How Do I Navigate the Changing Landscape of Writing and Publishing?

There’s no right or wrong answer, just lots of options.

When I finished my first sci-fi novel – 50 handwritten and illustrated pages – at the age of 9, I tried to get it published. For the creation of a 9-year-old, it wasn’t bad. But neither was it good.

As I got older and (I like to think) wiser, I would try to get a much later – and better-polished – book traditionally published. I submitted query letters to agents and publishers open to submissions.

What I got in return were mostly form-letter rejections.

In the 2010s, Amazon was becoming the place to go to buy books. And, it turned out, it was the place to sell books. There were tools available that had never been available before to make self-publishing super easy.

It has been 10 years since I made my first foray into that world. Since then, I’ve self-published a dozen sci-fi, Steampunk, and fantasy books and 5 non-fiction and other books.

I’ve read blogs, books, and articles about successful self-published authors. I’ve listened to podcasts and audiobooks about them, too. Despite their knowledge and the ways they forged the path – I’ve struggled. What can I do – that I seem to be missing – to get where I desire my work to be?

While I’m addressing this – there’s a secondary issue. How do I navigate the changing landscape of writing and publishing? And this is important because change is happening – and happening fast.

Obvious and less-obvious change

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the AI in the software.

Like it or not, Generative AI is here. And it’s here to stay. It can do some amazing things. Generative AI is a tool that can and will change a whole lot of industries – including the creative industry.

Generative AI is capable of doing art. Writing, image creation, and more are part of the capabilities this new AI has. And because it learns as it works – it can and will gain more and more skills.

The fear is that it will replace writers, artists, and other creators. In some instances, it can and it might. There is also no way to control the bad actors and those with ill or selfish intent who can and will abuse this new tool.

But that’s all AI is. A tool. It’s an intelligent, semi-intuitive algorithm that can create things.

But it still needs input from someone to create. That’s why it’s a tool.

But AI can and will be used for writing and editing, as well as turning text into images, video, audio, and other still-developing ideas. And it is already changing the landscape of writing and publishing.

How is still taking shape. Yet writers are using AI for grammar correction, idea generation, basic editing, and even co-writing in some instances. How Amazon and others allow this to be integrated into their existing systems is an ongoing development. But it’s changing the landscape already – and will continue to do so.

Other sources beyond Amazon for wide distribution are another factor in the landscape of writing and publishing. Amazon still dominates – but it’s not alone.

Then there’s direct sales. Cut out the middleman and make all the money myself.

This is a lot to take in.

My answer might not be the same as yours, or any other writers out there. But recognizing the changing landscape, I’m taking action to address it – rather than wait and see how it all falls out – and potentially miss an opportunity.

The first thing I’m doing is broadening my distribution beyond Amazon. This already began when I used a new tool to send the audiobooks of my clone and conspiracy sci-fi Forgotten Fodder series to other audiobook distributors.

The next thing I’m doing is a wide distribution of the Forgotten Fodder series as an eBook and paperback. As my Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) exclusivity is about to expire, I am free to expand the distribution of my books. The series will be available well beyond Amazon in mid-September (2023).

As I am finally looking at sending the last book of my Void Incursion sci-fi series to an editor and getting a cover made for it, I intend to send it out for wide distribution, too.

When I finish my new Savagespace sci-fi series, I’m working on a very different plan for putting it out into the world.

Lastly – I’m starting to explore direct sales. I have the tools to sell both eBooks and printed copies of my books from my website (or a new site if that seems a better angle to take). Having that direct control means that I don’t need to rely on another for it – and I can speak more clearly to my audience as I develop it.

This is challenging on a lot of levels. Navigating the landscape of both writing and publishing as an indie author has other matters to be considered. But as a storyteller, I feel this is the path I’m supposed to be on.

Keep writing and publishing

As I navigate the changing landscape of writing and publishing, I’m still writing. I’m creating daily and striving to share my stories – whatever form they take.

For all the visible changes in the landscape of writing and publishing, there are many others still coming. The how of both writing and publishing is constantly changing. And in my opinion – evolving.

There will be missteps along the way. And what works today won’t work tomorrow or will look utterly different. But the change is inevitable and ongoing.

So long as I don’t get too comfortable with the current options and am open to the changing landscape of writing and publishing, I’ll figure out how to navigate it.

And I know well that I’m not the only one doing so.

As I share my creative journey with you, I conclude with this – how are you inspired to be your own creator – whatever form that takes?

Please take a moment to check out the collection of my published works, which can be found here.

Feel free to explore the rest of the website. Also, check out my weekly podcasts.

Please subscribe to my NEW newsletter. Fill in the info and click the submit button to the right and receive your free eBook.

Follow me here!