We’ve crossed the Rubicon, dear readers. There’s no going back, when it comes to the print vs. digital divide, at least if we’re speaking on the commercial level. There are quite substantial numbers of readers who are introduced to books via their smartphones and computer screens and then move into the musty world of mahogany bookshelves and neighborhood used-book stores … but these numbers represent not so much a desertion of one form for another, but rather the natural progression of addicts who will simply, and always, want more–more good words strung together, more stories in their hands, more eyes to peer through and lives to live in the way that only literature makes possible.
I’m here to speak about e-books and e-readers this week and in the weeks to come. We’ve just finished a tour-de-force marathon of social media platforms spanning several months, so it’s time for a bit of a change of pace … but without sacrificing our desire to examine trends and patterns and possibilities with the fine eye of a book connoisseur.
The data is in, and readers have spoken. As this infographic (courtesy of Publishing Technology and Nielson BookScan) shows, e-book sales dropped slightly from an all-time high in early 2014, but they’re not going anywhere fast. (I should also note that the initial speculations for this year seem to indicate continued stability.) The digital market has matured, and readers are simply spreading their pocket change around, and being more selective as they do so. Essentially, it’s not just “still” useful to publish your books in digital form, but it’s actually more useful than ever–readers now know how to find what they like, as the information infrastructure–including indexing search engines like Google and Bing, and social media platforms with a literary bent like Goodreads–has matured alongside the market itself.
But how does an author, especially an indie, hybrid, or self-published author, go about figuring out how to navigate both the debate and the process? Well, first, you have to know a little bit about e-books and e-readers themselves.
And so we dive off into the deep end of a new series. This time I’m going to walk you through the process by examining each big player in the e-reading market (past and present and future, at least so far as I can see it), from Kindles to Nooks to iPads to chips implanted into your brain. Okay, okay, I’m kidding about that last one … for now. In all seriousness, I hope that this series will be of use to you as you take next steps into the oft-hazy world of digital publication!
Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com. And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠
 ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com. |
Self Publishing Advisor 
Always such useful information Kelly. Thank you.