Here’s a question you need to ask yourself.
“Why the hell should I listen to Steve?”
It’s especially important as I talk about digital distribution and publishing over the next few days. I think I have something a little bit different to say. My questions (and possible solutions) are not quite like everyone else’s. But I’m only a fledgling writer, and – as far as most of you know – I’m just some guy on the Internet. So here’s my bona fides, in no particular order:
- I have started (and continue to run) a successful business before in a virtual environment.[LINK]
- I am a fledgling writer – but I’m not a complete noob, either.
- I am not beholden to any particular model of publishing. I want to identify the most successful model. Period.
- I have real friends who are authors and in publishing. This conversation is not academic to them.
- I have training in economics – which is not the same thing as business training. I was also one of the folks openly predicting both the housing collapse and foreign investment problems years before they hit.
- I’m not a front-line trendspotter. I do stand only a few steps back from them, often identifying fads just behind the early adopters.
All those are fine and good – but they’re not the most important reason you should take me seriously. That’s this:
I am not going to tell you a certain solution is the best one.
That’s something you have to decide. I’m providing some additional information towards that purpose. Your comments are, of course, welcomed.