Indie publishing reveals a new market

From The Bookseller

Self-publishing has revealed a market that trad publishers were not aware of, says Orna Ross, of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

"Readers want very different things to what publishers in London and Manhattan think readers want," she elaborated.

Speaking at an event debating the best route to publishing for authors, Ross said self-publishing, a term she said she was “not wild about”, meant there was more choice for readers, including books that would never have been picked up by a traditional publishing house.

“I think the old [publishing] model is in flux and needs to change,” Ross said. “I think what’s happening is overall very positive. It’s good for readers because they have more choice and more access.”

Joining Ross on the panel on Monday night (10th November) were Suzie Doore, editorial director at Hodder & Stoughton, literary agent Juliet Mushens from The Agency Group, and author Dominic Selwood, who has been traditionally published and has self-published.

Hit the link and read on to see what the agents and trad publisher had to say.  In my view they sounded slightly desperate.  And here are the hybrid author's thoughts -- 

Selwood said both traditional publishing and self-publishing were “successful models but are different businesses”. Traditional publishing was about a number of things including building a brand, and at its centre was risk and reward, he said. On self-publishing, he said: “On the other hand you have the ability as an individual to hold the levers of power and decide your own creativity if the only limit.”

Well, that certainly sums it up!

The debate was organised by Byte the Book and held at The Club at the Ivy yesterday (10th November)