Potential and opportunity-words that sum up both education for students but also the educational markets very own ability to advance within a world of digital technology.
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Once looked down on, self publishing was a very last resort. Known for it’s brash editing, messy formatting and minimal if any cover work it’s no wonder it wasn’t a first port of contact for avid authors. But now thanks to the Internet and digital technology self-publishing can prove quick and just as successful as traditional publishing. A new report claims that self-published authors have surged to 31% of ebook sales on Amazon.com, and are now earning more ebook royalties than writers published by the "Big five" traditional publishers. (The Guardian 2014)
Crowd funding and websites that offer to distribute writers e-books all contribute to the success of these authors by providing them with the funds and also a ready made audience. Self-published authors are now earning nearly 40% of all ebook royalties on the Kindle store. (Richard Lea 2014) But that is not all HarperCollins have introduced a brand new website called Authonomy where budding writers can upload their manuscripts, have them edited and critiqued by fellow writers and every month Harper Collins will choose five of which they will consider for publishing. It is almost like a literary Kickstarter, letting the great work make its way up to the top of the slush pile, it’s a great opportunity to have work reviewed by like minded people and get noticed. It begs the question, that without the internet how many writers wouldn’t make it because of lack of funds or resources? There is also the addition of POD (print on demand technology.) Smaller print runs are now not only conceivable, they are also profitable.(Meanjin 2014) Print on demand not only offers a self publishers every printing need, but also e-book services, strategies and even distribution to help self publishers expand world wide which is reason enough to believe that self-publishers are sticking around! There are implications to the publishing industry as self publishing becomes increasingly more popular but a wise man once said: “There will be authors out there, readers, publishing experts, and booksellers who say that this outpouring of unprofessional dreck is ruining the industry, which makes me wonder if these same people drive through neighborhoods yelling and screaming at people gardening in their back yards, shouting at them that, “You’ll never be a farmer!” Hugh Howey an award winning self published author. Self publishing could have a severe impact on the publishing industry, it has already changed and crafted the roles of already predominant figures in publishing, the copy editor, a traditionally marginalised figure, is now in strong demand. (Alison Baverstock, 2013) and then the role of the literary agents; now that so many self-publishing authors are finding the market themselves, agents need to find new ways to make their work pay.(Alison Baverstock, 2013) Since self publishing is creating such a name for itself, and currently producing many best selling authors, publishers could face losing current or potential authors who opt for self publishing. Self published authors are earning as much as traditionally published ones and they are out-earning Big Five authors by a 27-percent margin.(Porter Anderson 2014) and this is giving writers choice, and publishers more leg work. Perhaps the middle ground is a merge of both, where traditional publishers and self publishers create a partnership. Amazon’s Fine went so far as to say that the traditional and self-publishing models are converging, with publishers becoming more author-centric, such as offering sales portals and other publishing services for authors. (Jon Fine 2014) Bibliography Anderson, P. (2013). Self-Publishing and the Industry: Implications and Impact. Available: http://publishingperspectives.com/2013/09/self-publishing-and-the-industry-implications-and-impact/. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014. Anderson, P. (2014). Authors may out earn the rest by up to 27%.Available: http://thoughtcatalog.com/porter-anderson/2014/05/new-howey-report-self-published-ebook-authors-may-out-earn-the-rest-by-27/. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014. Authonomy. (2014). Join an online community where writers become authors and great books get published.. Available: Join an online community where writers become authors and great books get published.. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014. Baverstock, A. (2013). Ten ways self-publishing has changed the books world. Available: http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/apr/08/self-publishing-changed-books-world. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014. Clems, B. (2012). The pros and cons of self publishing. Available: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-pros-and-cons-of-self-publishing-traditional-publishing. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014. Friedman, J. (2013). Is Self-Publishing the Most Important Transformation in the Publishing Industry?. Available: http://www.vqronline.org/books/self-publishing-most-important-transformation-publishing-industry. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014. Hall, F. 2013 The business of digital publishing. London: Routledge.Howey, H. (2014). The DWB writers survey. Available: http://www.hughhowey.com. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014. Lea, R. (2014). Self-publishing surging to 31% of ebook market, claims report. Available: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jul/18/report-self-publishing-surging-ebook-market-amazon. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014. POD. (2014). Want to print your book?. Available: http://www.printondemand-worldwide.com. Last accessed 25th Nov 2014.
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