IWSG: Staying Up-to-Date

It's the first Wednesday of the month, and time for members of the Insecure Writer's Support Group to share their writerly insecurities. The group was started by Alex J. Cavanaugh, and those interested in joining in can visit www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com for more information.

Last month, the IWSG celebrated its three-year anniversary, and members were asked to contribute between 200 and 1000 words to The IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond, a guidebook for writers. At the time, I wasn't too sure I had anything worth contributing. But following some comments stating otherwise, I have decided to put down a few words.

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Title: List of websites with information on Digital Publishing
Category: Publishing
Bio: Michael Abayomi, author of the epic fantasy series, Guardians & The Lost Paradise
Permission: I hereby give permission for this post to be used in the IWSG guidebook.

Since the advent of the ebook revolution, the publishing industry has faced more challenges than at any other time in its history. The big publishing houses and small presses alike have been forced to reevaluate their place in the supply chain between readers and writers.

Writers can now choose to bypass the so-called gatekeepers of traditional publishing, by self-publishing their books through platforms like Amazon’s KDP, or by having those books distributed to several platforms at a time by an e-distributor like Smashwords.

But there is a tradeoff; choosing to self-publish your book means that its success rests upon your shoulders alone. You would not only need to write the book, but ensure that it is properly edited, proofread and marketed too. Some of these activities, like editing and book cover design, can be outsourced to skilled professionals, but the chance remains that you would need to address the issue of marketing, to ensure that your book reaches its audience.

The digital publishing marketplace is constantly evolving. What might seem like a surefire way for you to reach readers today might not be so sure tomorrow. As a result, there is a need to keep informed about the latest developments and marketing strategies. What follows is a list of my favorite blogs and forums for staying up-to-date about such changes:

A Newbies Guide to Publishing
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com

Let’s Get Digital
http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com

Kboards Writers’ Café
http://www.kboards.com/index.php?board=60.0

Nathan Bransford
http://blog.nathanbransford.com

Dean Wesley Smith
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com

These websites cover more than just marketing strategies; they include information on just about everything you need to know about writing and publishing. They also serve as great places to connect with fellow writers, much like the IWSG. And although writing can be considered a solitary affair, it is these writers’ communities that make us feel less alone.

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So, there you have it, my contribution for The IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond, and just shy of the 300 word limit too. I hope it makes the cut and that, most importantly, it proves helpful to those that read it. Now, to the rest of you, have you visited any of the sites on my list? Also, what other sites would you include if you were making a list of your own?