It's the talent, stupid

Would be e-authors and Internet trend-spotters are all atwitter over Amanda Hocking, the rock star of self-publishing. Per the NY Times, "Since uploading her first book on her own last spring, she has become — along with the likes of Nora Roberts, James Patterson and Stieg Larsson — one of the best-selling e-authors on Amazon. In that time, she has grossed approximately $2 million." Her novels (she's written 10) revolve around paranormal-romance and zombies. Well, whatever. Anyway, Hocking is a sensation. Nascent e-authors dream in unison: If she can do it, anybody can. Um, not quite. What's gotten lost in the hullabaloo is a central fact noted by St. Martin Publishing editor Rose Hilliard: “She’s just a really good storyteller. Whatever that thing is that makes you want to stay up late at night to read one more chapter — she has it.” Yes, the unconventional Hocking chose to go the electronic self-publishing route. But she would have succeeded on any platform. The moral of this story is that there are no shortcuts to success. There is no substitute for talent. Either you have it or you don't. As for Hocking, you go, girl.