Kobo to publish directly with authors

[Mememememe]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Interesting. This is where it's headed. The Traditional publishers better take notice!

Publishers aren't exactly shaking in their boots.

Kobo is essentially operating a vanity press. The quality is about as rich and varied as the average publisher's slush pile.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Mememememe

Publishers aren't exactly shaking in their boots.

Kobo is essentially operating a vanity press. The quality is about as rich and varied as the average publisher's slush pile.

Well certainly but if you following the larger publishing environment they you'll understand what I'm saying. I don't think anyone is or should be concerned about Kobo, but the current dinosaurs of the publishing are and with good reason worried about e-publication and they are doing everything they can to keep the status quo.

[Mememememe]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Well certainly but if you following the larger publishing environment they you'll understand what I'm saying. I don't think anyone is or should be concerned about Kobo, but the current dinosaurs of the publishing are and with good reason worried about e-publication and they are doing everything they can to keep the status quo.

I am a publisher, so I'm aware of the larger publishing environment. Our sales -- print and ebooks -- are up, and ebooks from non-traditional sources aren't having the negative effect on the industry that some like to think. The number of authors bypassing traditional publishers -- and doing so successfully -- is actually quite minuscule. Even smaller is the number of authors who have done so without having a pre-existing reputation.

Kobo and Kindle have latched on to the self-publishing model because it's a way to make money off authors. It's not really a threat to traditional publishers, nor are ebooks in general -- at least, for the shrewd publisher that embraces ebooks. The only change some traditional publishers need to make is to join those of us who have embraced ebooks and are starting to see a nice supplement to our annual sales. But right now, there's no reason to fear non-traditional sources for ebooks.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Mememememe

I am a publisher, so I'm aware of the larger publishing environment. Our sales -- print and ebooks -- are up, and ebooks from non-traditional sources aren't having the negative effect on the industry that some like to think. The number of authors bypassing traditional publishers -- and doing so successfully -- is actually quite minuscule. Even smaller is the number of authors who have done so without having a pre-existing reputation.

Kobo and Kindle have latched on to the self-publishing model because it's a way to make money off authors. It's not really a threat to traditional publishers, nor are ebooks in general -- at least, for the shrewd publisher that embraces ebooks. The only change some traditional publishers need to make is to join those of us who have embraced ebooks and are starting to see a nice supplement to our annual sales. But right now, there's no reason to fear non-traditional sources for ebooks.

Right, I agree. Those that embrace it are the ones that will survive, because soon there will be no buggies to use those buggie whips on.

The major publishers, despite their overtures to ebooks are still fighting against them to keep the status quo. Unless they are willing to fully embrace e-publishing they will be as dead as the dinosaurs. This Kobo thing and even the Kindle thing are just the tip, the start of what the future will be. Paper books will be a rarity, ebooks will be the norm. We're in a transitional period, the change is not hear yet, but it's coming, just like that meteor did.

[DiapDealer]

But right now, there's no reason to fear non-traditional sources for ebooks.

Most successful businesses can't afford the luxury of thinking about (or enjoying) "right now."
"Right now" is already ancient history, while the next ten years are "now" for the publishing world. How many of these non-traditional sources might be well on their way toward being traditional in a decade?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Most successful businesses can't afford the luxury of thinking about (or enjoying) "right now."
"Right now" is already ancient history, while the next ten years are "now" for the publishing world. How many of these non-traditional sources might be well on their way toward being traditional in a decade?

All I suspect. It's been a long ride for the printing press, it's not over yet -- or ever probably -- but I suspect we'll pass the tipping point in another 5 years and then it's all downhill from there.

[Mememememe]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Most successful businesses can't afford the luxury of thinking about (or enjoying) "right now."
"Right now" is already ancient history, while the next ten years are "now" for the publishing world. How many of these non-traditional sources might be well on their way toward being traditional in a decade?

You're misusing the "right now" as I'd meant it. Realistic speculation -- speculation that is based on a good deal of experience with print and ebooks -- shows no sign that any of these vanity ventures are going to shake publishing in any way. Even Amazon's attempt at publishing isn't having any sort of impact on traditional publishers -- their 150 books are a drop in the bucket, and not a very big drop. And common sense speculation about a future in which other online retailers try to do what Amazon is doing suggests that this will not change. Plus, sooner or later, authors and agents dealing with Amazon are going to find out that they're predatory, as is Indigo (Kobo's parent company).

Really, there's absolutely nothing to indicate that "non-traditional" publishing models are going to change anything. It sounds sexy for the media to say otherwise, and it gives false hope to unpublished authors who think publishers have overlooked their genius for years, but realistically, as long as publishers embrace the electronic publishing world, those publishers will do quite well. The reason? Because we actually know what we're doing, and know how to publish good books, how to work with authors to make those books better, how to guide careers, how to market books so that we can connect authors to readers, etc.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Mememememe

You're misusing the "right now" as I'd meant it. Realistic speculation -- speculation that is based on a good deal of experience with print and ebooks -- shows no sign that any of these vanity ventures are going to shake publishing in any way. .....

And you are misunderstanding what I'm saying. I am not speaking of vanity publishing, but ebook publishing in general. It will replace print publishing.

[Mememememe]

Originally Posted by kennyc

And you are misunderstanding what I'm saying. I am not speaking of vanity publishing, but ebook publishing in general. It will replace print publishing.

There's no reason to think it won't be the traditional publishers doing it. Traditional publishers are selling most of the ebooks now (by far) and will continue to do so.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Mememememe

There's no reason to think it won't be the traditional publishers doing it. Traditional publishers are selling most of the ebooks now (by far) and will continue to do so.

Did you even bother to read what I posted or have any clue about the industry itself?