Last Summer, I co-authored my first book. I was ecstatic to be asked to join the principle author, Jim Dovey, to write chapters introducing readers to the Foundation classes, etc. A month after the book was released, I’m still frustrated with the publisher, Apress, for a number of reasons I won’t discuss here. However, I had decided to write another book — an eBook — and to self-publish it.

Around the time I was about to begin an independent eBook, Pearson Education contacted me to see if I were interested in writing a condensed eBook discussing something new in iOS 6. This isn’t exactly what I had been planning, but I agreed. I’m currently writing a 200-page eBook with Pearson discussing UICollectionView.

The project start has been pushed back a few months from my original start date of October — working 70+ hours a week for 6 weeks will drain your productivity and creativity, after all. However, I’m wrapping up chapter 2 now and I thought I’d reflect on my decision not to self-publish.

First, let’s be clear and state my goals for this eBook. - I want to learn more about UICollectionView (I learn best by teaching). - I want to improve my technical writing skills. - I want to get more online credibility.

Basically, I want to create a polished product that I can be proud of and will gain notoriety in the iOS world.

With that in mind, what I don’t want to spend time doing is editing. I want a polished product but I hate putting in the effort into editing. Just ask my friend Jason Brennan how many typos he’s found on this blog. I’m just too eager to get down my ideas to stop, go back, and look for problems. I hate copy editing my own work.

I also want to have another iOS developer check my work to make sure I’m not talking out my own ass. That’s where my amazing technical editor comes in.

Finally, if my goal is to be known as a total iOS badass, I feel that publishing my own eBook is less reputable than publishing with a traditional publisher, even if it’s still an eBook.

The publishing industry isn’t dead: it’s just changing. I’m excited to be a young author in this exciting push over the digital cliff.