The year has turned, and with it there’s been an uptick in the talk about self-publishing. Maybe it’s the year-end summing up that writers like to do, or the massive move to ebooks this Christmas, but there is more to read this week than usual. And that’s the good news! We dive into a year-in-review before a few long posts on self-publishing right now. We’ve got three novelists and a report from the Wall Street Journal, too. Don’t miss even one of these posts, you’ll be glad you read them. And Happy New Year!

Carla King on PBS MediaShift
2010: The Year Self-Publishing Lost Its Stigma
“Self-publishing books has finally reached the mainstream, with enough success stories to make it a legitimate part of the publishing world. Here’s more about this and other trends in 2010, plus some crystal-ball gazing into what’s coming in 2011.”

Joe Konrath on A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing
You Should Self-Publish
“Years ago, publishers used to grow authors . . . These days, you can grow yourself. You can put out books quicker than the Big 6, earn more money, reach more readers, and have more control over the entire process.”

Brian Scott on Book Publishing News
Six Reasons the Anti-Self-Publishing Movement Is Dead
“The dislocation is unsettling but inevitable as the publishing industry undergoes nothing less than an evolutionary change. One era has ended and a new one is dawning. One group that may benefit greatly from this change is independent authors.”

Chuck Wendig on Terrible Minds
Should I Self-Publish? A MotherF*king Checklist
“Don’t listen to all the pundits and talking heads. They have agendas, too. And they’re not telling you the whole story. Applaud their success, but to their stories apply the mighty scalpel of scrutiny. And in the meantime, carve your own way through the bullshit.”

Sarah Needleman on Wall Street Journal Online
As You May Have Read in My Book…
“Books are becoming popular marketing tools for the self-employed. . . Entrepreneurs in most cases aren’t actually looking to produce best-sellers. Instead, most are taking advantage of new forms of publishing, including electronic publishing and print-on-demand, to generate ‘invisible income.'”

Zoe Winters on The Weblog of Zoe Winters
Your Mileage May Vary… And Other Stuff
“Surviving in publishing is hard. And whatever path you take you have to be able to be willing to take the risk to go after what you want. Whether or not you should self-publish is personal. It may or may not be the right path for you. Go with your gut. And if it turns out you just had indigestion, try something else.”

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