The Future of Publishing is Now
With so much buzz around ebooks and self-publishing IsaKFT answers some questions about the future of publishing and tools for writers.
Q: What challenges do authors have in using tech? A: Writers tend to be vulnerable to all sort of biases that might adoption of tech very difficult. As an author you try to capture an accurate picture of people and society, you have to be observant. Sometimes writers can confuse observant for omniscient and assume that something they've observed in the same situation everywhere. That creates a lot of problems.
Q: The internet is changing the way writers groups are run, do you still believe they are bad environments for aspiring authors?A: Yes because people have been experimenting with online writers groups for a decade and they all have followed the same path: an initial surge of interest and quality but ultimately your only dealing with self-interested writers. The scale of these models wear down even the most dedicated beta readers. Plus you're not getting the opinions of people who actually might buy your work
Q: Should a writer ignore everyone's opinion then? A: No, everyone's opinion matters. But you should definitely consider the motivations and agendas of the person reviewing your work. Try to find people who enjoy your genre, because those will be the most valuable opinions.
Q: How can the internet help? A: The internet still allows you to connect with people of similar interests. Especially now, there are so many writing projects springing up to help writers find readers and connect with them.
Q: Should writers self-publish? A: It depends. If you're looking for an income to support yourself definitely not, but then if you're looking for that you probably shouldn't be publishing period. But self-publishing can give you control you wouldn't otherwise have. Sometimes the restrictions of a former publisher are good, sometimes you don't want that.
Q: What challenges do authors have in using tech? A: Writers tend to be vulnerable to all sort of biases that might adoption of tech very difficult. As an author you try to capture an accurate picture of people and society, you have to be observant. Sometimes writers can confuse observant for omniscient and assume that something they've observed in the same situation everywhere. That creates a lot of problems.
Q: The internet is changing the way writers groups are run, do you still believe they are bad environments for aspiring authors?A: Yes because people have been experimenting with online writers groups for a decade and they all have followed the same path: an initial surge of interest and quality but ultimately your only dealing with self-interested writers. The scale of these models wear down even the most dedicated beta readers. Plus you're not getting the opinions of people who actually might buy your work
Q: Should a writer ignore everyone's opinion then? A: No, everyone's opinion matters. But you should definitely consider the motivations and agendas of the person reviewing your work. Try to find people who enjoy your genre, because those will be the most valuable opinions.
Q: How can the internet help? A: The internet still allows you to connect with people of similar interests. Especially now, there are so many writing projects springing up to help writers find readers and connect with them.
Q: Should writers self-publish? A: It depends. If you're looking for an income to support yourself definitely not, but then if you're looking for that you probably shouldn't be publishing period. But self-publishing can give you control you wouldn't otherwise have. Sometimes the restrictions of a former publisher are good, sometimes you don't want that.