| Once upon a time, "vanity publishing" was the only | | | | website maintenance, and endorsement-hunting |
| option suggested - along with pitying glances - to | | | | are only a few of the promotions that the writer |
| the novice writer who found it difficult to break | | | | must employ, regardless of where the book is |
| into print. However, as technology and the | | | | published. Because of this, the concept of |
| demand for electronic print advance, self-publishing | | | | self-publishing has become more appealing to the |
| is quickly losing its former stigma. From the | | | | business-savvy writer: as long as he is required to |
| corporate halls to the artistic world, more people | | | | promote his own book anyway, he may as well |
| are writing as part of their jobs, and part of their | | | | front some of the production costs in order to |
| lives. In general, texting and e-mail have replaced | | | | take home a lot more pieces of the pie when his |
| a significant amount of verbal conversation and | | | | potential bestseller takes off. |
| personal interaction, highlighting an increasing need | | | | Non-conventional printing, officially recognized by |
| for the written word. Self-publishing currently fills | | | | the industry or not, is growing. This is due in part |
| some of that need, and has the potential to | | | | to its ease and availability. In thirty minutes or |
| satisfy much, much more. | | | | less, a free blog or personal website can be |
| When first conceived, print-on-demand or other | | | | created and ready for perusal by friends, family, |
| self-publishing expressions were snubbed by the | | | | co-workers, or anyone else with an internet |
| elite of the publishing industry. Traditionally, a | | | | connection. If more formal acknowledgment with |
| comparative handful of authors, certainly talented | | | | payment is desired, the number of publishers |
| but by no means exclusive, were chosen from | | | | offering non-traditional services to both new |
| among the vast clamour of would-be writers. | | | | writers and seasoned authors continues to |
| Lucky enough to be discovered by a publishing | | | | increase while self-publishing costs decrease, |
| house, they left the rest of the crowd hungry for | | | | another attractive combination. |
| a glimpse of the inner sanctum. With the | | | | Not everyone who publishes his or her own |
| introduction of self-publishing, however, members | | | | writing does it solely for the bank account, either. |
| of the crowd who are willing to take a small | | | | Writing has long been recognized as a significant |
| financial risk may today not only catch that | | | | expression of creativity, a source of intrinsic |
| glimpse, but enter through a side door to find | | | | satisfaction. In business venues, employers |
| their own chance of success. | | | | continue to seek staff that is skilled in technical |
| And traditional publishing has been forced to keep | | | | communication, internally commissioning |
| up with the times, as well. With competition from | | | | well-written training resources geared toward |
| non-traditional and new media-published sources, | | | | specific company needs. |
| even conventional writers no longer sit back and | | | | No matter the reason, written communication |
| idly wait for the royalty check to appear in the | | | | demands are increasing in our high-tech world. For |
| mailbox. Once a book has been accepted by a | | | | the many voices waiting to be heard, |
| publisher, its author is expected to do a great deal | | | | self-publishing may well be the answer. |
| of the marketing himself. Book signings, personal | | | | |