Despite the smartphone and job in the tech industry, I still enjoy paper magazines and books. I stare at a computer enough at work. I’d rather hold a book in my hand instead of a tablet on my bus ride home.
But more and more people on my bus are using Kindles and NOOKs and tablets to read. And the e-readers have cases that look and feel like books, which I think is a nice touch.
In any case, the publishing industry is just another industry undergoing a major transition at the hands of technology. The traditional publishing houses are fearful that Amazon’s new foray into e-publishing and paper publishing will create a monopoly and destroy the publishing industry.
In the music industry, pirating initiated the transition that has led to Spotify and Pandora and other music services that are either free or significantly cheaper than buying CDs. The music labels are having to adjust to the way people are listening to music now, as well as how the musicians are promoting themselves—on the Internet.
Whether e-publishing will ruin the publishing industry remains to be seen. But there’s no doubt that digital publishing has changed much of the paper-publishing world.
All the major newspapers now have online versions as well as print versions. Even though I’d rather read a book I can hold, I’d much rather get my news online than carry around a big newspaper (the ink of which bleeds onto your hands).
Just like in the music industry, scores of writers are turning to the web to get their work to the public. And while they find it more time- and work-intensive, they also retain complete creative control. Traditionally, publishers can influence a work and how it’s released and promoted.
Now Amazon is getting into the mix. By circumventing the publishing house and bookstores, Amazon provides better deals and more creative freedom for the writers, according to CNNMoney. This, in turn, translates to earlier book releases (e-books can come out six months before the print copy) and also cheaper prices.
In essence, Amazon (a major player) is bucking the system by teaming up with the little guys (the writers). Which is weird because Amazon has also helped put small bookstores out of business. It’s an ironic dichotomy.
