Published: March 18, 2011
Words: 34,540 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781458130297

Short description

Bestselling authors J.A. Konrath and Barry Eisler discuss ebooks, self-publishing, and the future of the industry, in this 25,000 word dialog.

Extended description

Sure, the advent of digital books is the most significant development in publishing since Gutenberg. But what does digital mean really, for agents, publishers, and most of all, for authors? What will the industry look like tomorrow, and what should authors be doing to properly position themselves today?

Examining the history and mechanics of the publishing industry as it exists today, the way the digital revolution reflects recent events in Egypt and the Maghreb, and a completely inappropriate YouTube video featuring a randy monkey and an unlucky frog, bestselling authors (and friends) J.A. Konrath and Barry Eisler show in this 35,000 word online discussion that digital isn't just the future, it's right now.

Konrath, a pioneer in self-publishing, is now making over a half-million dollars a year through his self-published books, and Eisler just turned down a half-million dollar deal from one of the Big 6 NYC publishers to self-publish his latest novel. To find out why and what .. (Read more) Sure, the advent of digital books is the most significant development in publishing since Gutenberg. But what does digital mean really, for agents, publishers, and most of all, for authors? What will the industry look like tomorrow, and what should authors be doing to properly position themselves today?

Examining the history and mechanics of the publishing industry as it exists today, the way the digital revolution reflects recent events in Egypt and the Maghreb, and a completely inappropriate YouTube video featuring a randy monkey and an unlucky frog, bestselling authors (and friends) J.A. Konrath and Barry Eisler show in this 35,000 word online discussion that digital isn't just the future, it's right now.

Konrath, a pioneer in self-publishing, is now making over a half-million dollars a year through his self-published books, and Eisler just turned down a half-million dollar deal from one of the Big 6 NYC publishers to self-publish his latest novel. To find out why and what it all means for you, read on.

Please feel free to repost all or any portion of this discussion with attribution and a link back to the authors.

About the authors

Joe Konrath is the author of more than twenty novels and hundreds of short stories, written under the names J.A. Konrath (the Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels series), Jack Kilborn (Afraid, Trapped, Endurance, Draculas), and Joe Kimball (Timecaster.) Joe has a lot of names, apparently. He began self-publishing on Kindle in April, 2009. As of March, 2011, he's sold over 200,000 ebooks. On his blog, A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, he has chronicled his writing journey. You can visit him at www.JAKonrath.com.

Barry Eisler spent three years in a covert position with the CIA's Directorate of Operations, then worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earning his black belt at the Kodokan International Judo Center along the way. Eisler's bestselling thrillers have won the Barry Award and the Gumshoe Award for Best Thriller of the Year, have been included in numerous "Best Of" lists, and have been translated into nearly twenty languages. The first book in Eisler's John Rain series, Rain Fall, is now a minor motion picture (kidding, it’s reasonably major) starring Gary Oldman. Eisler lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and, when he's not writing novels, blogs about torture, civil liberties, and the rule of law. You can find out more on his website, friend him on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter. He was also in the movie Freakonomics, which he forgot to tell Joe.
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Tags

ebooks, amazon, kindle, self publishing, jack kilborn, jack daniels, konrath, epub, nook, traditional publishing, epublish, etailer, barry eisler, john rain, big 6

Available ebook reading formats

This book is free. How to download ebooks to e-reading devices and apps.

Format	Full Book
Online Reading (HTML, good for sampling in web browser)	View
Kindle (.mobi for Kindle devices and Kindle apps)	Download
Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others)	Download
PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing)	Download
RTF (readable on most word processors)	Download
LRF (Use only for older model Sony Readers that don't support .epub)	Download
Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices)	Download
Plain Text (download) (flexible, but lacks much formatting)	Download
Plain Text (view) (viewable as web page)	View

Reviews

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Review by: Melinda McGuire on July 07, 2011 :
Thanks to Konrath and Eisler for sharing this and making it free! It is inspirational to read the discussion between the two of them about the future publishing -print vs. digital - and the role that all parties will play in that publishing: writers, editors, publishers, distributors. I am taking notes! Thanks for saving many of us from having to reinvent the wheel.
(review of free book)

Review by: Cyn Bagley on April 25, 2011 :
I have been a faithful consumer of Konrath's blog "A Newbies Guide to Publishing" for a few years. So when I had a chance to read some more advice by Konrath, I grabbed the opportunity.

This ebook contains the best advice yet for new, struggling, and even established writers, which is self-pub on digital publishers.

These are the same arguments that finally convinced me to look for "Smashwords" (I don't have the time to convince the gateway keepers due to my illness, I don't have the temperament to cater to an editor, and the books I liked have taken a long time to get to the books stores.) I supported people like LKH and Simon Greene long before they became popular.

So even though there seemed to be beer involved with writing this interview, it was very concise and clear. It made my arguments and added a few more, which I have been spouting off to my husband.

And not only is this ebook full of personal knowledge from successful authors, it is also a fun read.
(review of free book)

Review by: Alan Edwards on March 29, 2011 :
IF you've ever raised welts from trying to bang your head through the wall of Mainstream Publishing, you need to read this. If you've pondered the idea of self-publishing but think it will destroy your chances of becoming a successful author, you need to read this. If you love to write and just want to let other people read what you've put together, you need to read this. And it's free.

This dialogue from two established authors about the effects of the digital age and the rapid rise of e-books and e-readers will open your eyes and change your outlook about the potential marketability of your work, and inform you about the eciting changes in the industry, to the benefit of authors everywhere. Do yourself a favor, and read this witty exchange of viewpoints from two men who have been through the publishing world. I guarantee, you will learn something.
(review of free book)

Review by: Coral Russell on March 22, 2011 :
An established author turns down half a million dollars from a major publishing house to go Indie... And with this eBook we have front row seats!

Most interesting read I've seen in a while.
(review of free book)

Review by: Allan R. Wallace on March 19, 2011 :
Dynamite! As if erosion had not done enough damage to that Dam old publishing model, these renegades blow it up and release a flood. I've a new title for this e-book, "Tears of New York."
(review of free book)

Review by: Paul Swearingen on March 19, 2011 :
Joe and Barry tell it like it is with self-publishing. Now, I don't regret at all self-publishing my first five titles on Smashwords, and I really appreciate the positive boost I received by reading this FREE ebook!
(review of free book)

Review by: NetBound Publishing on March 19, 2011 :
This is an eye-opening book. If you're still on the fence about digital self-publishing,then this is a must read. These are authors that are successful in the e-book market, helping light the road they've already travelled for those of us that follow. Thanks for caring enough to pass it along.
(review of free book)

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