Last week we shared self-publishing predictions from Orna Ross and some of our ALLi Authors, and this week we're bringing you prediction insights from some of our ALLi Partner members.
These self-publising professionals have received the ALLi seal of approval through our Watchdog service. They are listed on our ALLi Service Ratings page here on this blog, and ALLi Members can view the full list of Partner deals and discounts available on the Find A Service menu in the Member Zone (login required).
ALLi Partner Predictions
Kelly Hart, author of Better Critiquing for Better Writing and the founder of Better Scribe.
Many indie authors have recognised the need to have a manuscript assessment before going ahead with traditional editing such as a line edit or comprehensive edit. This is where the structural elements of the manuscript are looked at and professional feedback given on strengths and weaknesses of the manuscript. This gives the author a chance to re-write the manuscript before going ahead with other editing. I can see this service becoming more popular in 2017 as the need for indie authors to publish multiple books means indie authors are looking for a way to fast track the critiquing process.
Follow on Twitter @BetterScribe
Aimee Coveney, Design Consultant at the Author Design Studio.
Indie authors are waking up to the fact that the cover of your book is your first sale attraction on the shelf or online for new readers, and branding is vital for existing readers to recognise a previously enjoyable author's work. As far as trends are concerned, I would predict that the trend for bold and simple will continue due to the flourishing ebook market for Indie's, but intricacy is coming back, and it will be great to work on something with detail again.
Follow on Twitter @authordesigner
Barb Drozdowich, websites designer and WordPress trainer at Bakerview Consulting.
A lot of what I do is helping authors with technology – either teaching or simply doing if they have no interest or no time to learn.
I see a lot more websites hacked or frequently under attack – mostly because authors don't really understand how to make their site safe. Hacking is a crime of opportunity – just like breaking into an unlocked car to steal something in plain view. Many non-technical authors don't really understand what is required or perhaps don't understand that they don't need to be famous to be hacked.
The second area that I see a lot of growth in is the ability to automate as much as possible. Time is limited and authors are trying to figure out how they can do it all within the 24 hours/day we are given.
Follow on Twitter @sugarbeatbc
Dane Low, co-founders of eBook Launch.
The trends we see for 2017 is that professional formatting, book cover design and editing are now must-haves. Readers were more forgiving of amateur covers several years ago, but now the expectation is that your book should have a professional design if it is to be taken seriously.
A sentiment that is echoed in this DCL and Bowker survey.
Follow on Twitter @Ebook_Launch
Scarlett Rugers runs The Design House (formerly the Scarlett Rugers Book Design Agency).
I think the biggest impact to indie authors in 2017 is going to be self-investment. The standards of self-publishing are competing with the traditional publishers, the scales are tipping, and this is all thanks to authors. Authors investing in themselves as any publisher would, by hiring the best editors, designers, readers. This next year will really show how self-publishing is now being recognized as a business, not just a home-grown operation. Authors are becoming business people.
Follow on Twitter @thebookdesignr
Laurence O'Bryan, author and founder of BooksGoSocial.com, and the founder of the The Dublin Writers Conference.
Author Teams will be the trend of 2017. That's authors working together to counter the push by traditional publishing to cut into the indie market by dominating BookBub and Amazon deals with .99c books from their back lists.
There's a titanic struggle going on for the future of publishing, but it's all in such slow motion it's hard to see. Don't be the frog waiting as the water boils. Join a team!
Follow on Twitter @YourNewBooks
Cindy Rinaman Marsch, editor and proofreader at Moraine's Edge Books.
I believe more independent authors will realize the value of editing even AFTER they first publish. A few negative or mixed reviews aren't the end of the world – they can point authors in the right direction. With self-publishing, do-overs are possible, and a great idea! Books, like people, can improve.
Follow on Twitter @CindyRMarsch
Eliza Dee, freelance editor at Clio Editing.
I definitely think indie authors are becoming more aware of the need for professional editing. As self-publishing has grown and the pool of indie titles has expanded, readers have more choice and have become more vocal about demanding quality. Gone are the days when readers would accept poorly edited titles because of the lower price points of indie publishing.
Two or three years ago, I worked with many authors who had started self-publishing without an editor and either wanted their already-published books edited (only after receiving many complaints) or wanted only their new titles edited. Today, most of my new clients are either new authors who want to start off with the best editing they can find or experienced authors who are switching editors. Far fewer of them are putting out self-edited titles and hoping to gain traction with them.
Follow on Twitter @ClioEditing
Richard Andrews, Developmental Editor Totally Edited
I received a heart-warming testimonial from a client late last year that leads me to believe that independent authors, even first time ones, are growing to appreciate the respectful feedback an editor can offer. Fluster and bluster can offend and is actually counter-productive. In contrast, really listening, building on strengths and providing constructive comments was valued.
Christina Henry de Tessan, VP of Editorial at Girl Friday Productions.
With the explosive growth of self-publishing services, we’re seeing greater differentiation among the different models. This is exciting, but it also means that it’s more important than ever that authors be clear about their objectives, do their homework, and ask lots of questions to ensure that they’re going to get what they want from the experience. For instance, we spend a lot of time clarifying the different types of editing—developmental, line editing and, copyediting—and explaining the purpose and value of each stage. Authors shouldn’t be scared to ask what kind of edit they can expect to receive and to make sure that editor is familiar with their genre and the right person for the job.
Authors are becoming better educated about the self-publishing landscape. They are beginning to understand that it costs money to create a professional-quality final product that they will be proud of. There are more people approaching us with a serious mindset, who understand the value of having an industry professional handle the process. More of them are looking to invest in an editorial and production team that knows their particular genre inside and out, what the trends are, and how to help position their book for maximum success.
With more titles flooding the market than ever before, quality is becoming an increasingly important differentiator, and more authors understand that it’s worth investing in that extra editorial pass if they want to stand out from the crowd and build a loyal following.
It’s becoming clearer which books stand the greatest chance of succeeding with the self-publishing model. We encourage authors to take the long view. Their first book may simply be laying the groundwork as they build their audience; the second might break even; and future books will all build on those first two. A carefully considered long-term strategy can really pay off in the long run.
Obviously, social media is an ever-changing beast, and it can be hard to stay ahead of it. But if authors want to self-publish successfully, they need to be prepared to devote a considerable—and consistent!—amount of time to the care and nurturing of their platform. To get the most out of the time they devote to it, they need to spend time researching the competition, know where to find their audience, and understand that there’s more to social media than self-promotion.
Follow on Twitter @GirlFridayProd
Kim Macleod offers Author Publishing Services and Community support at Indie Author World
We are already seeing authors taking a greater interest in working with other authors to help with marketing and sharing resources. We anticipate this growing through 2017 as Indie Author communities continue to grow and endeavour to harness the power of working collaboratively.
Business acumen is also growing as more writers think as the publisher and embrace the need to see their books as a product to sell. We can see more business co-ops developing as writers seek new ways to grow their businesses.
We also anticipate more interest in personal development and success mindsets for authors as they seek new ways to keep their creativity flowing while juggling all the business aspects of being an entrepreneurial Indie Author. Staying focused using mindfulness, using visualisation with goal setting, developing mind gym strategies to stay in the flow and incorporating positive psychology practices to manage stress and push to new levels of success. As author’s aspirations for success increase (having seen what is possible with some high profile writers) this could really be the year that we see more Indie Authors achieving high growth.
Follow on Twitter @IndiAuthorWorld
Ali Dewji, Marketing Director I_AM Self-PublishingVideo is going to become a bigger part of digital marketing, and smart authors are going to be capitalising on this in 2017. Cisco projects that global Internet traffic from videos will make up 80% of all internet traffic by 2019. Think about that for a moment – video is taking over the Internet. That's a lot of potential opportunity for authors! People are busy and would rather watch 30 seconds of video than scan a long article or blog post. Authors ahead of the pack are already thinking about how they can use video content to promote their brand and their books. A shareable promotional trailer is a must, but I think we'll see clued-up authors using video for author interviews, pre-recorded webinars, demonstrations (for non-fiction authors) and more…”
Leila Dewji, Editorial Director I_AM Self-Publishing.
Indies will increasingly see publishing their work as a business. More and more, they will have a team of professionals, a business plan, and some serious marketing ideas in place before they self-publish. I also think there will be a rise in small businesses, consultants and experts self-publishing books to give them authority on their specialist subject – people who never traditionally thought of writing books now see how it can help them position themselves professionally. In the last few months I've worked with all sorts of experts working on their debut non-fiction titles from boxers to stylists”
Follow on Twitter @iamselfpub
Margaret Hunter, Daisy Editorial
Over the past year I have seen a number of independent authors coming to me for a ‘proper' copy-edit after poor experiences with cheaper services, or in some cases after receiving bad reviews. That's good because it shows authors are recognising that (a) editing is a vital part of the publishing process and (b) it's a professional skill that takes time and care, so it can backfire to skip it or skimp. My tip for 2017 is to do some research to really understand what's involved in the whole process of producing your book, including the several rounds of editing and proofreading it will need. Writing it is only the start!
Follow on Twitter @daisyeditorial
Thanks to the partner members who contributed to our Predictions post.
But what are your self-publishing predictions for 2017? Leave us a comment below and join in the conversation.
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Authors are definitely seeing themselves as business people if they want to succeed in this field. Running a business and being a writer are inherently creative activities and can complement each other.
Self-publishing is a business. I think more and more indie writers are coming to realise that. If you’re not prepared to invest time and money in your business, any business, it’s not going to succeed. Professional editing and cover design are vital parts of the development of your “product”. if you omit them your work is going to look increasingly amateurish next to those indie authors who are going the extra mile, let alone traditionally published books.