Since the introduction of print on demand, self-publishing has skyrocketed. Ten years ago if you wanted to publish your own book, you had to have hundreds or thousands of dollars to invest in that initial print run. And then you had all those books you had to sell or be stuck with boxes of books.
Then sites like Lulu.com came along. I remember Lulu in their very early days when they were not quite what they are now. That made it so much easier. Upload an electronic copy of your manuscript, choose a cover, and anyone who wanted could order a copy of your book at minimal cost to you. I believe the first print on demand companies charged $100 or so, but now it's easy to get it for just effort.
Enter e-publishing. With sites like smashwords, it's ridiculously easy to publish whatever you'd like. As long as you're technical and patient enough to make sure your manuscript conforms to all of their format guidelines. Actually, you don't even need that. You can pay someone to do that for you, and then you're only out that $100 or so that you would have paid a print on demand publisher back in the day.
Sure, you can still pay other people to help, but if you've got the determination and/or know-how, you can do it all yourself and never pay out anything. Upload your story, novel, how-to book, whatever. Someone will come along and pick it up, right? And a lot of people do. The number of people self-publishing, especially in e-formats, is growing at an almost exponential rate.
I don't suspect it's because the ratio of talented people is any higher than it used to be. I suspect it's because the process is so simple now. But why? I mean beyond that. More of a sociological and psychological why.
People want to be heard. They want approval. They want to know they're worth something. Affirmation. Confirmation. Praise. I'm sure there are some people who are strong enough to thrive without any sort of support at all. Or at least, to say that with a straight face.
But for the most part, all people want to be heard. We want recognition. We want to know that we're not just another lamp post on the street. That someone cares. That what we're saying is reaching another ear.
Some people are great at being that ear no matter what. Most people, it doesn't come naturally. I like to think as writers we have that gift. How can you create new worlds and stories if you're incapable of seeing those immediately around you?
But sometimes I think we forget. We all get so caught up in life that we don't realize that there's a lonely voice that would shine a million times brighter if someone would just hear what they were saying. Not just listen, but actually understand, empathize. Care.
So if you have a little free time, find one of those lonely voices and do it a favor and listen. It might make both your days.
Have a happy weekend ^_^
Then sites like Lulu.com came along. I remember Lulu in their very early days when they were not quite what they are now. That made it so much easier. Upload an electronic copy of your manuscript, choose a cover, and anyone who wanted could order a copy of your book at minimal cost to you. I believe the first print on demand companies charged $100 or so, but now it's easy to get it for just effort.
Enter e-publishing. With sites like smashwords, it's ridiculously easy to publish whatever you'd like. As long as you're technical and patient enough to make sure your manuscript conforms to all of their format guidelines. Actually, you don't even need that. You can pay someone to do that for you, and then you're only out that $100 or so that you would have paid a print on demand publisher back in the day.
Sure, you can still pay other people to help, but if you've got the determination and/or know-how, you can do it all yourself and never pay out anything. Upload your story, novel, how-to book, whatever. Someone will come along and pick it up, right? And a lot of people do. The number of people self-publishing, especially in e-formats, is growing at an almost exponential rate.
I don't suspect it's because the ratio of talented people is any higher than it used to be. I suspect it's because the process is so simple now. But why? I mean beyond that. More of a sociological and psychological why.
People want to be heard. They want approval. They want to know they're worth something. Affirmation. Confirmation. Praise. I'm sure there are some people who are strong enough to thrive without any sort of support at all. Or at least, to say that with a straight face.
But for the most part, all people want to be heard. We want recognition. We want to know that we're not just another lamp post on the street. That someone cares. That what we're saying is reaching another ear.
Some people are great at being that ear no matter what. Most people, it doesn't come naturally. I like to think as writers we have that gift. How can you create new worlds and stories if you're incapable of seeing those immediately around you?
But sometimes I think we forget. We all get so caught up in life that we don't realize that there's a lonely voice that would shine a million times brighter if someone would just hear what they were saying. Not just listen, but actually understand, empathize. Care.
So if you have a little free time, find one of those lonely voices and do it a favor and listen. It might make both your days.
Have a happy weekend ^_^
