How Social Media Is Reshaping the Self Publishing Industry

[Approximate Reading Time : 4 mins]

Lots of things have transformed the publishing industry. For instance, the invention of the printing press meant that each copy of a book didn’t have to be handwritten. Hundreds of years later, e-book technology tore down the gatekeeping walls erected by publishers. Now, anyone who wanted to become a published author could.

Social media, too, is having its day. Here’s how.

Readers Have More of a Voice

Indie authors have especially benefited from social media, with many embracing it. A big reason is they learn directly from readers what kinds of books people want to read and what stories need to be told. Authors can get to work writing these stories and have them published in a much shorter time frame than traditional publishers could.

There are also groups for readers where they can share about books they’ve discovered. This word-of-mouth PR is invaluable for many authors’ sales.

Of course, there is the fact that readers and authors can connect directly, whether it’s over Twitter, Facebook or another platform. Just one or two personal exchanges with an author can be enough to hook a reader for life.

Before authors jump onto social media to promote their books, they should ensure their work is the best it can be. Is the cover professional? How about the editing? Does the story flow? If you need help with design, editing or formatting, turn to Amnet today.