Self-Publishing and POD: Alternate Publishing Goes Mainstream

Now that Amazon, Barnes & Noble and mainstream publishers have created self-publishing units, this formerly ¿alternative¿ content creation and delivery platform is now becoming an important publishing format. Publishing companies routinely look to self-published books to discover the next bestseller, and also recognize the power of self-published authors to reach a wide audience and promote their own works through social media. In addition, many self-publishing companies such as Lulu, Smashwords and iUniverse are currently competing with mainstream publishers. This course examines the self-publishing and POD business model and explores topics such as how agents and editors utilize this entrepreneurial market; setting up and growing a self-publishing unit in a mainstream publishing or retail company; best practices for content creation and distribution in self-publishing; available technology and support systems; the role of social media in promoting self-published works and reaching reader communities; as well as jobs in the self-publishing field and how to find them. While this course provides valuable information for those interested in self-publishing their own work, it is primarily intended for students who see this as a major growth area within publishing and who may seek positions in the self-publishing arena.