Spineless

Publishing...as we know it...the kind that uses paper...and ink...doomed.

Or is it?

Didn't I read this article ten years ago?

I usually try to avoid copying and pasting the final paragraph of anything, but I had to point this out:

Publishing has only two indispensable participants: authors and readers. As with music, any technology that brings these two groups closer makes the whole industry more efficient—but hurts those who benefit from the distance between them.

Ultimately, though, it will be about changing readers' perception of what a book is, right?  I doubt that Writer X cares how the "book" gets to Reader Y, as long as a)Writer X knows that Reader Y will be able to get the "book" and b) Writer X gets some sort of financial reward for Reader Y getting the "book."  So does it matter if Reader Y's definition of a book includes pixels as opposed to print?  And does Reader Y even consider how Writer X feels or how Publisher Z feels about how Reader Y defines "book"? 

Will cassettes ever replace vinyl?

XYZ.

Comments

[RMEllis]

Books will be around as long as I am, I'm pretty sure of that. They might not make people any money, and yeah, the mainstream publishing industry might go entirely digital. But too many people like actual books for them to disappear entirely.

Actually, I think some kinds of books will become more beautiful and valuable, and other books will become cheaper and more disposable.