Indie Author Magazine: How will the strategy of publishing wide play a part in the future of the industry?
Stephanie: As authors can establish themselves on stores other than Amazon, they will help the business of writing flourish in areas other than the markets Amazon has a hold on.
Indie Author Magazine: Do you anticipate that the definition of wide will ever evolve to mean more? If so, where do you see authors going?
Stephanie: I see authors branching out more into subscriptions in the coming years, spending more time with their readers in smaller, more intimate settings.
Indie Author Magazine: On an individual level, direct publishing can equate to greater control over titles, greater royalties, and a closer relationship with readers. What will the trend of authors publishing direct mean for the industry as a whole?
Stephanie: Publishing direct will mean more money in the hands of authors, instead of larger corporations. It’ll mean a deeper connection with readers, one where the wants and needs of readers can be better met by an author who is receptive to a changing market.
Indie Author Magazine: With AI being such a hot-button, divisive topic now, what role(s)—if any—do you think it will play in the indie publishing world in five years’ time?
Stephanie: AI has the potential to open the market for disabled writers
Indie Author Magazine: How important is technology to one’s success as an indie author and to the industry as a whole?
Stephanie: It’s the most important part! It helps broadcast our ideas.
Indie Author Magazine: What does transmedia mean for an author’s business? Will indie authors ever need to be more than just “writers” to survive in the industry?
Stephanie: Storytellers, regardless of medium, will rule the world.
Indie Author Magazine: What can authors do now to build community with their readers and within the industry?
Stephanie: Produce work that’s human no matter the tools used to produce it
Indie Author Magazine: Why does community matter in the future of indie publishing?
Stephanie: Community is ultimately what gets us from blank slate to story.
