Whether you're a fan of the books and movie franchise or not, there's little doubt that 50 Shades and its complete line of products has made an impact. Some can argue that it brought not only indie authors but also fan fiction into the more respectable mainstream, although a growing number of critics are pointing to the unhealthy dynamics in the book as everything wrong with … [Read more...] about Fifty Shades of Bad for You?
indie author
Ingram Spark vs CreateSpace vs KDP Paperback
With the signs and portents in self-publishing pointing to the eventual closure of CreateSpace, there's a lot of concern and discussion about what alternatives authors have for their print-on-demand titles. The early warning signs, namely the beta launch of a paperback option in KDP as well as the closure of the CreateSpace e-store which sent all sales over to Amazon, have left … [Read more...] about Ingram Spark vs CreateSpace vs KDP Paperback
Author Earnings: “The Pool Is Open”
The number-fanatics behind the Author Earnings report have released another installment in their in-depth analysis of how book sales are taking shape across the publishing landscape. While there were very few earth-shaking surprises in the data this time around, it's more like enough proof that a few long-held beliefs about publishing can finally be put to bed. 1. There's no … [Read more...] about Author Earnings: “The Pool Is Open”
B&N Rebrands Its Self-publishing Platform – Nook Press
Self-published authors who've relied on multiple sales channels to put their books in front of readers will be excited by today's announcement from Barnes & Noble: NOOK Press is now re-launching as simply Barnes & Noble Press, which will incorporate both the ebook and print-on-demand sites. The rollout is expected to take place over the next three days, and there … [Read more...] about B&N Rebrands Its Self-publishing Platform – Nook Press
Amazon Accidentally Drops a 50% Royalty Bombshell
Indie authors who took a browse through their KDP dashboards this week might have noticed a tiny new "unclickable" feature: a 50% royalty. As reported by the Alliance of Independent Authors, there are a ton of reasons why Amazon might be prepping to make 50% an option instead of the two current choices, 70% and 35%, but those reasons are all speculation at this point. First, … [Read more...] about Amazon Accidentally Drops a 50% Royalty Bombshell
Wattpad Secures $51M in New Funding
Whether you're a reader or a writer, if you're not on Wattpad, you're missing out. While the company is certainly not new, their continued efforts at innovation while maintaining and growing a dedicated following mean it is a source of discovery for readers and interaction for authors. Wattpad may have just started as a message board of sorts for authors posting snippets of … [Read more...] about Wattpad Secures $51M in New Funding
The Gatekeeper Is Back, Authors…
In the era of ebooks and at-the-touch-of-a-button access to hundreds of millions of titles, you'd think that the possibilities for both readers and authors would be endless. For years, that's actually been the claim; with the "take down" of the publishing gatekeepers and the widespread acceptance of indie authorhood, we've been told that anyone can write, publish, and … [Read more...] about The Gatekeeper Is Back, Authors…
Smashwords Was NOT Hacked…But Change Your Password
Self-publishing platform recently sent out an announcement to its authors containing the CEO's year-ahead predictions, but if you didn't pause to open that and read it, you might have missed the second item...and it's pretty important. First, if you're one of the authors who pulled their books out of other retailers' platforms to enroll in KDP Select, you might have … [Read more...] about Smashwords Was NOT Hacked…But Change Your Password
Smashwords Unveils Publishing Predictions for 2018
Smashwords' CEO and founder Mark Coker has once again unveiled his annual predictions for the publishing industry, and to say this year's edition is dark would be an understatement. Coker continues his longtime tradition of decrying all things Amazon, but this year...things are different. For too long, it was easy to dismiss Coker's predictions as a sour-grapes approach to … [Read more...] about Smashwords Unveils Publishing Predictions for 2018
Your 2018 Writing Resolutions
For a variety of political and societal reasons, authors have been coming forth in recent weeks to admit to their lack of creative luster during the past year. A number of supportive conversations have taken place--and even a meme or two--about getting back out there from a creative productivity standpoint. For those writers looking to regain their focus in 2018 and put out … [Read more...] about Your 2018 Writing Resolutions