source: http://publishingandprinting.pricesstop.com/2010/05/20/self-publishing-voice-of-the-future/

By: Martin Alan

Once upon a time, “vanity publishing” was the only option suggested – along with pitying glances – to the novice writer who found it difficult to break into print. However, as technology and the demand for electronic print advance, self-publishing is quickly losing its former stigma. From the corporate halls to the artistic world, more people are writing as part of their jobs, and part of their lives. In general, texting and e-mail have replaced a significant amount of verbal conversation and personal interaction, highlighting an increasing need for the written word. Self-publishing currently fills some of that need, and has the potential to satisfy much, much more.

When first conceived, print-on-demand or other self-publishing expressions were snubbed by the elite of the publishing industry. Traditionally, a comparative handful of authors, certainly talented but by no means exclusive, were chosen from among the vast clamour of would-be writers. Lucky enough to be discovered by a publishing house, they left the rest of the crowd hungry for a glimpse of the inner sanctum. With the introduction of self-publishing, however, members of the crowd who are willing to take a small financial risk may today not only catch that glimpse, but enter through a side door to find their own chance of success.

And traditional publishing has been forced to keep up with the times, as well. With competition from non-traditional and new media-published sources, even conventional writers no longer sit back and idly wait for the royalty check to appear in the mailbox. Once a book has been accepted by a publisher, its author is expected to do a great deal of the marketing himself. Book signings, personal website maintenance, and endorsement-hunting are only a few of the promotions that the writer must employ, regardless of where the book is published. Because of this, the concept of self-publishing has become more appealing to the business-savvy writer: as long as he is required to promote his own book anyway, he may as well front some of the production costs in order to take home a lot more pieces of the pie when his potential bestseller takes off.

Non-conventional printing, officially recognized by the industry or not, is growing. This is due in part to its ease and availability. In thirty minutes or less, a free blog or personal website can be created and ready for perusal by friends, family, co-workers, or anyone else with an internet connection. If more formal acknowledgment with payment is desired, the number of publishers offering non-traditional services to both new writers and seasoned authors continues to increase while self-publishing costs decrease, another attractive combination.

Not everyone who publishes his or her own writing does it solely for the bank account, either. Writing has long been recognized as a significant expression of creativity, a source of intrinsic satisfaction. In business venues, employers continue to seek staff that is skilled in technical communication, internally commissioning well-written training resources geared toward specific company needs.

No matter the reason, written communication demands are increasing in our high-tech world. For the many voices waiting to be heard, self-publishing may well be the answer.

Martin Alan enjoys writing on subjects such as literature, online publishing, digital magazine, publishing software and writes guides on how to self publish. He also enjoys keeping up-to-date with the latest developments and innovations in technology and online marketing.

For more information on online publishing click here; http://www.yudu.com.

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