Readers choosing

Salon Magazine has a fascinating article on the ebook/print book faceoff. The article by Laura Miller makes many points including: "New self-publishing enterprises are a godsend for traditional publishers because they can take much of the uncertainty out of signing a new author." Inherent in that observation may be a scenario by which many authors are "somewhat" successful at publishing their book electronically, so that a few can rise to the surface and be snatched up by New York publishing companies, like E.L. James ("50 Shades of Grey"), Amanda Hocking and now Hugh Howie ("Wool). The article points out that the growth of ebooks has slowed, and that three times as many people say they prefer print books to electronic books. The one reality the article overlooks is the reality of acceptance that the two media are here to stay -- together -- and there should be no nostalgia for one (print) or euphoria for the other (electronic). Once the two are wedded, so that you buy both the ebook and the print book rights together, reader choice will finally have arrived so that after the book has been consumed the reader can choose the incarnation he or she desires in perpetuity.

Reversing the traditional

The newest book publishing model -- starting out as print on demand (POD), then going to mass print -- has now officially turned the conventional publishing model on its head. PaidContent announced today that "50 Shades of Grey", which started out as a print on demand book just a few years ago, will be published as a hardcover this Valentine's Day. PaidContent reported: "The bestselling 50 Shades of Grey trilogy by E.L. James, which has sold over 65 million copies worldwide, is set to rake in even more cash: Random House’s Doubleday plans to release the books in hardcover for the first time in the U.S. on January 29, in time for Valentine’s Day. (The books are already available as hardcovers in the U.K.)." Go to the link: http://paidcontent.org/2013/01/10/with-release-in-hardcover-50-shades-completely-flips-traditional-publishing-cycle/?et_mid=598202&rid=68173885 So if you look at this albeit unusual book it's publishing history has reversed the historical book publishing process. Until a few years ago, most books would only be printed in large print runs of 10,000 or more. Then as print on demand became viable, some books would go from hardcover (large print run, say over 10,000) to print on demand (short print run, one at a time upon purchase). "50 Shades of Grey" started out as print on demand (short print run, one at a time upon purchase) and now has migrated to hardcover (large print run, say over 10,000. Storm the Bastille.