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Many years ago writers have to go through several difficult steps to get their books published. After going through the difficult task of imagination and writing, many have to acquire a sort of Writer’s directory and send lots of letters to potential agents and publishers which more often than not come back in the form of frustrating rejection letters. Well, fast forward to 2010 and what you observe is that thanks to the advent of the Internet, an increasing number of writers are now turning to self-publishing their work.
Why Self-Publishing Is A Big Deal
The number one reason why self-publishing is now in vogue is that it makes a lot of economic sense. An average paperback is quite expensive considering printing fees, book royalty and other charges. However, today, a completed manuscript can be easily formatted and made available on the Internet at less than half the price via Web platforms such as eBay and Amazon with the writer making a higher percentage of the profit.
In addition, due to the vast reach of the world wide Web, the potential of reaching a wider audience is a lot higher and books can be sold on a print-on-demand basis. This also increases the possibility of eventually selling the book to a bigger publishing house once its sales potential has been established.
Talking Point
Is the Internet really a threat to traditional publishers and what role do publishers play when purchasing a book?