Hello all. It's Matt again and I have another few questions about the industry I have found myself in. As you know I'm an author and keeping my eye on current trends is very important, as I've stated before.
The current question is: Should I publish digitally or physically?
While that question is ultimately up to the publisher and the agent, it isn't a bad question to ask and analyze.
People have been speculating the "death of print" since the advent of the radio in the 1920's. And while there has been a steady decline in value of the newspaper pre-Internet and a rapid decline post, the newspaper is still alive and littering the sidewalks of America; for now.
According to this report by Ross Dawson, America could finally see the death of the Newspaper by 2017. That's only next year! What does this mean for other print sources such as books and magazines?
Sales for physical printed books in 2015 were up by about 2% but according to Nielsen Bookscan (a report that shows numbers on the book market) a majority of those sales were from adult coloring books, not novels. This kind of figure doesn't help out someone like me who wants to make a living on writing fiction.
Even more reports done on Amazon sales of E-books and Print books show a lose in the print market on a monetary scale. As we all know digital is cheaper, quicker, and easier to promote. You can access a digital book from anywhere (if you have a phone or tablet that is) and you can carry every book in your collection on your device.
It's simple economics.
So I should go digital right? It's not that simple.
In 2014 tablets showed a decline in sales for the first time since 2010 according to a report by the IDC despite a general upswing for the whole year. There has also been a substantial collapse in the E-book market as well according to reports by Author Earnings.
A decline in E-book and tablet sales, an upswing in print (sort of), a fluctuation of the life cycle for print vs digital.
While it's hard to say which one will win out in the end, we must start to look at our own lives. Where I'd like to look is the library.
While most libraries cater to not only book readers by having audio books, movies, video games, and online resources, they do still carry in their majority, books.
"But Matt aren't libraries on their way out too?"
Not at all. In Lexington, Ky they are building a new 33,000 sq ft library with a drive through and will house 30% more books than the current branch library in the area.
In the whole US there are an estimated 119,487 libraries of all kinds across the nation. So it's safe to say that libraries are still needed and used by many people.
However, how do I answer my first questions? Will the book die out?
From a personal standpoint, I don't think so. There is something about holding a book in your hands that can't be replicated by a tablet or smart phone. You can't get an e-book signed by your favorite author. You can't book note a digital copy. And while browsing online might be easier, browsing in a bookstore is an experience you can't find anywhere else.
Physical books might fluctuate in sales and become something of novelty over time just like Vinyl or VHS but I don't think it will ever truly become obsolete or outdated.
What are your thoughts on the print vs digital battle? Should we drop physical print for having costly antiquated methods? Or will it stay a positive reminder of our pasts?
As always.
Keep reading. Keep learning.
No comments:
Post a Comment