Tuesday, July 21, 2009

News Flash: Publishing ISN'T A Dying Industry

Just because I haven't been writing blog posts doesn't mean I haven't been spending my share of time on the computer, researching the publishing industry.

I decided some time ago I was over queries. Soooooo over them. Not in over sending them, but over trying to get them right, trying to tweak, to learn about, to stalk agents and figure out exactly what they want.

So I'm spending my blog haunting times doing research on the publishing industry. After all, that seems to be the whole crux of the problem with my friends getting published, and in them getting agents (and me too). There just aren't a lot of books being acquired right now.

And if you haven't read this article, and I suspect you haven't unless you are a dedicated Lehrer News Hour listener, then you need to. Right now.

But if, as I suspect, some of you won't click over because you are just that busy, here is the quick rundown.

  • E-books are not going to run traditional books out of business.
  • E-books are actually increasing the sale of traditional books
  • Think of e-books like audio books: they don't replace, they just supplement
  • Reading rates are actually on the upswing - a steep rise in adults reading this year
  • The publishing business is legalized gambling (says an agent)
  • Small press publishers are getting the best books out there
But don't take my word for it. Go read the interview with two top agents, and what they have to say about what's going on in the topsy-turvy world of publishing. I promise, it's an interesting read.

If you're into that thing, that is.

4 comments:

  1. Oh, I like the idea that e-readers are just supplements to books...like audio books. Real books can't ever fade out...ever. And I like your new profile pic.

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  2. I love this blog-- I'm so glad I discovered it. I don't think that e-books are ever going to take the place of real books. Although the Amazon Kindle might be the exception. Give it ten years, you never know. I never thought I would be carrying around a cell phone, either. I learned how to type on a typewriter (remember those old things) and now I can't say that I really even remember how one works-- pushing that thing to the left after the end of each line... **sigh**

    Self-publishing is on the rise, and I have self-published 13 books with great success. Only one of them has been a dud, and all the rest did very well. I write non-fiction, though. How-to non-fiction tends to do pretty well right out of the gate.

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  3. Christy - Wow! Thanks! Thanks for bookmarking the blog too. I hope you'll keep coming back and generating conversations!

    I'm so impressed that you've written 13 books, to say nothing of having success with self-publishing them!

    I had to laugh over your description of the typewriter! I remember that too! And changing ribbons - I even had one that was a white-out ribbon so you could erase exactly the letter instead of blanketing the entire thing with a nail polish like brush! :)

    I adore backspace. I think I'm addicted to it.

    I guess I'm not too worried about e-books. The world changes. Constantly. I'll probably go kicking and screaming, but once I'm there, I'll think, why didn't I do this before?

    It could happen.

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