Just read this in the Guardian newspaper: "Michiko Kakutani's choice of Alan Sepinwall's The Revolution Was Televised concludes a stellar year in self-publishing"
Yes, I read that too. Actually, I could see non fiction making the list over fiction, especially if you're cornering a market or offering something new but, to be honest, this author has an edge, having been in journalism for 14 years. Still , it's nice to hear!
Yes, but apparently he had tried to get trad published but had failed (so his experience didn't help him there). Good to see that not all self published stuff is rubbished though!
I only meant an edge as his being an experienced writer. I'd love to know the odds of how many self published people have sold articles, won some story contests, or have even put in some good years of writing, Vs how many people just get the self publishing bug and crank out a novel. And I mean crank. lol. I read a couple of self published books. One I loved but it had some glaring flaws. I wished the author had gone over the book with someone before publishing and smoothed them out.
Had to look up the book - but it doesn't surprise me he couldn't get it trade published. It's pretty much a niche book, with a much smaller target audience than would be profitable for a major publisher. In other words, exactly why many nonfiction books do well when self-published. (In fact, I'm putting it on my 'take a second look at' list. )
unfortunately, this author and his book don't fit the typical self-publishing-novelist model, so doesn't really relate in any way to the chances most here have of doing the same...