CNN Talks Self-Publishing with Hugh Howey

Hugh Howey was in Los Angeles this week to attend Amazon’s big press event, which hosted the unveiling of the Kindle Fire HD on Thursday. With part of the day’s highlights focusing on self-publishing and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, it’s natural that Howey’s smashing success Wool would be a hot topic.

CNN talked to Howey about the program and he revealed just how beneficial publishing your own work through Amazon can be.

“Most of my months are six-figure months,” said Hugh Howey, a 37-year-old Florida author whose ”Wool” series of digital books was highlighted by Amazon. “It’s more than I ever hoped to make in a year.”

For Howey, author of the “Wool” series, the direct-publishing platform has opened up a life he never imagined was possible — one where he is paid to write full-time.

Without the Amazon platform, the books might not have been published at all. Howey never promoted the first edition of “Wool,” a dystopian series about a group of underground people who get all of their information about the outside world through a single, digital screen. He didn’t think it would sell.

Then in October 2011, he said, his sales jumped from from dozens to thousands.

Those kinds of numbers will undoubtedly inspire a lot of frustrated authors to try the program, which is probably exactly what Amazon is hoping for. I know it’s sure perked my interest in self-publishing a cookbook.

It’s nice to see the spotlight on such a talented writer and incredibly satisfying to hear some numbers behind his much-deserved success. With the movie deal being signed earlier this week, here’s to hoping all this publicity puts increased pressure on Fox to fast track it to the big screen!

Read the full article at CNN.

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