Support Your Local Self-Published Author

They’re innovative, imaginative and creative storytellers who take the challenge of writing designing, distributing and promoting their own literature. Who are these pioneers of the pen? Self-published authors.

As a self-published author I buy other self-published authors’ books. Why? Because self-published writers are the future of the publishing.

Self-published authors introduce different ideas to reading audiences. In non-fiction self-published writers write about specialized topics in science, entertainment and history. That biography about an obscure historical figure? Produced by a self-published author. That book about a rare event in history? Written by a self-published author. A book about how to pick up ladies? Written by a self-published author.

In fiction self-published writers create fiction in categories considered too risky for mainstream publishing houses. That African-American fantasy novel or Urban Supernatural tale on the bookstore shelf? Probably came from a self-published writer. That comedy novel? Probably written by a self-published author. Golf-themed murder mystery? Probably produced by a self-published author.

Self-published authors created categories of fiction that didn’t exist twenty years ago. Urban fiction? Created by a self-published author. Street Lit? Created by self-published authors. Chick lit? Created by a self-published author. Each of these categories of fiction were described as unsellable by editors at major publishing houses and literary agents until some enterprising writer started selling thousands of copies. Now they’re imprints at many of the same houses that rejected them on the first query.

Self-published authors have big ideas but little resources. Many struggling writers like myself put these books together on shoestring budgets out of our personal savings and sell them out of the trunks of cars, traveling to trade shows or walking up and down the streets of downtown shopping districts. We believe in our projects, and have many more we want to share.

But we can’t produce them without readers. Readers who buy books.

So I’m asking everyone to support your local self-published author. Head over to Amazon and buy a copy of a self-published author's titles like mine. Better yet, go to your local bookstore and have them order a copy, so they’ll stock it on their shelf. If you enjoyed a self-published author’s book, tell your friends. Give them away as Christmas or birthday gifts. Give em’ away at the office Christmas party. The more books self-published authors sell, the more royalties authors make and can reinvest in publishing new titles.