The enigma of the witches by Magda Kinsley, winner of the Red Circle award, the main self-publishing company in Spanish.
Self-published authors are the literary phenomenon of this century. Nobody doubts that technology is the great driver of the social changes of the XXI century. All sectors have undergone great changes and the editorial is no different. The phenomenon of the digital book brought with it piracy and also the possibilities that anyone can publish their writings on a commercial platform such as Amazon.
The number of authors who, tired of waiting for an editorial response or who, due to ignorance of the publishing market, do not get to be read by an editor, decide not to leave their novels gathering dust in a drawer and self-publish.
Do self-published authors have a poorer quality than those who publish with the traditional method?
Depends. Those who eat Roberto Martinez Guzman was with one of his books, Seven Books for Eve, XNUMX consecutive days ranked # XNUMX on Amazon sales a few weeks ago. When something like this happens in a self-published book, with little promotion, without editorial support and without investment in advertising, it is clear that the book not only has a high quality and that it captures the readers, but it also has a lot of merit. It is true that, in this case, the works of Martínez Guzmán reach the reader in a state of impeccable correction, enviable by any major publisher.
"Maybe if you are able to put your books in the Top 100 of Amazon you will not be interested in publishing with one, no matter how big." (Roberto Martínez Guzmán)
Is self-publishing a resource only for novice writers?
Not much less. We find self-published that come from publishing in a publisher, but that, due to disagreements, sales figures or other criteria, are not comfortable, do not continue and jump to publication as Mariola Diaz-Cano Arevalo. Others entered the publishing market at the hands of a prestigious publisher such as Stephen Navarro. This author with a long literary career and eighteen published novels entered the publishing market with Ediciones B. From the eighth novel published with this publisher, he began to combine traditional publishing with editorial with desktop publishing. And it is that the model of asocial writer locked in his rooms without knowing anything about the world while letting his inner genius work, is already in disuse and today with publisher and without it, the author not only corrects, but also is the visible face of the promotion of any novel, it moves on social networks and is accessible to its readers.
"Nowadays the support of a publisher is no longer as important as it could be in another era, because the sacrifice always falls on the author in any case." (Esteban Navarro)
Awards for self-published?
Sometimes. How could it be otherwise, the awards did not take long to appear as a way to draw attention to Self-published authors worth your while. The most famous the amazon indie, an international award that is becoming more and more relevant every day, for self-published works. Among the winners are authors such as David Zaplana and Ana Ballabriga, which today they publish in a traditional publishing house or as Pilar Munoz, winner of the last call for the award. There's also awards granted by self-publishing companies: Círculo Rojo, the publishing services company for self-publishing with the most punch in the market, has its own award, which is still a banner of the publisher to warn readers that they also publish great novels. This year the winner is the author Magda Kinsley.
«Self-publishing was a decisive step in my literary career. Not only did it help me overcome that initial fear of failure that some novice writers suffer, but it also brought me closer to many reader and writer friends and allowed me to fulfill the dream of seeing my book in the hands of people I will never meet, but who I will always be with. united by the ties of literature. (Magda Kinsley)
Is self-publishing the way to reach a traditional publisher?
In many cases. Let's not forget the big names that have ventured into self-publishing like Eva García Sáenz de Urturi, Federico Moccia, EL James (50 shades of gray), Fernando Gamboa o Eloy Moreno.
Others, who are convinced that the future of publishing is through self-publishingas Clara Tiscar , have become benchmarks of desktop publishing and continue to publish their works independently despite their fame.
“If you have knowledge of editing or professional contacts who can help you, self-publishing is a convenient option that you control from the first moment. To your liking and way, although you also have to take time and enthusiasm. " (Mariola Díaz-Cano Arévalo)
Does this mean that there is no lack of quality in self-published?
This means that it depends, but there are many signs that tell us when we are in front of real treasures like those named in this article and who among us readers would not like to discover the next bestseller before his books are known to the general public?
It's true. I have just entered that world and I find it exciting. It forces you to correct and take better care of your writing and to use previously unknown tools with the possibility of being the creator of your covers. It also forces you to be more in contact with your potential readers.
Thanks for mentioning me. And yes, desktop publishing does not mean that a book is better or worse, but that it has been created, edited, published and promoted by the author himself. And as happens in publishing houses, there will be authors who take more care of their work and others less.
In practice, it is an exciting world, but very laborious, in which the author must cover the work that your publisher does in traditional publishing (proofreading, editing, layout, graphic design, promotion, etc.).
Pros: total freedom of creation and greater economic benefit.
Cons: higher volume of work and fewer distribution channels, above all.
You usually come to it out of obligation and you stay out of devotion. But also for another reason, in self-publishing you usually have your readers in the ebook and in the traditional edition, in the paper book. That means that going from one to another will be as risky as the number of readers you have accumulated up to that moment, because in a large percentage you will lose them.
I have entered the world of self-published and I have found enormous and gratifying surprises, among them Cristian Perfumo, an Argentine thriller writing, which is fantastic and compelling, highly recommended.