Ten years or so ago, noted comic book writer Robert Kirkman left a nice job writing stories for Marvel, one of the leading corporations that publish comic book titles in America, to go after a career exclusively in creator-owned books. Back then, this was seen as a huge gamble. This is because independent comics creators have all of the risk that their titles will not sell enough, but working on corporate characters at Marvel and DC offers a solid, if not spectacular, rate. Kirkman has preached the gospel of independent comics for years now, his pitch carrying a lot more weight now that The Walking Dead, a title he had a hand in creating, has ended up being such a considerable ratings draw on television. And as digital comics market share develops, deciding to go independent might become even less of a gamble.

For many years, the hardest challenge for an indie comics creator was simply getting noticed by neighborhood comic book stores. The industry is strange in that one company has a monopoly on distribution, so retail shop owners normally get their new stock from one order form. To make matters worse, just two publishers are responsible for at least 75 percent of the market for print books, so you can imagine that the order book gives the primary focus to DC and Marvel. Sellers have to spend a lot of time to find independent titles in the order book. The average independent comics creator struggles to get the work in front of shop owners, let alone fans.

But that could be evolving as more and more comics are being sold for computers and tablets. On the web, independent writers and artists do not have to face the disadvantage of paying higher per-book print prices on smaller print runs. And there are many storefronts and sales tools sellers can utilize to sell their original work at favorable prices. Needless to say, the better known platforms will continue to cater to the big publishers, but the digital store is not as limited as the space in a physical store.

Nor is independent comics just for novices. Longtime creators including Mark Waid and Paolo Rivera have all in the past year announced their plan to start working on creator-owned titles, though not all of them will do independent work exclusively. The independent world allows all creators the option to profit or fail from their characters. Robert Kirkman believes the future lies in a world where comic book creators use the Big Two as a professional step, a learning center to practice their talent before switching to the (possibly) more profitable opportunities in the field of independent comics owned by creators. As the indie market grows, we can find out if his vision becomes the industry standard.

To learn more about being an indie comics creator, or to read independent digital comics, check out Longboat Comics, a micro publisher.

Author: Eddy Albans
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Before you do anything else, first determine what topic or topics you enjoy writing about. As most beginning publications are started and operated by one person, it’s important to stick with topics you like and in which you are most knowledgeable. Writing for subjects that you are not passionate about will create tedium and boredom for you. Writing on topics you have little knowledge of will cause you to exhaust your writing abilities prematurely, leaving your magazine short of useful content. Be sure to research everything. That means everything. This is not a joke or something to be taken lightly. Self publishing your online magazine can be mentally and financially draining. Research anything and everything you can about not only your subject matters but the business of online magazine publishing as well. Think about the following and research them until you are comfortably answering them all.

Ask yourself the following questions: What is your target audience seeking in an online magazine? Are there magazines out there already providing content similar to that you wish to publish? Perhaps your magazine will be unique for its target audience? What makes those magazines good? What makes those magazines bad? How can you make your online magazine better than the competition? Are there comparable magazines out there that can teach you the successes and failures for your particular topic space?

You must also take budgeting into consideration. With traditional printed magazines, printing/circulation costs were a huge consideration. The online world changes this concern drastically, as it costs significantly less money to deliver a million “copies” of your magazine online than it does to deliver printed ones in the real world. There still are production and distribution costs, nonetheless, both of which need to be realistically accounted for in a budget prior to making the plunge.

How do you plan to make money? As with printed magazines, advertising makes up a huge chunk of your income. Although it is possible to charge subscriptions or “pay per view” for online content, it doesn’t work the same as collecting a cover price for each issue at the newsstand. It is important you research every avenue possible for how your online magazine intends to make a profit for you.

You should determine your target audience prior to writing even a single word. It is critical to know exactly who your target audience is. Failure to do this will result in the inability to properly organize your magazine and secure substantial advertisement revenue. You will want to explore the different areas on the web where your current audience frequently visits. Newsgroups, chat rooms, email-based discussion lists, Yahoo! Groups, are among a few worth investigating.

Your online magazine’s technical setup is not something you want to leave out. When you’re finally ready to go, consider a Content Management System (CMS) like presspublisher.com to get you started publishing without a high cost. A CMS like this lets you self publish your online magazine with little or no technical expertise. You’ve already done all the planning, budgeting, etc. Now it’s time to focus on writing and editing. Leave the technicalities to someone else!

Just because your online magazine is finally published doesn’t mean it will be read. You need to generate traffic in order to boost your online magazine’s readership. Try to get visibility on other websites with high-traffic. Be sure to post frequently in newsgroups and write a few submissions for high-traffic blogs. You can link/cross-reference your own online magazine from these submissions. Consider participating in blog commentaries or even “blog carnivals” to share traffic between your online magazine’s site and other websites.

As you can see, there are many steps involved with getting your online magazine venture off the ground. All of this may seem like an awful lot of work to do in the beginning. As with anything else in life, failing to plan is planning to fail. Don’t let this stop you though. If you can get through these initial critical steps it is all downhill from there. The actual writing for your online magazine will seem like a piece of cake by comparison!

Martin Alan enjoys writing on subjects such as literature, online publishing, digital magazine, publishing software, sharing sites and self publishing. He also enjoys keeping up-to-date with the latest developments and innovations in technology and online marketing.

For more information on online publishing click here; http://www.yudu.com.

Author: Martin Alan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Dealing with being a drop of water in an ocean of books is something pretty much every indie author has to deal with. You worked hard, and wrote a book that you’re proud of. After all the hours of slaving and hammering those keys to get it done, you hope and pray that some people will actually read it and spread the word.

Sometimes it doesn’t go very smoothly though. Day after day ticks by, and yet the sales just aren’t there. It can be extremely difficult not to feel despaired. Not only are you competing with other indie authors for attention, but also another massive mountain that stands between you and readers. That mountain is the main stream and traditional publishing.

For whatever reason, as an indie author you have chosen to circumvent this traditional route. Maybe it was constant rejection letters, or simply wanting to avoid additional months or years before your work could have its chance in the spotlight. If you’re not one of the lucky ones who managed to gain fame over night, then your book is probably still stuck back stage. As you watch other books get all the attention, how can you deal with the fear that your book will never be given a chance?

That’s the million dollar question. The best advice I can give is to just keep working. Keep blogging, and mentioning your book. Use social networks and book forums. Most of all, keep writing! Fear is a difficult opponent to combat, especially when you’re putting yourself out there in such a personal way. People aren’t always kind, and like to bring you down for trying to accomplish your dream. I’ve been told I should follow in van Gogh’s footsteps, but cut my fingers off instead of my ear. It can be hard to keep a positive attitude after some of the things people have to say.

When it feels like it’s becoming too much, don’t dwell on it. Take a break, and do something you enjoy to take your mind off it. Agonizing over every negative comment you get will only bring you down. If you give up because of it, then it won’t be because your book may not be the single best one ever written that barred you from your dream. It will be because you gave up, and left the dream behind.

It’s a tough road to be an indie author. You’re baring your soul for all to see, without the backup of known publishers who are giving your work their seal of approval. It will probably get worse before it gets better. Keep your attitude positive, and the books coming. With enough work, your day in the sunshine will eventually come.

I’m Benjamin C. Andrews, an author sharing my writing knowledge with others. Visit http://magicjarpublishing.blogspot.com/ for more writing tips and tricks, and other quality information.

Author: Benjamin C Andrews
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Publishing now, at the beginning of the 21st century, is inextricably linked with the future health of the planet and all its inhabitants. Public concern about the environmental impact of conventional publishing is a strong force. It is influencing many companies to opt for “greener” practices. Traditional printing not only fells trees, it also disturbs wildlife, creates pollution, uses up natural resources, and produces large amounts of waste material. Fortunately, new technologies are changing the face of printing. These new technologies reduce carbon emissions by eliminating paper, but they do not achieve “carbon neutral” status through that alone. It takes more than switching away from paper to bring a carbon footprint to zero.

Many negative environmental effects occur as a result of printing magazines, newspapers, books, and other paper materials. There are steps that can be taken to minimize the carbon footprint of these materials. Tyson Miller, of the Green Press Initiative suggests that in addition to reducing paper use, all readers and printers should Maximize recycled content in papers, especially post-consumer recycled material. Look for the following words on any paper product: Processed Chlorine Free (PCF), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). But, these practices may not be enough to mitigate the damage.

More changes must all be made at a time when even the definition of publishing itself is transforming. Printed text is in more demand, and in more variable formats, than at any time in history. Both paper and electronic print can be produced and accessed faster than ever. Even the daily newspaper, which used to be the fastest source of printed information, is slow in comparison to the wide range of electronic resources available at every consumer’s fingertips. Fortunately, these changes open up new avenues for green publishing. One way to reduce the negative impact of traditional hardcopy printing is to explore all the options offered by publishing through electronic means.

New technologies offer everything from online eBook self-publishing to book distribution on personal readers like the Kindle. Truly responsible green publishing companies acknowledge the carbon emissions created by all the power they use. One company’s website declares “We completely offset all our CO2 emissions by donating money to Carbon Clear, a leading carbon management company. They invest in projects that improve living standards in developing countries and which provide global climate benefits with clean energy projects and reforestation initiatives”. All Yudu publications carry a carbon neutral stamp.

Martin Alan enjoys writing on subjects such as literature, online publishing, digital magazines, carbon neutral publishing, publishing software, file sharing sites and self publishing. He also enjoys keeping up-to-date with the latest developments and innovations in technology and online marketing.

For more information on online publishing click here; http://www.yudu.com

Author: Martin Alan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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