I like Seth Godin. Never met him, but I’ve heard he’s a stand up guy. I like his books. I would say that The Idea Virus is my favorite, and my first read from him years and years ago.
I will admit I have asked Seth for a few things in the past few years. Including a blurb for Attention! and to include How To Catch Happy in the Domino Project. Neither of which he gave. No problem. I am not bitter about it one bit. I’ll keep trying to be better and hope he likes what I’m doing. If not, I’ll live. But you always want to be accepted by the leaders in your industry.
I also like his new Domino Project, in concept. But I have to take issue with the rhetoric that he uses to talk about this project. To quote from his latest article on the site…
Here’s the unedited version of a radio interview I did about Domino, permission marketing and a new era of book publishing.
I take issue with the a new era of book publishing line that has been perpetuated through the media since day one launch of this project. Look, the Domino Project is neat and fun, but it is certainly not ushering in a new era of book publishing. The media took the announcement that Seth wasn’t going to write any more “traditionally published” books hook, line and sinker. So did I. I loved it.
Until I realized that the Domino Project is more of a mirage of that concept. Why you say? Because while it does help authors publish digitally, it only does so for a handful of people, hand picked by Seth himself.
Is it really a new era of publishing to create a project that is in reality a digital publishing house with one big gatekeeper?
I don’t see it. The “new era of publishing” is when you and me and everyone can easily publish any content without any gatekeeper. So I don’t see how the Domino Project really fits into that mold?
No offense to Seth, I just don’t get it. Everyone is a publisher now. When there’s a gatekeeper, I believe you are still holding in the traditional publishing model, sans the printed book part.
The reason I got into blogging in 2001 was because I LOVED the fact that I could get around the gatekeepers. That’s the same feeling I have now that I am beginning to create more book type content in digital form.
The Domino Project did a good job of moving the discussion and creating awareness. But it’s not the solution or the future of publishing. That will come from you, and you alone.
Jim,
Instead of a gatekeeper, why not a trusted filter?
Those are needed.
Are they? Did we need them for blogs?
Jim, yes. I'd read what you recommended to me because it comes from you. You're a filter. If you say it's good, it's probably good. Seth is another.
I disagree. I get your point in general, filters help, but aren't needed in my opinion. And my main point is still valid as well. A "new era of publishing" is defined as filter-less, in my opinion.
The day I read that he declared print dead simply by virtue of his decision not to publish that way anymore, I tuned out completely and finally. At that point, I thought, man, this guy is really coming off as the egomaniac that a lot of folks say he is. That the media bought it – like you said, hook, line and sinker – baffles me.
But I disagree slightly with the idea that the new era of publishing means that anyone and everyone can – or should – be publishing. Traditional publishers serve a very important purpose: they make sure (well, ideally) that only things of a certain quality get published. I don't mean that they censor material or that they only allow what they felt should be out there, but I mean that publishers know that if a market is flooded with books about a certain topic, that your new book better be damn good before anyone will touch it. To that end, they have professionally trained editors to work with authors – something that the vast, vast majority of self-publishing authors desperately need. They also have people to professionally design covers and people to properly lay out the pages – again, something that the vast, vast majority of self-publishers lack.
I've seen a lot of self-published titles in various genres. I can think of one book among the dozens I've checked out that was worth what I paid for it. Writing your book in Microsoft Word, saving as a PDF and slapping on a cover you made using a fuzzy photograph and Comic Sans for the title makes for a terrible experience. But that's what we get, more often than not.
If traditional publishers are going away (they're not gone yet, Seth) and self-publishers are (in my opinion) too haphazard and sloppy (generally), is there a middle ground? I don't know. Sure, you can hire a freelance editor. You can get someone on fiverr.com to do your cover. But that's money out of pocket for the author… money that traditional publishers don't charge.
Just my two cents based on my observations. I could be wrong.
What about blogging? We didn't have, or need, filters for blogging. I think this is the exact same scenario. Any gatekeeper in my opinion is a bad one.
I think people should be their own filters, I think most of the books in the "New Era" will be shorter chunks of information anyway, much like blogs were. So your comparisons seems be spot on.
I agree.
I get a different vibe from hat Seth is doing with Domino Project. I don't see it as his intent to make The Domino Project itself the new era publishing house, I think it's more to serve as an example and a catalyst for the rest of us. I don't think you (or anyone else) actually needs The Domino Project. You either have something to say and the will to share it, or you don't. The Domino Project is Seth's publishing imprint. You've started building your own with the "$7.95 Marketing Plan" clear through to your latest "How to Catch Happy." While it would certainly be cool to have a manuscript published via Seth's project, I don't think that in itself should be the end goal, nor a reason to call it a mirage. You know better than most people that a writer really doesn't need help to publish digitally. There are plenty of online tools readily available for anyone needing advice or coaching. Certainly the most high profile being Amazon's Kindle Direct Program that can help any author publish their work via the most popular digital reader at zero cost. The biggest benefit that would come from being published through Godin's project is the same as being published through a traditional publishing house — bragging rights. But if the end goal is pure — simply get your work out there and available to the public — all any writer needs is available at the click of a mouse.
Yes, but he/they are calling it "a new era in publishing". I'm quoting their site. Not making this up. So that is his intent.
Again, I have nothing against Seth. I just don't believe you can usher in a new era of publishing when you still have gatekeepers.
Enjoyed "How to catch Happy" and I dig the idea of the two of you having a live webiinar discussing/debating this issues this exchange started.
I wan't the whole Barbacoa!
Thanks guys, David
Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That's what blogs and comments are for, right Jim?
So did you listen to the interview Seth mentioned in that post?
Here it is: http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2011/05/full-interview-se…
What I got out of that interview is that Seth's Domino Project is not 'the' answer for book publishing, it's just an example of what can be done now in the new era. He doesn't want people to do exactly what he's doing, he just wanted to prove that authors, or anyone who has built the asset of a following or raving fans, can spread their own work effectively and don't need a middle man or publishers to 'own' them in the way they've done in the past.
Of course, the trick is that building a effective tribe can only happen if you produce quality content. And that quality will be judged by your tribe. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough. If you're not a part of the tribe, and you think it's junk, that doesn't matter.
Jim, I think you're really on the same page as Seth about the future of publishing. It's up to everyone to build their own asset of a tribe who will follow and buy their work.
The Domino Project is just a project. It will end. It's really just an experiment, a test of the 'new era' to see if it works the way he thinks it might.
That's what I think. But it's just my opinion. I like you both.
Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That's what blogs and comments are for, right Jim?
>>> Exactly. We don't need filters to decide for us.
I think we're probably on the same page as well. But again, when you come out and say "new era of publishing" in your material… which they have done, that's wrong. It's not. I've got no problem with Seth or his project except that.