Quote:
Originally Posted by ProfCrash
In the future we are going to see businesses set up where they offer various levels of services for the independent author. The most basic level would be simple proof reading and formating. Clean up the errors and format the e-book so that when it is sold it is in good shape.
The second level will be proof reading, formating, and editing. The author gets some feedback and can make the changes they are comfortable with.
The third level will be proof reading, formatting, editing, and help with marketing. The company would find websites to advertise on and maybe some print ads.
If more of the popular authors go this route then I can see them looking for exclusive deals with specific companies. Amazon is the largest bookstore with an international audience. Signing an exclusive agreement with Amazon would probably get the authors a large chunk of the profits and would give them access to the international market. It is not a bad move for the author and a great move for Amazon.
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Maybe I shouldn't've been, but I was surprised a couple of days ago to learn that Amazon was partnering with another company (whose name I can't remember) to offer to take the e-books that authors uploaded to the DTP site and make them into print books to be sold on Amazon. I think that's really kind of huge....
It would be my hope that the services you mention above would be sold separately, rather than as different levels of service bundled together. It would be nice if authors had easy access to editing so that more good material could be produced. I personally think one of the big things that gets shortchanged in the e-book process (under the instant publishing model, anyway) is the revision process. Every writer needs a critical eye on his/her work, and it's not good when first drafts get put up for sale, which I think might be what happens, in some cases.