Why authors publishing? Why indie book management? How can independent and free publishing be interpreted?

After the Gutenberg Galaxy, have we entered the Googletenberg intelligence universe? Is this self-publishing? Subsequently, is it enough for the author to possess strong skills in information technology?

Not at all. The e-book is only a step ahead and not the end of the road. In fact, the process is accelerating. The digital book and e-book derivates can only be interpreted within the complex system of book culture dating back thousands of years.

It is worth mentioning for instance that books are not written. Their essential is not that they are typed into the computer. Books are created, and everything is else is a question of technique. This is simple, and nevertheless, difficult to understand. Not so long ago texts were scratched on paper by a quill, and despite, eternal works were born. For writing a novel a candle was lit, and not a computer turned on.

Books created by quill and ink are expensive and costly. Traditional publishers can only undertake to publish writings from a narrow range that are also successful from the business perspective. This is quite reasonable as publishers have to make money for their existence, and consequently for the sake of the authors and their readers. Information technology provides independence and lets imagination fly: important and valuable writings will not disappear. On the (global or local) self-publishing bookstore, planned or complete works can immediately be presented to the public through a few clicks. It is not necessary to make phone calls, listen to instructions from machines or listen to remarks from clumsy, even aggressive secretaries.

Experience and knowledge desire to create.

You can write and publish: the length and the essence of the text do not matter. Only one thing is vital: the author must know and feel that his message is important. Writings can be addressed to the whole world or a small bunch of interested people, a professional audience, a local group. For a poesy fan, detective story enthusiast, bookworm or documentary reader, for some descendants in the family, dear friends, or acquaintances.

Disasters, success and great changes can be eternalized.

Writings have to be uploaded, so the words and ideas can start to live their own life. Significant sentences have to be published so that they might be read, might be successful. People might appreciate and quote them immediately or within a few years. Writers, its time to write, because people are waiting for the fresh and nicely formulated lines that will live on, make the language richer, and provide intellectual and emotional comparisons for people living elsewhere, people

that grow up in another period or that struggle amidst other circumstances.

Education, learning and culture are the basis for writing and reading. But do authors and readers or teachers and students find each other in the ever-accelerating and digitalised world? Printing cannot handle the amount of knowledge. The communication of knowledge is based on the tools of information technology; master and pupil get in touch through beautifully formed, book-like, unique essays. This dimension has already been made public, theses that witness professional development can be saved, and they are worth it.

Book collaborations and forums by indie publishers and writers similar to Publio Publishing (operating in Hungary) have been created all over the world. The works of the new authors have lead to incredible success. The flood of writings have not washed away good books but on the contrary: more and more people are cherry-picking from the numerous writings. The number of writers and readers has increased.

A creative personality can break free from day-to-day routine.

Readers have always been independent, now the writers have become independent as well. They can directly forward their writings to the ones interested. This is the name of the new book movement: independent publishing, or independent author.

It might sound strange but independent also means that the public is not opened only to authors, strictu sensu. It is time for collectors and explorers to step on the scene. Diaries of the first world war from our great-grandfathers, stories of their captivities, household notes from our lady family members, handwritten prayer books guiding through sicknesses are all hiding somewhere among the personal belongings of one of our relatives. They were not thrown away. Who would do such a thing anyway? Now they can be assembled, completed, can be piled and famed, and can be published by themselves or with notes. There might be some relatives who have the time, the mood and the occasion to deal with these now.

Only in the last decades has the authors publishing made itself such a negative image. Our great poets, authors two hundred years ago had to look for subscribers for their planned books. In Hungary, as well as all around Europe. It is worth remembering: the first printed book was also using todays terminology self-published. Gutenbergs book was not ordered, he did not have a distributor, a publisher; he did not even have readers. For him the work was the important, he had sacrificed many years to finish his book.

Kazinczy, Csokonai, Vrsmarty these were all Hungarian authors that needed to formulate letters asking for support to publish their works. Nowadays, all you need is the intention, as well as respect towards word and letter: and your writings can be addressed to the public immediately.

About the author: author of E-Book Guide (published in Hungary, 2011, title in Hungarian: e-book kalauz), university lecturer. Web: www.konyvkonnektor.hu