I just read this interesting article from Salon about self-publishing novels. Wargamers are a creative bunch and I expect there are many with their own ambitions, so I thought I'd share resources like this as I come across them. Here's another from CNET that I read the other day which covers many different ways to approach self-publishing ebooks specifically.
What I take away from these (and the excellent comments on the Salon article) is a couple of interesting key points:
- When self-publishing, you retain the rights to your work. You can publish the traditional way any time afterward.
- Books never go off shelves if published as ebooks. There is no need for them to be successful right away. They can earn you money for a long period of time.
- If you pursue traditional publishing later on, already profiting from your work can help in negotiations.
- It's still hard to be the success story that people focus too much on, but with hard work it more possible than ever to supplement your income with the hobby you love.
- You don't have to spend a fortune promoting. Find free and cheap avenues of promotion and be patient while working on the next book.
It's nice to see something encouraging on the very daunting business side of writing. There is a lot more to it than making the product. Even with good work finished in your hands, much more needs to be done to get any readers, not to mention getting some compensation for the effort. As I come across any other good articles like these, I'll share them.
I'd love to see any that you have seen if you have some to share. Heck, feel free to plug your work and share your experiences if you have a self-published title yourself.