According to research by sociologist Everett Rogers in 1962, there are five adopter categories: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards. Rogers identified key characteristics of each adopter category, and the concept of adopter categories is now widely used in present-day marketing. In his adopter categories, he acknowledges that not everyone possesses the same motivation to adopt new technologies.
- Innovators adopt new technology or ideas simply because they are new. Innovators tend to take risks more readily and are the most venturesome.
- Early Adopters tend to create opinions, which propel trends. They are not unlike innovators in how quickly they take on new technologies and ideas, but are more concerned about their reputation as being ahead of the curve.
- Early and late majority make decisions based on utility and practical benefits over coolness. The late majority shares some traits with the early majority but is more cautious before committing, needing more hand-holding as they adopt.
- Laggards are slow to adapt to new ideas or tech. They tend to adopt only when they are forced to or because everyone else has already.
Reading these definitions, I’d place myself in the early majority category, given that my decision to adopt tends to be based on practical benefits vs. coolness, and I’m not much on having my hand held. If I’m adopting, I’d rather be doing it without a babysitter.
That leads me to today’s announcement, though the paperwork was filed earlier this year, and considerable research done over the past several months.
Here goes: I’m going to become a hybrid author! For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it means that I will continue to have some of my books traditionally published by Barking Rain Press, but I’m also taking the plunge into the world of self-publishing. To accomplish that objective, I’ve registered my own publishing imprint, Superior Shores Press, with the first book scheduled to be released Fall 2018. More details on that will follow when the time is right.
The handful of people I’ve shared this news with have asked whether I plan to accept submissions from other authors. While I have no immediate plans to do so, it’s something I’ll consider carefully once I’ve got a book or two of my own under the Superior Shores Press umbrella. Stay tuned for future updates, and wish me luck!
Congratulations, Judy. What a gutsy undertaking. And why am I not surprised?
Thanks Susan. We’ve both come a long way since Bloody Words, eh?
Will be following. Good luck …All the best. 🙂
Thank you Carol. I think you’ve been with me from the beginning…much appreciated!
Good for you, Judy. Wishing you much success.
Mary
Thanks Mary!
Wishing you the best of luck, Judy. I’ll be waiting to learn how this works out for you. 🙂
–Michael
Thanks Michael. It is a gamble, but I am ready for the challenge.
If anyone can succeed at this, it’s you. Wishing you tremendous success.
Thank you Grace. It’s another chapter in the many chapters of my life!
Wow, Judy! You have been so helpful giving me ideas, I know you’ll be successful with your new endeavor! Congratualtions-
Thanks Sheri!
Good luck, Judy! You’re going into this with your eyes wide open and a lot of talent and information.
Thank you so much Kaye. You’re right about eyes wide open!
Congratulations! You’ll be great at this.
Thanks Kristina! I’m excited about it.
Congratulations! Exciting news. Love the name.
Thanks Ellen. I love the name 🙂
Congratulations Judy. Great name for your venture. 🙂
Thanks Janice. I love it too!
Great idea, Judy. Hope it’s a big success. No doubt it will be an interesting journey. I’m looking forward to following it.
Thanks Gillian. I’m hiring professional editors and proofreaders — I’m doing it exactly the way a traditional publisher would — so, we’ll see.
Wishing you the best!
Thanks Debra.
Hi Judy – Congratulations! Good move. Our policy was to always be the ‘primary’ contractor, working directly with the customer (i.e. the bank making the loan, in our case). The primary contact is the one that makes the money (in your case with the reader). ‘Middlemen’ just take a piece out of the pie.
Best wishes,
John
Hi John, I have learned a lot since I signed my first contract in 2014. I hope that knowledge along with hard work pays off. We’ll see! But I have a good feeling about this.
Congratulations Judy. I hope it’s a big success.
Thank you John, I appreciate that. I’m having problems with my blog though — if you got this post a dozen times, I apologize! Website admin looking into it.
Congrats, Judy. If I can help in any way, let me know.
Thanks Susan, I may just take you up on that!
Congratulations! This is exciting news. I am confident you will earn your success. Best of luck on your impending release, and may there be many, many more!
Thanks Micki, you have given me so much great advice on this and believe me, it is much appreciated.
Good luck with your new endeavor, and congrats on your upcoming release 🙂
Thanks Val, it’s time to take charge of my own destiny.