Indie Books – The Next Big Thing in Publishing

Indie Books are not a new concept per se but having indie books accepted by book readers and even the authors themselves is a new and exploding trend in the world of book publishing.

What are indie books? They are books that have been published outside of traditional publishing channels. Authors generally pay for all the production and printing costs of the books. These authors retain copyright ownership of their books and therefore keep more of the money from the sale of their books. Industry elitists believe that books published outside of the traditional publishing channels are inferior and as much as I hate to admit it, they are very often justified in that belief. The cause for this is that many authors cut corners in editing and book production in an attempt to keep costs to a minimum. These short cuts will generally result in inferior quality books.

However, that does not mean all indie books are inferior! In fact, there are thousands of excellent indie books in the marketplace just waiting to be read. Many authors take their writing careers very seriously and “sign” themselves to a traditional publishing deal. This means taking the book through all the production steps a traditional publisher would (editing, proofing, cover design, etc.). The only difference is that the author is footing the bill.

It is time for more authors to embrace indie books. Treat your writing career as a business and invest in yourself and your new writing business. Follow the path that many musicians choose to take. The indie music movement has been around for over 25 years. At first there was some resistance but now music fans everywhere embrace the independent musician. Thousands of fans around the world specifically look for music produced by independent musicians. One day the same will be true for books published by independent authors.

Today’s technology has made it possible for anyone to publish and distribute his/her book. The cost of publishing and printing a book is very reasonable in today’s world. The internet has created a distribution system that allows the author to connect with his/her fan anywhere in the world regardless of geography. Take control of your writing career and embrace indie books today!