Changes in the Publishing World

We’re often asked: What are the latest developments in the publishing world? Naturally it’s the growth of eBooks and print-on-demand publishing, which offer new delivery platforms. eBook publishing expands the market, reaching people who prefer to read their books in new ways. Early surveys show that likely eBook buyers are males between twenty-five and thirty-four years of age. Since this group traditionally does not buy books, their participation may mean an expansion of the market.

Print-on-demand will continue to grow both for reprints of once-popular books and for titles with niche appeal, leading to more books than ever being published. Unfortunately the quality may not always be there. Many of these titles are produced without the expertise of professionals. Publishers usually perform the gatekeeper’s task of screening what gets out there through editing, copyediting, and proofing. This is lacking in many hastily put-together print-on-demand books. On the other hand, print-on-demand can easily deliver a satisfactory product for compilers of family and company histories.

Bookstores may be stocking fewer books as there is a trend toward more face-outs of titles. Though face-outs are supposed to increase sales, they reduce the availability of room for spine-out stocking of titles.

Prices are expected to increase as the cost of paper rises. Printing prices overseas have also been affected by the weakening of the U.S. dollar.

Is online delivery of information affecting books? It’s difficult to say. Sales of published compilations of information—atlases, dictionaries, and reference books—have all been adversely affected by the internet. However, much of the information available on the internet is opinionated, not carefully researched, or inaccurate. The book publishing process helps filter information, and in a sense publishers are the gatekeepers to the quality of information circulated. As long as there is a demand for reliable information and good stories, publishing will remain viable and strong.