cover of Mark Cuban
It seems like not a day goes by that another Oscar winner, business guru or reality star is offered a six or seven-figure publishing deal. So, when billionaire, Dallas Mavericks’ owner, Mark Cuban turned down all offers in lieu of self-publishing his book, ‘How to Win at the Sport of Business‘, tongues were wagging.
Are the advantages of independently publishing becoming so strong that the allure of a lucrative contract just isn’t cutting it any more?
GalleyCat caught up with Cuban, asking why he chose this route and getting his thoughts on the future of publishing…
Mark, you mentioned that you were approached countless times to write a memoir but instead chose to ePublish. Why?
The time obligations of a traditional release were more than I was willing to undertake. I couldn’t ask for advances and then not want to do a book tour. Plus, the editorial deadlines were much more forgiving. I made changes hours before the final release.
You were quoted as saying that you didn’t like the financial risk model that most publishing deals would offer you. Why?
Time is the most valuable asset I have. The amount of time required to give the publishers a chance to make their money bank wasn’t worth the money to me. My preference was to put out an ebook on my own terms and see how it did and what I could learn. Based on this education, I will be a lot smarter about what I do next.
You have a fanbase of millions. And you have encouraged them to email you their thoughts on your book. What kind of feedback have you been receiving?
100% positive. I’ve been shocked by how quickly people have bought the book and read it.
Do you have plans on writing other eBooks? What will be your next one?
I don’t know yet. It will depend on what I learn with this book.
You encourage entrepreneurs not to hire a public relations firm, Mark. How did you get the word out about your eBook?
I tweeted, posted on Facebook, Google Plus and responded to emails. Nothing more.
You mention in your book, you’re a big fan of Amazon.com yet your book was first offered directly from your publisher. Why?
Same difference. Scott Waxman and Diversion Publishing acted as the intermediary so I wouldn’t have to deal with the paperwork and processes. They did an amazing job of making it easy for me.
Where do you see the future of ePublishing going? Will that be one of your future businesses that you will open?
Don’t know yet. This book is part of my publishing education.