The Future of Vanity and Mainstream Publications.

I read a blog recently about self publishing that drove me a little nuts. There was an argument about whether or not calling yourself "independently published", in regards to your publishing status, is an accurate description of being self-published or yet another "vanity" term for the self-published to "try to" legitimize themselves. There was even an accusation that those calling themselves "Independents" were trying to sneak out from under the stigma of the title "Self Published".

It was a good argument but a bit pointless in my opinion.
Why?

The book industry is changing dramatically. There is no arguing that. Regardless of your "side" in the Independent Publication debate, we're all playing a little guessing game as to what will be acceptable in the future. One thing I'm sure of is this debate will be taken to a different level when selling copies of your book on your blog in lieu of selling through an epublisher will be considered the new "vanity" publication.

When the ease of becoming epublished was brought up, I bristled a bit. "Epubbing isn't considered legitimate publication."

I would have agreed with that even two years ago. Because I didn't look towards the future. I love print books! I want to see my name on paper. But maybe that won't ever happen...

I would say whatever stigma once surrounding epublishing is dripping off the toe of the literary world as we come out of the delusion pool. With the introduction of Kindle and other similar readers, we're seeing a shift in acceptance.

We live in an A.D.D world now and patience is a virtue of yesterday. "I want a book and I want it now! I'm going to download it."

This mentality could also lead to self-E-published success in the future. "I'm going to read what I want, not just what is published by the big companies, but what is suggested on pages like authonomy.com and others like it because I want to decide what I like! Me! Me! Me!"

Downloading whatever we want to see or hear to our phones and ipods, watching TV and movies on Internet streams over laptops...these are the growing trends in all things medial. Ebooks are no different.

So who cares about self-published authors putting out their books in print?

The revolution from print to ereaders cometh. Pick up the debate afterwards and attack Blogging sellers. ::grins::

I've heard a lot of claims that there is no truth to how close this revolution is, but already you see B&N making some changes and epubs standing firmly through the economic BS going on these days.

Print may stand for a few more years, sure. But as I ready my epub book release with flash drives I can give out at "signings" with my work on it, I'm just hoping I can get one of my books in print before they stop making them in the future. And I do see that happening. Because in truth, my friends, I don't see my little cousins (who are glued to all things electronic) putting down their devices to pick up a book that doesn't let them receive txt messages while they read or have an interactive game included.

Just my .02 as to why it is pointless to argue the pronunciation of potato over vanity print publishing.

::Grins:: Sorry! I was all over the place with this one.

Best,
Allure