Are you thinking about independently publishing your book? Or do you think that the only authors who self-publish are those who tried the mainstream route and didn’t make it? Thriller writer John Locke deliberately turned his back on the traditional publishing route, mostly, he told me, because he wanted to have fun.
John IS having fun, and plenty of it: every single one of his books has been an e-book besteller and he’s also selling handsomely in print. His story has been written up frequently; most recently he was discussed in an article in the Wall Street Journal: “Altogether, Mr. Locke says his publishing revenue amounted to $126,000 from Amazon in March alone. It costs him about $1,000 to have his book published digitally, complete with an original dust jacket image. He also hires an editor to work with him at additional expense.”
When John first asked me to be his editor I remember advising him to get an agent and find a top-notch publisher – I knew he’d be successful because he’s a terrific writer. Instead, he opted to self-publish. He told me he wanted to be in charge of what goes inside his books, how he handles his marketing, choosing just the right covers, creating his own publishing timetable – all of it, because that’s what makes the writing and publishing adventure so enjoyable.
John encouraged me to publish my own books as well – and it’s a decision I haven’t regretted for a single instant. Having been published both traditionally and independently, I assure you John is right: the latter is MUCH more fun!
Here’s the link to John’s web site.
Here’s the link to the Wall Street Journal article.