In another stunning display of both truth in publishing and meticulous attention to the data, the latest release from AuthorEarnings takes on another facet of the traditional publishing industry, namely the lies surrounding scifi and fantasy publishing. In a presentation at the 2018 SFWA Nebula Conference, cape-wearing number cruncher Data Guy presented findings that dispel a … [Read more...] about AuthorEarnings Debunks Industry Lies Surrounding SciFi, Fantasy
Hugh Howey
Who Cares about the Indie Authors?
A new article about the current blockbuster novels has spurred some intriguing discussion. Coupled with the general air of resentment aimed at remakes of iconic films--looking at you, horrific and unnecessary nightmare of a Dirty Dancing remake--has people asking the question, "Books are published literally every single day...why are only a handful of titles getting the star … [Read more...] about Who Cares about the Indie Authors?
The Industry Finally Acknowledges Indies Are Authors
The gates have finally been thrown open, all are welcome here... Such is the dramatic sentiment now that indie authors have been given their very own day at one of the previously excluding events, Digital Book World. With the laughable and out-of-date self-titled proclamation, "DBW Indie Author: The First Conference For The New Professional Author," industry leaders are once … [Read more...] about The Industry Finally Acknowledges Indies Are Authors
Why Is Self-Publishing Still a “Last Resort?”
The digital publishing revolution, such as it was, had many facets. There was the birth of the take-anywhere traditionally published ebooks, the hope of educational reform through bells and whistles digital textbooks, and perhaps most important of all, the self-publishing arm that allowed anyone to write, publish, and potentially sell a book. But in the space of the few years … [Read more...] about Why Is Self-Publishing Still a “Last Resort?”
Closing the Gap: Indies Are Outselling “Real” Authors
Yes, the headline is intentionally inflammatory, and not in a click-bait sort of way. There are many in the publishing industry (and sadly, many even among the lowly writers themselves) who still don't view self-publishing as a viable, respectable avenue to "real" authors. Now that we've gotten mention of that mindset out of the way, it's time to dive into the actual meat of … [Read more...] about Closing the Gap: Indies Are Outselling “Real” Authors
Ebook Piracy Still Plaguing Authors
It started out not-so-innocently enough with a now-deleted, vapid Facebook post from Hillary Ganzeel: "Anyone know of (pirate sites) places to get free ebooks?!" It was followed by a series of monkey emoticons, for some reason. As is to be expected, the backlash was swift and ugly from both sides. Authors rallied behind the notion that they deserve respect and the concept … [Read more...] about Ebook Piracy Still Plaguing Authors
Wool Screenplay Gets Rewritten by Nicole Perlman
Hugh Howey's self-published e-book WOOL is hunting around for a director and is being produced Ridley Scott and Steve Zaillian. In order to make the screenplay more appealing to a solid director, “Guardians of the Galaxy” scribe Nicole Perlman is going to rewrite the script. “Wool” has quickly become a poster child for the self-publishing movement. The book sold over … [Read more...] about Wool Screenplay Gets Rewritten by Nicole Perlman
How Agency Pricing Has Affected the Bestseller Lists
Hugh Howey and Friends (that really should be a trademarked superhero team name, as you'll see in a moment) has launched the sixth quarterly Author Earnings report, a seemingly flawless look at how ebooks are actually selling on Amazon. The reports have always served to try to get a better picture of how self-published authors are actually faring in the bookselling landscape, … [Read more...] about How Agency Pricing Has Affected the Bestseller Lists
What Nielsen Can Tell Indie Authors
The kind people at Nielsen BookScan do a fairly decent job at uncovering consumer behaviors towards books, then compare that data year over year to highlight the trends in this ever-evolving market. But a lot of self-published authors--especially ones who limit their work to Amazon or who think they're not selling enough copies to even register as a blip on Nielsen's … [Read more...] about What Nielsen Can Tell Indie Authors
Looking Ahead to DBW’s Author Survey Results
DBW has been conducting in-depth author surveys over the past few years, releasing annual reports on the state of publishing from the viewpoints of these survey respondents. The results, which will be compiled, examined, and released at next week's Digital Book World event, attempt to give a clear picture of how authors are faring in both traditional and self-publishing, along … [Read more...] about Looking Ahead to DBW’s Author Survey Results
Uncovering the Inner Workings of the Author Earnings Report
Ludicrous accusations have come out from various corners of the publishing industry, some of which are rabidly anti-Amazon and anti-self-publishing, claiming that the information in the notorious Author Earnings reports is flawed at best, and intentionally misleading at worst. The reports, which claim to only be interested in helping all authors make sound decisions based on a … [Read more...] about Uncovering the Inner Workings of the Author Earnings Report
Amazon Rolls Out Beta of KDP Pricing Support
New information and knowledge have come to light thanks to the efforts of a core group of individuals; author Hugh Howey and his mathematical number cruncher Data Guy have released exhaustive information through the Author Earnings reports designed to help authors make informed decisions concerning their publishing. Rather than fight the Author Earnings efforts and … [Read more...] about Amazon Rolls Out Beta of KDP Pricing Support
Traditional Publishing Dismisses Author Earnings Report
In what is perhaps the single most telling example of why the traditional publishing fails to address the needs of authors, The Guardian posted an interview with Phillip Jones, editor of the Bookseller, and Nicola Solomon, general secretary of the UK's Society of Authors. While the Bookseller is a publishing industry news source and the Society has recently spoken out about the … [Read more...] about Traditional Publishing Dismisses Author Earnings Report
UK Society of Authors: Traditional Publishing No Longer in Authors’ Best Interests
Thanks largely to Hugh Howey's recent post about the need for organizations that truly work on behalf of authors rather than their own self-interests, serious discussion has opened up about the need for a better structure that works to speak up for writers and their work. Organizations like the Author's Guild have recently been questioned as their interests lie in furthering … [Read more...] about UK Society of Authors: Traditional Publishing No Longer in Authors’ Best Interests