Brandon Sanderson's Record-Breaking Kickstarter Is the Exception, Not the Rule

The success of Sanderson should not be seen as a new standard for publishing. While many established companies are using crowdfunding platforms as a way to market-test their products without committing to them, or are using the platform as an incentivized preorder program, other creators are not set up for success the same way that well-known outlets.

He has millions of fans. He has worked hard, he has produced great work, and he is a pleasant man. He is not an overnight success. He has spent two decades networking, working hard, and has had other people take risks on him. Traditional publishing took a chance on his work because everyone was a novice once. It paid off for a number of reasons, but it was still a risk. Art requires risk. Publishing needs to be cautious.

Self-publishing is a viable option for some writers, but it requires a lot of work beyond just writing a book and putting it up on Amazon. There are a number of things you need to check in order to be a successful self-pubbed author. It is not easy and the people who are successful invest their own money in the process. Even when self-publishing via a crowd-sourced platform, most of this is true.

I believe that people should pursue the publishing journey that is right for them, whether that is self-publishing, or traditional publishing. Some self-publishing shouldn't be considered a viable option for everyone, and we shouldn't act like it's going to happen to other people.

Traditional publishing should encourage taking risks on books and authors. Despite concerns that print is dead, the publishing industry is experiencing an upswing. I hope that the success of Sanderson's project does not become a template for publishing, but is just another option for those who have the reach and fanbase to succeed.

I hope that traditional publishing will continue to take risks, support new marginalized voices, and re- invest in the mid-list author in order to create a sustainable publishing environment for authors.

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