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Some really great stuff in this blog post by Dean Wesley Smith (who has been putting out some really thought-provoking articles on the changes the publishing industry is going through and the impact on writers for a good year now.) It links to an article by Mark Corker, Smashwords founder. It's really worth reading Mark's article first, as Dean's references it.
For those unfamiliar, Smashwords is an online publishing entity to let you publish your books electronically and then push them to a variety of formats including the Sony eReader, the Kobo, and via Apple's iBooks bookstore. Smashwords also permits publishing through the Amazon and Barnes and Noble platforms, but most writers I know who are putting up their own work in e-format now are putting them directly on Amazon (via their Digital Text Platform tool) and Barnes and Noble (via PubIt! - their equivalent) and then also on Smashwords.
But Smashwords has an interesting point of view, being separate from these other huge companies with many lines of business. Smashwords is just in the epublishing biz, and the founder has some great insights into what may come in the year ahead.
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Ixteresting articles. I've read a few from both that have served me well. I agree with most of it, but I still feel sad that the new authors of this generation may not have their books in a special collection on someones shelf. I couldn't survive without a computer and I predict I'll be getting some sort of Ipad in the near future to make my life easier, but I love books. I love the feel of them, and having old ones in my collection makes me feel whole somehow. Pulling one down on a rainy day like tonight gives me a momentary feeling that all is right in the world, and my hope was someday that would be my book someone was holding.
But this is from a person that has an Ipod but loves his record collection more.
But the futures here and it's time to move forward.
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There's something an e-book cannot do. You cannot take it into your hand and feel the weight of it. You cannot smell the paper. You cannot touch the rough surface of it. But I like the thought that if readers say they like your story, this will mean more readers will come. It's an organic approach to publishing.
I'm a traditionalist - I love paper books. I'm also environment conscious and e-books mean less cut down trees. I'm an author wanting to make my way and e-books seem a faster way to rise. I'm also enough of a computer geek that I can form my own e-documents in various formats. I could very well start e-publishing today.
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I'm not even finished the articles, but already I found something of interest to me.
In prediction 4, DWS claims that failure to sell an ebook will manifest more discourage with new writers than will receiving multiple rejection letters. I disagree...at least as it applies to me. The rejection slip symbolizes a story that the general book-buying public never got a chance to read. With a published ebook, however, my story is out there; I might not sell a single copy of that ebook, but more people saw its existence than did the story that didn't even make it past the editor's desk. While I do acknowledge some susceptibility to disappointment and frustration if my ebooks zero out, I also know myself well enough to expect that the sight of an ebook in cyberspace with my name on it will motivate me to make sure everyone has more ebooks in cyberspace with my name on it to choose from.
Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going back to finish reading the article.
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One thing I think a lot of people are missing about the boom in epublishing is that it does NOT by itself signify the death of books. While Amazon's founder has indicated he thinks there will be a death of books, others aptly point out that this newfangled "book" technology has been around for millennia in some form or another, is perfectly understandable to all people, all cultures, and 100% portable. A book from 1000 years ago is just as intelligible (language differences notwithstanding) as one published yesterday.
The very very interesting thing that's happening with ebooks, though (and the ebook readers) is that they are GROWING the book-consuming business. More people are reading *more* books. This is fantastic news for us writers, who have been told by the biz for as long as I've been in it (only a few years but the message has been remarkably consistent) that the industry is tight, it'll take a miracle to get published, nobody is reading anymore, we're lucky to get a teensy publishing contract, gloom, doom, gloom, doom.
Ebooks and ebook readers are saying something quite different. There are still a lot of people out there reading, the early adopters of the ebook readers are people who read A LOT, a device like a Kindle or Nook or iPad lets these people get at the content they want when and where they want (removing one of their barriers to the consumption of more books) and they are hungry for more content.
I have two different ebook readers in my house now (and have used the third major one) and I still have a MOUNTAIN of books. Anything I read on the ebook reader that I really like, I buy in hardback (I'm a bit of a hardback snob.) I have children and buy them tons of books. While I picture a day sometime in the near future where they might get their own ebook readers, that day is probably a bit off in the future, and I will never stop buying keepsake books, books that we really love. I will own MULTIPLE copies of my favorite authors' favorite works (the ebook version and hardback if I can find it!) Just one case, but there you have it.
And @Crank - I think dws stepped back from his prediction a bit in the comments, and I think you're probably right. The unfortunate reality is that there will be a load of drivel out there, but with readers and bloggers and reviews on sites like amazon, the good stuff will bubble up, just in a more "democratic" way than currently happens (where if your paranormal romance with fairies manuscript gets on the desk of one editor who just happens to hate fairies, you get rejected. If you're putting your book out there and it's getting passed along by people who like fairies, it's more likely to find readers.) The "in-between" books and the doesn't-quite-fit-the-genre books have a lot more space when they are published independently.
I personally am on the major pub route right now, with one manuscript proposal in the mail and another one I'd like to get prepped and out by March, but if these don't sell in 6 months I'll publish them myself and see how things go.
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Since I don't have anything ready to publish--on that scale--yet, I'm not leaning one way or the other.
My problems with "e-book publishing" are practical:
1) Once there are enough writers publishing e-books, the quality will suffer. Readers will dig through tons of crap before they find something good. IF they pursue sifting through the "rush pile" there will still be too many for everyone to get noticed. Then the gimmicks will begin again, just in a different medium and on a different scale.
Since I only have the free PC Kindle, I can only speak on that:
2) How can I share an e-book? Doesn't seem I can.
3) What happens when I fill it? AND, if I should get a different laptop, will I have to buy everything all over again?
I think it's too soon to predict. I've seen bestselling authors flip-flop time and time again on the subjects of e-books vs conventional books. For me, until I see otherwise, e-publishing will still remain a last resort. Of course, by the time I have my work cleaned up enough to consider publishing it, things may have settled and the way--new or old--be clear.
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Doesn't one of the ebook readers have a share ability? It is like X number of days were the other person can read it, but you can't? I wish I could remember more details. I don't have an e-reader so for me, it doesn't matter. Right now, I am a used book store and library person so e readers don't really fit my needs (if too poor to buy the $10 book, not going to pay a hundred books for a reader plus money for the books- not economically feasible). Of course, the library has a drop off point within walking distance of me which has made me a much bigger library person than when it was 25 minutes away.
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right now the nook has sharing for 14 days and one of their claims is that many libraries allow you to "checkout" epub format books for the same length as a regular check out. amazon says sharing is in the near future for kindle.
as far as sharing goes it just depends on how far you go. for many years now people have been getting hard back editions of books with a scanner and a wooden dowel scanning the book and using any of several programs that convert scans to document format files you can get just about anything you want free over the net, just like with music and mp3s.
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The thought of sifting through a mound of reading out there doesn't sound all that appealing. Whats going to happen is the consumer has been moved to looking through the slush pile themselves and reporting if they think something is of worth or not.
Sounds interesting and yet messy at the same time. I'm a little skeptical that reading numbers have gone up that much. To me the pads still seem more used for the social networks.
Glad I found this thread since I came here to post the same link but this time someone beat me to it. Just as well since I was looking for a specific thread to post the link in.
Some people just have too much time online
But as the topic. To use a cliche: as someone said the times they are a-changing. And we, as writers, have to keep an eye out on the changes. Some will be good for us but not others. Well, in this case most may be good for us in the long run and if we handle them right.
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I agree with walexander and MartinV I love the feel of books which is one main reason I haven't bought an ereader yet. The second reason is that I would have to dip into my writing workshop money.
But at the same time just because I have some books on a(n) ereader doesn't mean all of my books have to be electronic. Especially since not all books are on that format yet.
I think I have just two days ago finally decided for sure to get one, still have the problem with my workshop money though. But that would be easy to rationalize away since there is the problem of being accepted and another personal problem plus I don't want to fly right now anyway.
From what I understand the quality is already suffering. Some beginning writers who know little about writing are putting up stories and/or books and some of these books have not been edited for spelling, typos etc..
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I know a few who are "indie" authors because of the Kindle Store, and one in particular who does edit, and likes the fact he can have a new, edited copy up in twenty-four hours of finishing an editing pass.
It's of large concern to me that to e-publish will soon be to associate will all of those mediocre (low or mid-list writers) who'd never sell consistently in today's market--while the top "print" authors are massive entities in both worlds. What I'm torn on is the politics of Big Six publishing. How many Hatrackers have spent years honing our crafts only to fall short of publishing contracts, or near-miss while the Stephanie Meyers, James Pattersons, J. K. Rowlings and Dan Browns corner markets we could be setting trends for? So, while e-publishing gives us the freedom to publish and share those ideas--give them a chance to snowball, when the Big Six don't--they're now Guppies (at most Sturgeons) in an ocean with Tuna, Sharks, and Orcas.
I guess the main difference is getting published through the Big Six will get you print editions (which was always my main spur; I'm visceral), more exposure, copy editors, a rapport with more editors and a "Name Brand" by being accepted into that echelon. That "Name Brand" can transfer into "indie" sales IF you can manage to keep the rights--or are prolific enough to fulfill your contract and write for e-pub.
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Well I have only read one self-published book. My wife bought it from the author at a horse show. The book back claimed he was the next Louis Lamour.
He wasnt.
I have yet to finish the 100 page book. I kid you not, there is 1 paragraph, thats right, 1 paragraph that had 6 dialogue tags in it.6! The character, whispered, spit, said, growled, gasped and howled, all in 1 paragraph.
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I don't think that it is going out on a limb to predict ebook sales are on the rise. The nook, kindle and sony readers are now available at major retail outlets. With more readers in the market comes more ebook sales.
I've had the kindle for over a year now. I love it. Its perfect for travel so you don't have to lug books around. Plus, I don't finish every book I start (why waste time reading drivel when there are endless good books out there).
Ebooks will not replace the printed books. They are still more enjoyable to read and fun to collect or give as gifts. Ebooks are a wonderful supplement, however.
As for self-pub, I've asked the same questions myself. I think it is rare to succeed with that strategy and will consider it my last resort.
Since you bought it at a horse show or your wife did that is, I assume it was paper. Maybe published one of the vanity presses. At one hundred pages it sounds rather short. Which may have been your point.
But as I said it sounds like there are already that type of writing in ebooks. Not all for sure but enough. I hear that a lot Epublished writers are good and their stuff has been edited so there's very few nitpicks. I mean the ones who publish ebooks on their own. I don't mean the pros doing it that way and some main stream publishers are doing e-books. I believe the anthology that contains my story sold quiet a few few ebooks as well as the paper version. It came out three to four years ago.
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This thread has reminded me that a while back I decided to e-publish some of my most rejected stories. I have mentioned that a time or three, but it slipped my mind that I actually decided to do it at the end of the year, which is now.
But I don't want to take the time to go back over the stories to clean up the nitpicks, which I have also mentioned before. And the way I usually work I could go over the stories twice and still miss quiet a few of them. If I could find someone to do it for me even if it costs me something, I would try it. Probably do two, of what I call sets, instead of one at a time.
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Quality issues are raised with ebooks/indie publishing, and they are valid - there is some dubious quality work for sale - but it is very early days yet and I predict that everything will shift to accommodate the new order. New gatekeepers will emerge, not to keep people from publishing (which will never happen again) but to simply say 'you can only sell here if we think your work is good' - a few dozen (probably genre focused) sites like that will grow loyal customers who know that anything sold on that site will be 'stuff I'll like' so readers don't have to wade through the 'stuff I won't like' - all a matter of taste, of course, but... problem solved. Give it time.
For myself, my own work is selling well enough for now, considering that no one knows who the heck I am. Happy enough. No more arbitraty 'don't think I can sell enough copies' rejections. As to quality... well, the reviews are good/4 and 5 star ratings. I don't need more recognition than that. But more sales would be nice; the sincerest form of flattery is money, after all :0)
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Trend-spotters, taste-makers, and to use a Scott Westerfeld term, "Cool-hunters" will have a big role in the future of publishing.
Well-regarded book blogs will continue to grow readership, as those readers talk about books they enjoyed.
Amazon's biggest product right now isn't the physical stuff they sell anymore, but the content by way of user reviews and ratings. This is huge. I buy from amazon for a lot of different things in part because I can go to one spot and see all the different reviews of that thing, from kitchen gear to books to electronic media to sporting goods. It's crazy, but it's the truth. I never would have predicted this particular shopping habit but it's great to be able to see others' opinions before I buy - which has been shown time and time again as one of the primary drivers of people's book-buying behaviors (most buy based on a well-known author name, or on personal recommendation by friend or bookseller. The marketing/store positioning/etc. comes in a distant third.)
Think big, folks. The world is changing and the whole way people buy books is going to change. There will be a bunch of self-published drivel, true, possibly more than today (but you know there's plenty today, right?) but the book blogs and the reviews on websites will help readers find what they want. And because they're not limited by big 6 lines/genre expectations, extremely long production timelines, and things like that - people with books in very specific sub-genres or things that are generally a "hard sell" for traditional publishing are going to have an opening here, because it's all about finding the market for your product - if you can find the people who love fairy-based paranormal romance, you'll be golden because they'll be hanging on your every word, waiting for your next release, etc.
A few other pertinent details: The Nook (Barnes/Noble) allows for 14 day loaners, this has been a part of the Nook since their first major software update, which i think was March 2010 (the device has been around just over one year.) The Kindle just announced a similar feature the other day. Nook can read library's ebook shared docs, at present the Kindle can't, though my Kindle friends say their Kindles can read all kinds of file formats, I was surprised by that as I thought I understood it was limited in file types. Nook also has expansion capability - you can expand by adding a small media card, thereby making most space limitations meaningless.
And to your question, @IB about where to store all this media, the answer is "in the cloud" - my B&N library has all the nookbooks I've bought in the last year (I am planning to blog about this shortly as I thought it would be interesting to see what I bought, what I bought but didn't read, what I downloaded a portion of but didn't buy, etc. since I've had it for a year.) I can download those titles onto my other devices (smartphone, computer, etc.) Pretty cool. So long as my devices have been talking to wifi recently, the book will even retain my place as I move from reading it on the computer to the actual nook to the phone and back. It's really surprising how well it all works, and how much I love reading on it.
I think you have a point KayTi. Product reviews does seem to be something we aren't taking into account when we think of e-publishing. But of course that can work in both directions. If we publish a (Rats, can't think of that newer term for something that is lousy) that will get around fast. But over all it could help sell ebooks and/or estories.
And one more benefit for epublishing. We don't have to have books that are the right length. We could put out a 50,000 word book or as one person here has done a 240,000 word book. The prices might be adjusted to the length but we would need to tell people up front I would think but it could work.
I know that there are two novels I'm working on now I'm not sure if I will be able to get very far past 50,000 words. Of course we will have to wait 'till I'm done to know for sure, they could very well be longer than I think, but that is what it seems now.
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since I was looking for a specific thread to post the link in.
