"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." - Walt Disney

Friday, August 17, 2012

PubMatch—An Online Community for the Publishing Industry

by Samantha Gray

Along with everything else these days, the world of publishing has definitely evolved with the digital technology revolution. While many say that the ever-growing virtual age has hurt the industry, there are certain ways in which it has helped. Enter PubMatch.com.
This website has created an online, virtual hub for members of the publishing industry. Anyone from aspiring authors, illustrators, publishers and more can join and instantly connect with each other. In the past, someone would write and book and often wonder "what's next?" The whole process seemed foreign and possibly even somewhat daunting and overwhelming. But now, all they have to do is log onto PubMatch, create an account and upload their book to instantly connect with eager and interested publishers.
Bridging the geographical gaps between industry professionals, this site makes international networking a cinch. Literary agents and agencies greatly benefit from it because it instantly connects them to several up and coming authors that may be seeking representation. It will also help them maintain working relationships with various publishers.
Just like traditional social-networking sites, PubMatch offers members varying degrees of privacy. Users can make their profiles viewable, semi-secured or choose to remain completely invisible. Some might wonder the purpose of remaining "unseen" and "unsearchable" on a site like that, but it could actually make sense for authors, illustrators and photographers looking to build their portfolios and catalogs before "going public." The site offers members the opportunity to upload tons of data through CSV files, so if nothing else the site can be a working, back-up of their efforts.
However, for those seeking a more interactive experience, the site does offer several forums and discussion boards covering topics such as book marketing, writing techniques, illustrating experiences and more. The site also works closely with organizers of events such as BookExpo America, The London Book Fair and more, further exemplifying its commitment to bringing the publishing community together.
So, whether you're a veteran novelist with a few notable titles under your belt or a recent college grad with just an English degree to your name, joining PubMatch is an easy, proactive career move that can only help you in the long run. Speaking for myself as a freelance writer, I'm just jealous this site wasn't around when I first started my career years ago.
Samantha Gray is an expert in online education and a freelance writer. Pursuing an online bachelor's degree is often fraught with myths and misconceptions. Samantha shows her readers the way. She wants to hear your feedback and ideas, too, at samanthagray024@gmail.com.

2 comments:

Mary Horner said...

Thanks for the great information, I'm going to check it out right now!

Unknown said...

There are many things should be taken into consideration, but you've made a good point here. Thanks a lot for that. I will follow your way soon.



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