The book industry has taken many knocks over the past few years due to the introduction of "digital" dynamics. But, the industry is now poised to sell more books in the near future than it has over the past 200 years, again due to the same "digital" dynamics! At least, that's what Bruce Upbin, a managing editor at Forbes, is intimating on their blog: Booked:
Two days ago I went to the O'Reilly Tools of Change Publishing conference at the Marriott in Times Square. It's a well-attended conference, focused on e-books, e-book readers and embracing digital change. While the last decade has not been pretty to the book industry--it has not grown in revenue much in the last six years (neither has the U.S. economy)--everyone wants to know what's next.
Twelve hundred people showed up at Tools of Change. Bookselling, after all, is going to change more in the next six years than in the previous 200. Many participants have gotten beat up by digital change, but at TOC 2010, everyone wants to be the book's friend: the vendors, the consultants, the keynoter thought-leaders. David "Skip" Pritchard, the chief executive of Ingram Content Group, gave a talk about embracing change. His business serves up the software for e-books and electronic libaries. He also got so friendly he threw what looked like a travel coffee mug into the audience to punctuate one of his ideas. People seemed more alert after that happened.
The highlight of the day was Arianna Huffington's keynoter, which went over embracing change and the Golden Age of Engagement. She ended with an invitation to the audience and all publishing industry people to come write for free on her book chat site. "Books don't end," she said. "Publication dates are meaningless." "Start saying something about your book." Right on, sister.
Well, we're a friend, too. We're a publisher ourselves! And we love books and conversations about big ideas and great stories. So, friends in the publishing industry, I heartily invite you to come blog for us, instead. We'll match Arianna's rates right here at Booked. You can have your own account and talk with your friends and the public about agenting, bookselling, book making, writing, criticizing, dreaming about fiction. We want your conversation. We're your friend.
Contact me or editor Michael Noer.
2 comments:
I admire you as a person, John, and love your style of writing.
Despite of all the digital media out there these days, I still prefer to sit down with a good book.
Best,
Ana Hoffman/YourNetBiz
Thanks for the undeserved compliments! You make me blush...
As far as settling down with a good book...I'm with you, Kid (as Bogey would say to Bacall in a good old movie)...Seems we're both spoiled!
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