Self-publishing is becoming an increasingly popular way for authors to get their work into print. While the practice was once thought of as less prestigious than being published by the "traditional" powerhouses of publishing, self-publishing has come to represent a viable alternative to the mainstream industry, and as a result, a new outlet for authors and SMEs supporting the industry to gain revenue.
New technologies have played a role in the rising popularity of self-publishing, with ebook titles seeing large increases alongside their paper-based counterparts.
In this live Q&A authors, self-publishing services and industry experts will discuss the business aspects of self-publishing and its potential as a primary source of income for authors. We'll also be exploring how SMEs are using their expertise to branch into publishing books to share their knowledge with industry peers and their target audience.
The Q&A will look at the process of self-publishing, with first-hand accounts from those who have embraced "authorpreneurialism" and the companies that offer self-publishing services to authors. Post your questions in the comments section below, tweet us at@GdnSmallBiz or join us live between 1pm and 2.30pm on Wednesday 18 June to chat directly with our panel.
Our panel
Daniel Cooke is managing director of New Generation Publishing, which offers support and a variety of services to self-published authors
Craig Pennington is editor-in-chief of Bido Lito!, an independent music magazine serving Liverpool and the north-west. He started the magazine in 2010
Eileen Gittens is chief executive of blurb.com, a self-publishing service with more than two million books already in print
Bridget Shine is chief executive of the Independent Publishers Guild, which looks after the interests of independent publishing companies and self-publishers
Hugh Howey is a self-publishing success story, whose initial decision to self-publish led to his first novel Wool becoming a science-fiction bestseller. It has since been optioned by Ridley Scott
Dan Dillon is director of product marketing at Lulu, an online self-publishing resource with more than 1.5m titles to its name so far
Neil Borg Olivier is head of school for Art, Design and Creative Media at West Cheshire College, and has experienced self-publishing through his magazine Get Back, first published in 2007
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