Can you hear me now?--

I've spoken with several people recently who expressed an interest in distributing their book via a podcast--an audio book that would be disemminated through the internet. That's becoming more commonplace today, but what was significant was an audio podcast was the first step in publishing they were considering--before seeking a traditional publisher or even before self-publishing it in book or e-book form.

It turns out that "going first to podcast" is a growing trend. This New York Times article lists several examples of people doing just that. One example is Scott Sigler who writes science-fiction horror novels:

Several times a week Mr. Sigler, 37, steps into a walk-in closet in his San Francisco home. He reads into a microphone that connects to his computer via a sound mixer. Hanging shirts envelop him, masking ambient sound.

After being snubbed by publishers for years, Mr. Sigler began recording his first book, “EarthCore,” in 2005. He offered it as a podcast in 22 episodes (roughly 45 minutes each) that he posted online and sent free to subscribers for downloading. Before long, Mr. Sigler had 5,000 listeners; by the time he finished releasing his second novel, “Ancestor,” last January, he had 30,000, as he does for “The Rookie,” which is playing now.

By establishing a track record with readers listeners, Mr. Sigler eventually landed a publisher for several of his books.

Comments

[Scott Sigler]

I really think it's the wave of the future - you get free distribution for exactly the book you want to write. Instead of writing to please a select audience of agents and publishers, you're putting your work in front of a potential audience of a billion people. THEY will determine if your work is good. And when I say "your work," I mean just that: there is no middleman between your vision and your audience. Is that always a good thing? No, editors server a purpose. However, where that select group may second-guess the audience, because they "know" what will sell, podcast fiction lets you test your work in the marketplace, with the end consumer.

It's the biggest advantage aspiring writers have ever had, in my opinion.
-Scott-

[Patrick Borders]

I agree with you Scott. This is a huge new advantage for writers. Technology is reducing the influence of gatekeepers in media. We've seen consumers determine what the news is through bloggers and not necessarily through the producers of network news or newspapers. We're seeing videoblogging, YouTube, and podcast "interview" programs going straight to the consumer. And now the start of something new in publishing.

Editors will continue to serve a critical role, but there might be a significant growth in freelance editors as writers, knowing that the best products will sell the most, hire their own editors.

Interesting times...

Thanks for writing and best wishes in your innovative endeavors.

[beats by dr dre uk]

What fun! I couldn't stop!