Via: Flickr
When I read the blogs on the subject of self-publishing I can’t help but smile as we seem to have our own little language. I’m sure any of us could lose someone from outside the world of publishing in three sentences or less. It’s almost like a low-grade super-power!
“I cranked out the final 30k of the MS last night and gave it a self-proof. The font size and illustrations will be a pain for formatting. I really need to get into CSS and start on the first couple layers before I get into that. At least I don’t need any damn queries! I should have it ready for KDP, Kobo and Smashwords by Friday. Maybe I’ll go Select for 90 days with this one first? I’ll have to see what my Beta’s say.”
“MS is manuscript right?”
“Yes, dear.”
“Am I a Beta?”
“Nevermind.”
This is just a random Sunday afternoon half-time thought, but how many of these words/terms/names do you think will even be around in the next few years? For what it’s worth, I took a shot at a top-ten list.
1) Query letter (already a dead term for me)
2) Agent (from starvation)
3) Big Six (blown into three million little publishers)
4) Self/Trade Publishing (will simply become… Publishing)
5) Select (by natural selection)
6) Kirkus (duh)
7) Advance (for lack of funding)
8) Slushpile (now called self-publishing, and I’m okay with that)
9) Free (as more people gain business knowledge)
And my favorite;
10) Author’s Guild (self-inflicted gunshot wound)
But I could be wrong.
And now, back to football….