I'm a Gatejumper-Rethinking the Publishing Industry

Change your mind; change your life.

                        Dr. Ernest Holmes

It’s been 8 months since I attended the Writer’s DigestConference in New York. I was there to learn how to build my marketing platform to take my writing career to the next level. I left the conference full of enthusiasm and high expectation for my writing career, because I had changed my consciousness to join the ranks of the gatejumpers. I was no longer bound to the rules of the old traditional publishing model of finding a literary agent and getting accepted by one of six major publishing companies, and then adhering to their rules.  I wasn’t a stranger to the traditional publishing. My first two books, Life is Never as It Seems and It’s Not Over Yet, were published by Genesis-Press, a medium sized publishing house. Opting out of another contract with them, I was free to soar and take the road less traveled.

I remember when I first decided to become a gatejumper. During the course of the conference, I had a three minute interview with an expert on literary agents. He was going to review my query letter to point out its strengths and weaknesses to help me find the perfect literary agent.

As I sat there listening to him giving me some great and some not so great points about the letter, I had an epiphany. Why was I even at this meeting? I had decided hours ago that I was going to follow in the path of Scott Sigler, Seth Harwood, and Chris Brogan and become a gatejumper. I thank him for his time and left within one minute of the interview.

I don’t regret my decision. Within these 8 months, the revolution within the publishing industry between the gatekeepers and gatejumpers continue at a rapid pace. Gatejumpers are using innovated technology to publish their books such as the eBooks, iphone apps, Publishing on Demand (POD) and there are now many small independent self-publishing companies. The rules of the gatejumpers—you make your own. The more creative you can be to provide the reader with the reading material they want, the better. The New Yorker magazine recently published an article, Publish or Perish: Can iPad topple the Kindle, and save the book business? by Ken Auletta. Mr. Auletta gives an excellent history of the changes that have caused the publishing revolution. Go to http:// newyourker.com/reporting/2010/04/26/100426fa_fact_aulet. 

As my new release, Secret Unraveled, comes out this month, I am so excited about all the innovated things I can do to reach my readers, giving them so many wonderful and affordable ways to purchase a copy. If you want to hold the book in your hands, then purchase the trade paperback through any on and off line bookstores. But, you want it on Kindle, ipad, or Nook than you can do that too.

Do you want to write a book and have it published? Now it the time. The gatekeepers can’t keep you out of the publishing game. Spread the word about being a gatejumper.

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