How can a sex author feel repressed?
Even though bestselling erotica author Susie Bright has enjoyed cult standing among followers and bestseller lists, until recently she hasn't had total control over her work.
The more she reeled in bigger advances, the more she says she felt "certain limitations" on her writing.
So Bright decided to publish her new book herself on the Web as an e-book and a print-on-demand book, which will be released on Tuesday.
"Erotica is what other people frequently don't understand," Bright writes in her e-book. "Self-publishing and effective marketing allow you to cultivate a devoted, unapologetic milieu of people who 'get it.'"
A renowned editor, author and sexpert, she has been called "the avatar of American erotica" by The New York Times.
Her e-book and print-on-demand book, How to Read/Write a Dirty Story, is a tongue-in-cheek account about the practice of erotic writing.
Bright's avid readers were clamoring for her to publish the book. "Fans were pounding at my door," said Bright, whose website, which boasts a montage of sexpert opinion, message boards, fan letters and favorite sex toys, averages 10,000 hits per day.
Bright is one of a select group of authors whose books will be premiering in a new e-book format featured on Amazon that will be announced on Tuesday.
The e-books will be announced to promote Adobe's new e-book format at Seybold Seminars in Boston.
Bright is only one of three bestselling authors, along with Stephen King and marketing guru Seth Godin, to publish an e-book on the Web completely on their own.
"They're all genres with a fierce group of followers that are hungry for the next thing," Bright said, referring to the fields of sex, horror and business.
Bright's book covers all aspects of erotica -- from thinking about it to reading it, writing it, editing it, publishing it, selling it and doing it.
"I want people to write frankly about sex. I want to see an end to erotic illiteracy and to the censorship of sexual speech," she writes in the first chapter.
Self-publishing was an obvious choice for Bright, who launched her publishing career writing for underground newspapers and magazines on topics such as how to get birth control without parents finding out, and coming out gay in high school. She started writing for the "great labor of love and revolution," rather than simply to make a living.
Bright is not alone in her desire to break free from the traditional publishing mold. From authors with no name recognition to well-known authors in specific genres, "word is spreading throughout the writing community that self-publishing online can be a very lucrative business," said Angela Adair-Hoy, co-owner of Booklocker.com.
"Many authors are, frankly, tired of spending months, if not years, writing their books, only to walk away with no more money than their initial advance brought in," Adair-Hoy said.
Bright has already secured a non-exclusive contract with Booklocker.com to publish her e-book in Adobe PDF format. She will receive a 70 percent royalty rate -- a figure unheard of for most authors dealing with traditional publishers.
"These percentages are astounding compared to the traditional publishing model, but successful online e-publishers can afford to be generous with royalties," Adair-Hoy said.
"If an author already has their own following and their own website, why shouldn't they pocket the majority of the royalties rather than sharing them with a publisher who offers little or no online marketing support? Authors can make twice as much money while selling only a fraction of the number of books their publisher previously sold."
Major book club marketer Book Span has agreed to purchase her e-book directly. Observers say that's a rare feat for any self-published author.
Although she's investing a chunk of her own savings to publish the e-book, Bright believes that it's not a risky endeavor.
"I feel like there's no way that I can lose on this," she said.
Bright is also offering the book in print-on-demand form to appeal to readers who still relish the look and feel of a print book.
"There's a sensuality and a practicality of having a bound book in your hand."
Print-on-demand publishing allows books to be cheaply printed one at a time and bypass the restrictions of traditional publishing. Bright prescribes this ethos in her chapter on self-publishing.
Self-publishing, she proclaims, is "the most dramatic development in democracy, and freedom of speech since Gutenberg's printing press."
"Your idea doesn't have to be adored by millions; in fact, screw those millions! You can reach and profit from a niche audience regardless of whether other publishers think your stuff is esoteric, taboo or out of fashion," she writes.
But Bright concedes that self-publishing is not for everyone.
"On the one hand, you have to have a hell of an ego and persistence," she said. "On the other hand, you must be humble enough to hire someone to be absolutely blistering and put you through the paces."
Most bestselling authors haven't jumped ship to abandon major publishers yet. For those scribes used to securing big advances from established publishing houses, e-books remain uncharted territory.
"A lot of authors feel intimidated by new technology," Bright said. "I think a big part of (the reason they haven't tried e-publishing) is that authors, like readers, are a group of people who aren't necessarily geeks."
But Bright offers hope for authors who want to test the waters of self-publishing.
"E-books, and new technology in general, raises the possibility of being able to assert more control over their business life as an author," Bright said.
Like MP3s, Bright believes that e-books will swiftly gain popularity.
"There is a flexibility with e-books and people are going to become more familiar with them," she said.
Bright predicts that instant electronic feedback from readers will mold books from ideas to hard cover.
"E-books will be the book proposals of the future," she said.
