Wattpad, Tongal Take Reading to the Big(ger) Screen
KDP Print launches expanded distribution to bookstores
Amazon has been slowly edging out its own competition by morphing authors over to the newer KDP Print platform instead of the original CreateSpace platform for print-on-demand books. Initially, the KDP Print upload process was just another avenue for self-published titles that were already making their way to ebook via KDP. The only benefit at the onset was the you had one … [Read more...] about KDP Print launches expanded distribution to bookstores
When Piracy and Fan Fiction Collide in the Best Way Possible
Several years ago, Mortal Instruments author Cassandra Clare came under intense scrutiny and criticism for alleged copyright infringement. It wasn't that the one-time Harry Potter fanfic author had engaged in...well... fan fiction, but rather that she had reportedly plagiarized others' works. To top it off, she apparently was no fan herself of authors who wrote fan fiction … [Read more...] about When Piracy and Fan Fiction Collide in the Best Way Possible
Are Authors Really That Poor?
"So, you're an author. Have you written anything I've heard of?" "You're an author, so you just wear pajamas all day, right?" "You're an author, so you're rich, right?" That last question has been the bane of many authors' existence, the misperception that somehow listing a book for sale equates to a carefree lifestyle filled with champagne baths and sleeping 'til noon. … [Read more...] about Are Authors Really That Poor?
Are Amazon’s Review Policies Helpful or Reactionary?
Like it or not, Amazon is the world's largest bookstore. As such, there are a couple of pitfalls for both readers and authors. First, as the largest source of potential buyers, authors have to play nice and follow the rules. When authors cook up something ridiculous to game the system, Amazon makes sweeping changes to those rules. Even worse, as the world's largest bookstore, … [Read more...] about Are Amazon’s Review Policies Helpful or Reactionary?