Traditional Publishers…They’re, like, So Last Year

Over the past couple of years, I’ve had this eerie feeling that I’m witnessing firsthand the end of an era. The era of authors needing traditional print publishers in order to break into the business. Every time I’ve asked the question of whether e-publishing will eventually take the place of print books, I get the same answer: NEVER!

I hope that’s true. I would hate to give up the book buying experience. It’s as calming to me as an hour-long bubble bath. But the explosion of e-publishing isn’t the only threat to the brick and mortar publishing houses dotted along Manhattan’s Madison Avenue. Self- and small-press publishing is also changing the face of the industry.

We've all heard the stories of previously self-published authors hitting it big. Heavy hitters like E. Lynn Harris and Zane got their feet wet by self-publishing their first novels. But those are special cases, right? They're not the norm, are they?

Maybe not, but with better distribution through the Internet, it's much easier for non-traditionally published authors to get their books in the hands of readers. A savvy marketing plan and strong network of friends willing to spread the word can do more good for a self-published author than a two-person PR department with a hundred authors on their list can do for a "traditionally" published author.

It's time to face the facts. Being published in the "traditional" way isn't the only way anymore.

What do you think? Is traditional publishing becoming a thing of the past?