E Books Galore...For the Little Guys, Too!

       Well, first off I think an apology is in order.  I started this blog with the intention of adding a new post every day or every other day....obviously I have been slacking.  Life seems to keep getting in the way of what I want to do, but I will be better about adding new content on a more regular basis.

       So!  If you haven't heard, which you may not have if you are living under a rock, e books are the new it item.  Gone are the days of an author only using traditional publishing to get his work out there, and gone are the days of having a bookstore on every corner (sad as it is).  There is a silver lining here, though, and it is that it is much easier for new authors, like myself, to get their work out to people who want to read.

       Newly-emerged  book giant Amazon, tried-and-true seller Barnes and Noble, and even independent bookstores are offering electronic books.  I was pleased when I learned that independent stores now have the ability to offer e books.  Did you know that?  I didn't until recently.  In fact, it wasn't even possible till recently, but thanks to those crafty bastards at Google, it is now.  Here is a cool article with more on that.

       With so many options out there, it's difficult to know what to think from a reader's perspective, and I think even more so, from a writer's perspective.  Having just picked up a Kindle for Christmas, I'm still experimenting with this frontier as a reader, but liking what I have seen so far!  In fact, my last blog post was posted from my Kindle.

       The trickier part; however, comes when you look at it through a writer's eyes.  Every author, published or not, would like to think that their work is the best around, even if it is clearly not.  Vain?  Yes.  Let's move on, people.  Despite what we think of our work, the truth is that a traditional publisher (i.e. Random House) might not want to touch that book with a ten foot pole, or it might be fantastic, just not their cup of tea.  So, what do you do, crawl under the covers feeling sorry for yourself?  Most likely yes, but afterward, you should look into e books.  It is a weird time for the industry of writing, but also exciting.  Personally, I am looking into the possibility of putting my work on the internet, for sale on sites such as Amazon, as a way of garnering attention.  Like from you folks, my loyal 10 viewers a day (thanks for reading!).

        Moral of the story?  Readers: enjoy the many options you have, whether it be the Kindle, Nook, or other tablet.  Writers:......research your options and cross your fingers.  Drinking more probably helps as well.

Cheers!