Alternative publishing again

Now another possibility for new (and existing) writers has cropped up.  National TV in the UK has highlighted the website Unbound.  The concept is that authors and readers can cut out the middle men - the publisher, or I should say the traditional publisher - and get together direct.  The author tells you what he/she wants to write, you take part in funding it, and derive some benefits if the book reaches its financial target and is published, albeit in a limited edition.
The problem for naturally reticent authors, who do not like having to promote their own books in the traditional world as it is now, is that they have to 'pitch' their idea by way of a video clip.  I guess the more professional an author is at this stage, the better his/her chances.  But how good is an author at using the visual medium?  And isn't the likelihood that potential 'angels' (to use a theatrical term) will go for big names?  Terry Jones is already the flagship author trailing the site.
I wouldn't knock it though.  Any means of getting a work published that does not rely on the traditional process through major publishers, who are controlled by accountants, has got to be good.  Could this be another nail the big publishers' coffin?

Alternative publishing 2

My friend and fellow Medieval Murderer, Mike Jecks, has recently had some strong opinions to express about publishers.  He thinks they are on a self-destruct course as they are pushed into ever bigger discounts by the likes of Amazon.  All well and good, you might think, as more books are sold.  But as the publisher's margin per copy decreases, so does the author's, and increases in sales do not compensate.  Mike believes as authors we would be fools to continue using a middle man, like a publisher, when direct internet selling is possible.  Of course, we are all aware that places the onus on us writers to market our own books, as there is a huge slush pile of titles on Amazon, some good, some indifferent, most awful.  Most authors just want to write, and marketing is an uphill struggle.  I don't know what the solution is, but I am going to give it a try, so watch this space.
Oh, and go read Mike's blog - "writerlywitterings".

Alternative publishing

I have been looking into alternative ways of publishing recently.  There was a time when the only alternative to traditional publishing was so-called vanity publishing, and no self-respecting writer would travel that route if he or she wanted to be taken seriously.  Of course, things have changed radically.  Vanity publishing still exists as a way forward for people who want to see their book in hard-copy, and who can't get a publisher any other way.  But why bother with that route, expending your own money, when you can publish in the virtual world now?  Naturally, there are e-books, but they originally tended to come after a book had been published in hard-copy.  And print on demand is a route I have taken to get my older books republished.  All publishing systems piggy-backing on traditional publishing.
Now, though, the world of publishing has broken wide open with online publishing companies and self-publishing.  In the early days this would have merely been seen as a form of vanity publishing.  But no longer.  Manuscripts can be formatted and sold through Amazon now.  The problem remains the quality and quantity of self-published books.  Without sifting for quality and editing, many books available in this way can be dire, and the author of a good book can find his/her work lost in a sea of dross.  In the end, self-publishing presupposes self-marketing, and this is an area that many writers have had to undertake in the sphere of traditional publishing, but few actually relish.  Enter Facebook, Twitter, and author websites.  Oh, and author blogs, of course!