Within the final 12 months, a brand new pattern has began the place I’ve truly seen authors produce solely e-books. Granted, most of those authors are self-published and publishing their first e book. They could not have the cash to print paper books, or they merely don’t wish to danger the prices of printing on paper when producing an e-book is so inexpensive. It is arduous to imagine that a number of many years in the past an individual would have spent tens of 1000’s of to self-publish a e book. By the start of this century, print-on-demand had diminished that value to simply a few thousand, and even simply within the excessive a whole lot. Now, producing an e-book may cost you solely a few hundred , or you could possibly even do it your self and simply have the price of your time to supply it. You’ll be able to then promote it with out ever having to do something more-no printers, no printing prices, no supply or mailing prices.
However are e-books actually books? I’ve heard numerous publishing specialists discuss how we are actually within the data age, and we’re not promoting books however promoting data. That is an excellent level to make as a result of e-books don’t resemble books. Granted, e-readers like Kindle and Nook attempt to give the notion nonetheless that we’re holding some kind of e book, but it surely’s a distinct feeling to carry a plastic digital machine in comparison with paper that’s nice and yielding to our contact. I nonetheless like the texture of a e book higher, and I feel e-readers nonetheless have some bugs to be labored out, however I’ve to confess that the low value, the comfort of storing a number of books on an e-reader, and the velocity of supply are all preferable over printing paper books.
So is it not worthwhile to publish paper books? I do know at the least one writer who has gleefully advised me, “No extra paper books for me.” However all I can say to that’s, “Maintain on. The paper e book hasn’t died but.” Perhaps in ten years it will likely be lifeless, possibly sooner, but it surely is not lifeless proper now. I feel authors ought to proceed to print paper books in affordable portions. I’d suggest smaller print-runs-perhaps just one,000, or 500, and even 100 books-just what you suppose you would possibly have the ability to promote in a 12 months or two and never past that, after which reassess whether or not you wish to proceed printing on paper. You have to be very sensible and savvy about what number of paper books you possibly can promote so you do not find yourself with a basement stuffed with paper whereas your e-book gross sales proceed to climb, however a necessity for paper books nonetheless exists.
Listed below are some the reason why paper books are nonetheless an excellent idea. First, they’re related to an writer’s marketing technique. In the event you plan to attach with readers solely online, maybe you do not want this recommendation, however to supply solely e-books is to alienate an excellent proportion of your viewers.
Face-to-Face Interplay: Many readers like to attach with the writer whose books they learn. If that weren’t true, we would not have e book signings and poetry readings and all method of writer occasions. Sure, maybe a reader can join with the writer by sending him a Fb message, and in some senses, the Web has made author-fan connections a lot simpler. However assembly somebody online can by no means evaluate to assembly somebody in individual.