2012: the year of self-publishing
In the publishing industry, 2012, we think, will be remembered as the year of self-publishing.
That鈥檚 because at a time when bookstores 鈥� mainstream and indie 鈥� are struggling to stay open and when top publishing houses are scrambling to keep footing in a rapidly changing industry, there is one bright spot in the publishing industry: self-publishing.
The latest evidence of self-publishing鈥檚 ascendency? New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani, one of the country鈥檚 most influential, and often scathing, critics, chose as one of her favorite books of the year, a landmark moment for self-publishing.
Sharing shelf space with Michael Chabon, Dave Eggers, and Oliver Sacks on Kakatuni鈥檚 most prized picks of the year is Alan Sepinwall鈥檚 鈥淭he Revolution Was Televised: The Cops, Crooks, Slingers and Slayers Who Changed TV Drama Forever.鈥� Sepinwall, a TV blogger, self-published the book in November after failing to catch the interest of a traditional publisher. It鈥檚 a critical analysis of hit TV dramas like 鈥�The Sopranos,鈥� 鈥�Mad Men,鈥� and 鈥�24,鈥� which, Sepinwall argues, have transformed the TV landscape and allowed TV to 鈥渟tep out from the shadow of the cinema.鈥澛�
In her review of the book, Kakatuni, known as one of the country鈥檚 toughest critics, called the 鈥淭he Revolution鈥� 鈥渆ngaging ... smart [and] observant.鈥�
Since being picked up by the New York Times, adds the UK鈥檚 Guardian, "The Revolution Was Televised" 鈥渋s currently number one on Amazon.com鈥檚 鈥榯elevision鈥� chart, and has picked up adulatory write-ups in ...."
Of course, this is simply the latest example of self-publishing鈥檚 ascendancy, but it鈥檚 certainly not the first, nor, we think, the last. In fact, points out NPR, self-publishing has enjoyed a remarkably rapid rise from last-rate reputation to best-seller status.
鈥淭hey used to call it the 鈥榲anity press,鈥� and the phrase itself spoke volumes,鈥� said NPR鈥檚 Lynn Neary in a recent broadcast. 鈥淪elf-published authors were considered not good enough to get a real publishing contract. They had to pay to see their book in print. But with the advent of e-books, self-publishing has exploded, and a handful of writers have had huge best-sellers.鈥�
Writers like Amanda Hocking, the 20-something writer who was rejected by so many publishing houses that she sailed right past them 鈥� and straight up the record books when her self-published supernatural romances hit 1 million-plus in sales.
And John Locke, the 60-something businessman-turned-thriller writer who has sold more than 1 million Kindle e-books. And Hugh Howey, whose self-published tales of life after the apocalypse have garnered him hundreds of thousands of fans.
It鈥檚 no wonder self-published books have almost tripled in production since 2008, making up 43 percent of print titles released in 2011, as the Monitor鈥檚 Molly Driscoll wrote in a blog post this fall.
In fact, so promising does self-publishing now appear, one of the country鈥檚 publishing giants, Simon & Schuster, recently teamed up with a self-publishing company to create a self-publishing imprint. That鈥檚 like the Boston Red Sox joining forces with Smalltown Little League.
NYT critic Kakatuni鈥檚 decision to include a self-published book in her list of the year鈥檚 best reads? As the put it, it鈥檚 just 鈥渢he cherry on the cake for a stellar year for self-publishing."
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.
