Bona Fides

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.