According to the Independent Author Income Survey, self-published authors are earning more than those traditionally published. The online survey was conducted by a UK-based organization, the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). The survey, conducted in February/March of 2023, focused on self-published authors' incomes and related strategies. Key findings of the survey … [Read more...] about Self-Published indie authors make more money than traditional authors
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A New Indie-Like Day Is Dawning for Barnes and Noble
If you're lucky enough to live in a town with a thriving indie bookstore, be sure to count your blessings. If the only bookstore within driving distance is a Barnes and Noble, you might not be so fortunate. The way B&N has operated for the past few years, you might not even consider it a bookstore, at least not when you look around at the pillows, t-shirts, candles, and … [Read more...] about A New Indie-Like Day Is Dawning for Barnes and Noble
New Allegations of Romance Plagiarism
To the outsider, the publishing world might not seem like a hotbed of intrigue, manipulation, and outright lies, but recent events--okay fine, since the dawn of time and the written word--prove that's not the case. From price fixing to review faking to author bullying to Cockygate, half the entertainment value of a book happens in the making of it, not the reading. Social … [Read more...] about New Allegations of Romance Plagiarism
Tate Publishing Crooks Receive 20 Years, Nearly $1M in Restitution
In a victory for indie authors, the founder and CEO of vanity press Tate Publishing and his son who worked with him have been sentenced to a total of about twenty years in prison for taking money from authors for services they never provided. The jail sentences for a variety of charges have been suspended, meaning Richard and Ryan Tate will not have to serve that time as long … [Read more...] about Tate Publishing Crooks Receive 20 Years, Nearly $1M in Restitution
#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
Indie authors have no idea how to use Twitter
Indie authors have no idea how to use Twitter to drive sales to their latest book. They post meaningless hashtags, without a single sentence and a link to their title on Amazon. What is their book about? The elevator pitch? What genre is it? Who cares, #buymybook. Seldom are convincing cases made for readers to become enamored with indie authors books on Twitter. This is … [Read more...] about Indie authors have no idea how to use Twitter
Amazon’s New Bestseller Lists Amazon Charts Aids Discoverability
One of the biggest problems plaguing both readers and publishers--from the major household name to the individual self-published author--is discoverability. To put it mildly, there is simply too much to read for books to automatically standout, which is a great problem for book lovers to have. The result, though, is that content owners spend vast amounts of time and money … [Read more...] about Amazon’s New Bestseller Lists Amazon Charts Aids Discoverability
Book Sales Remain a Closely Guarded Secret
One of the most frustrating aspects of being an author, publisher, or book retailer is the closely guarded, secretive nature of book sales figures. For some reason, unknown to many even in the industry, retailers and publishers typically do not disclose their sales numbers; at the same time, authors can have their accounts closed and their titles removed from retailers' virtual … [Read more...] about Book Sales Remain a Closely Guarded Secret
Publishers Going Rogue: Bonnier’s SelfPub Platform
Despite a rocky relationship with the digital publishing revolution as recently as five years ago, a number of traditional publishers have not only made room on the shelves for indie authors, they're building their own self-publishing avenues. But whereas companies in the US like Random House and Macmillan have bought up existing small-time presses in order to capitalize off of … [Read more...] about Publishers Going Rogue: Bonnier’s SelfPub Platform
Does Publishing Have a Future without Amazon?
With the end of a pretty rough year behind us and the first few weeks of 2017 under our belts, it's a good time to take a deep breathe and take stock of the state of publishing. There's perhaps no more comprehensive analysis of the current trends than the annual Smashwords Book Industry Predictions, written each year by founder and CEO Mark Coker. Before looking at Coker's … [Read more...] about Does Publishing Have a Future without Amazon?
Clock Is Ticking on Goodreads Choice Awards
There are a number of prestigious book awards--and that number is exponentially dwarfed by the number of "fly by night" book awards that earn a profit off of the entry fees--that can do amazing things for increasing an author's credibility and a specific title's sales figures. The inherent promotion of the contest itself can increase a book's visibility, while the resulting … [Read more...] about Clock Is Ticking on Goodreads Choice Awards
Indie Author eBook Sales Are in a State of Decline
Over the course of the past two years major publishers revenue has been in a state of decline, but indie author sales have been strong. I have written extensively about this and how indies are eventually going to reach a tipping point. Authors Earnings has now proclaimed that the indie eBook market share has shrunk significantly. During the five short months since May, it … [Read more...] about Indie Author eBook Sales Are in a State of Decline
Melania Trump and the New Outrage over Plagiarism
If you've had the good fortune to spend even a passing few moments near the internet in the last couple of days, you've no doubt heard about new scandal rocking the circus that is the Trump presidential campaign. Melania Trump, the upgraded 3.0 wife of the businessman-turned-entertainer-turned-policitian, gave what was to be her first major speech in support of her husband's … [Read more...] about Melania Trump and the New Outrage over Plagiarism
Indie Authors Are Forcing E-Book Stores To Close
The e-book landscape used to be bright and vibrant. All over the world online retailers sold digital books that were compatible with e-readers, smartphones and tablets. In a few short years most stores have now closed and Amazon gets most of the blame. Sadly, the issue is not Amazon, but indie authors. The Sony Reader Store was the first digital bookstore that was … [Read more...] about Indie Authors Are Forcing E-Book Stores To Close