The self-publishing or e-publishing revolution has gone full force and there is no denying that it has had a great impact on how publishers and literary agents conduct business today. How does the new trend in self-publishing affect literary agents and publishers?
There used to be a stigma against self-publishing. But with the success of self-published and e-published authors like Tim Ferriss, Hugh Howey, and Iain Rob Wright, power has shifted. Big publishing houses can no longer count on controlling authors and the industry. Aspiring authors can now completely forego the process of having to deal with a publishing house. The new trend in self-publishing affects literary agents in many ways. Detailed here are just a few of the effects of self-publishing on literary agents:
1. It is business as usual
For literary agents who were able to spot the self-publishing trend years ago, self-publishing isn’t a threat. There is no single “best way” to publish a book. For some writers, traditional publishing is the only way to go. For some, e-publishing is the more effective way to distribute their works to the reading public. There will always be enough writers to fill the gap created by those who choose to self-publish.
2: They compromise and offer e-publishing services
A lot of highly regarded literary agents have adjusted their business models to accommodate authors who want to e-publish. For example, literary agent Steven Axelrod of the Axelrod Agency represents Amanda Hocking, the young e-published author of paranormal romance who earned millions from her Watersong series and Trylle trilogy.
3. It is a signal of the need for change
The literary movement to self-publish through e-publishing and even print self-publishing is a wake-up call for literary agents and the publishing industry. Without them, the question arises as to who really determines whether a book is good or not. Publishers are known to screen manuscript samples before they agree to publish. Some of them even encroach on the realm of the writer and “order” changes in the book’s content to attract their particular niche or target market segment.
Self-publishing actually allows the audience or the readers to choose which reading materials they want to download. E-publishing has probably released a whole lot of bad books into the world, but there have certainly been a lot of great self-published books too. The implications of this new found capability and freedom to publish without the need for literary agents is something that agents and publishers alike need to think about if they want to stay in the business.
There is no doubt about it; self-publishing has changed the game. In general, this trend is something that literary agents have to observe, study, and perhaps even adopt. Some agents have chosen to offer e-publishing services while some continue to stick with traditional publishing. It can be said that if literary agents don’t roll with this trend, it can be a threat to them. However, not all literary agents are affected. Some were smart enough to have seen this coming years ago; some just continue to be their writers' best supporters. These are the ones who succeed in the business.
