Paper or Binary

So this question was posed to me, “If you were a publish a written piece, would you publish it in the traditional sense, like paper, through a publisher? Or would you would go straight to binary. Self publish it digitaly?” 

Actually it wasn’t worded anything like that, but I wanted to have some fun with a question that, until asked of me, had given very little if any thought. So here we go.

Al’s thought process when responding to a question that he knows nothing about, nor is he remotely qualified to provide an educated opinion. 

*The following blog is written in real time. Viewer discretion is advised.*

Who the fuck cares? I’m never going to publish anything. I can’t even write a decent blog let alone a book. 

I guess digitally, that would be the easiest route. It’s not like have the funds or the skill to convince a publisher to print my book, which more than likely, will never get written. 

Though kc. Alexander would look bitchin’ on a cover! yeah... leather bond, and imprinted. That would be sexy. I would call it,  Fuck All You Bitches and have it written in some calligraphy.  Maybe a naked chic on the front cover. Or a silhouette of a middle finger. My middle finger. 

That would definitely be lost in digital. 

But then I would have to pay for it, and I don’t have that kind of cash. I wonder if I know anyone stupid and rich enough to hand me a cheque to publish a book?... Kyle’s stupid enough, but he doesn’t have that kind of scratch. Damn.

Who would buy it? It would be more profitable and easier to the rights to some digital publisher and let them market it. Make it Google accessible. 

However, if I am indeed a writer, than fame and living above the poverty line aren’t important to me. Maybe I could sell my poetry on the street like that crazy lady over Christmas, when me and Aaron were walking to the LC to get more vino. But we never bought any... of the poetry, got lots of vino ;)

And I would bet that that is probably the norm. 

The Twitter thing is popular. I could promote it on there, but then I would have to build my own brand. I need a twitter account that’s not attached to my name, so I can actually build a brand with my sense of humor that won’t get me kicked out of CreComm. I’ll have to remember that for later. 

I guess I already publish my blog on the internet. No one reads it, If they did I would probably be charged with defamation. I could make money off the ads, but then again, I get in to copy right issues with the images.  Again I’ve digressed. 

What’s my book about? Is it a harlequin novel that is going to be read by middle aged women? Or something like Harry Potter that the kids will read. That will play a factor.  There really was a jump in people reading on Kindles on the bus. I guess some of them were older woman. I assumed it would be a younger generation with the Kindles but it’s not. 

That will change, in time. Get in while the goings good. Only a matter of time before it’s all digital. Remember the Ipod. That took a while to get going and now look. Same principle. 

I love the smell of a new book, but what about the kids these days? Do they? I doubt it. Someone in class didn’t even know what a vinyl was the other day. The world we live in. 

So, other than looking pretty, having a nice smell, and being able to flip through it with my fingers, there is no other benefits. Too much cost for not a lot of delivery. Wow, that sounds like the dates I go on. 

Who am I kidding, I haven’t been on a date in years. Do people still go on dates? Isn’t that done over the Internet now too? Damn inter-web. 

... hmm.. Someone just called and asked for my brother, but it was a wrong number. What are the odds?

Digital means cheap, but you lack the resources of big publishing. Such as: editing for sales, financial backing if you’re lucky, marketing, that paper thing. But you can type and say what ever the fuck you want really. I wonder if there is proliferation in racist, sexiest, all “that stuff” that no one will publish because it’s, well, racist and sexiest. There’s an interesting thought.  

----- okay, I’m ready to write my blog.

With the proliferation of the resources, devices and accessibility of the Internet, self publishing digitally is clearly the way to go when compared to traditional mediums.  Cost are considerably less, and your material has the potential to reach clear across the globe with little to no effort.

There will always be a place for traditional print, and if my digital publication displayed a modest amount of success, than printing copies would definitely be a viable option.

Also, if it is a book centered around a local market, then of course, print it. Sell it for cheap. It  the story has a larger theme, that isn’t necessarily localized, than digital is the way to go.

The Internet, (in my opinion) is still very much in its infancy. This is only the beginning. Anyone who gets in now and makes a name for themselves has the opportunity to establish themselves as a global icon, if done properly. It’s not easy by any stretch, but the payoff is potentially huge.  

So digital, but keep a couple a print copies just for memento sakes. It just makes the most sense.