project for school: Impact of E-books on Publishing

[boerngrim]

Hi,
I'm a college student working on a project for class. My topic is the impact E-Books have had on independent and desktop publishing. Since many of the posters here are E-publishers I was hoping maybe some of you could give me your thoughts on E-books and desktop publishing. I understand that you're all very busy people and I would greatly appreciate any input you would care to give me.
Thank you!
Jared

 

[Prest0]

My topic is the impact PDF technology has had on independent and desktop publishing. Since many of the posters here are PDF publishers I was hoping maybe some of you could give me your thoughts on PDF's and desktop publishing.

I think you need to be a lot more specific on what you're looking for. PDF is a format that locks in page design to create "portable documents". Designers use it all the time to take books, brochures, flyers, etc. for printing on presses. That was its first and primary purpose.

However, I don't think that's what you're really asking about. I think asking about the impact of e-book technology on publishing? Or are you actually focused on the PDF format in particular?

I'd advise narrowing your topic.

 

[boerngrim]

I think you need to be a lot more specific on what you're looking for. PDF is a format that locks in page design to create "portable documents". Designers use it all the time to take books, brochures, flyers, etc. for printing on presses. That was its first and primary purpose.

However, I don't think that's what you're really asking about. I think asking about the impact of e-book technology on publishing? Or are you actually focused on the PDF format in particular?

I'd advise narrowing your topic.

Hi Presto,
Yes you're right. What I'm looking for is the impact of e-book technology on publishing. I get stuck thinking in terms of PDFs because that's the format I'm familiar with.
Thank you!

 

[Prest0]

That's a big topic. The short answer is that it's changing the publishing landscape. In some ways it's changing it the way MP3s have changed the music business, but in other ways not so much. Publishers have been promised the advent of a viable e-book market since the 80s. Back then many publishers were burned by sinking a lot of money into digital initiatives that eneded up being premature. Now the big publishing houses are only slowly adopting e-books for fear of being burned again. Everyone is waiting on the "iPod of books". The Sony and the Kindle are both good first-generation devices, but of course the iPod didn't really hit the big time until 5th generation. However, there's a danger in drawing too close of a comparison between the book market and the music market. Books will never be $0.99 unless the number of people buying e-books is significantly higher than the number of people buying print books today.

Right now publishers face a chicken-egg dilemma. Why spend money creating digital content when there's no market, but there won't be a market until there's digital content.

For a good overview of what's going on in the e-book world, spend a few hours reading posts at teleread.

 

[boerngrim]

Thanks Presto.
What I'm focusing on for my project is how EBooks or electronic publishing have made it possible for people to publish works that otherwise might not ever be published. Like independently produced RPG books. Books in a format like PDF make that possible.

 

[EP]

E-books or PDFs really didn't allow people to create their own independent material - it just offered a means for consumers to want to buy them. People have been produced fan material for years and posting them on messageboards, homepages, and anything else that was mostly text based. Nothing eye catching and you had to have a taste for independent material already. Kind of like how some people only listen to independent music and can't stand studio CDs.

Personally, I think it was when out-of-print copies became available on PDF that small print guys began to get noticed. I found my sales generally increased after WotC starting releasing old PDF copies of 1E and 2E material. Then consumers could find the old classics alongside these 3pp PDFs and they could fit together. We had a chance to compete with the big guys.

However, RPGs can't really be used to compare to an overall market. Most successful PDFs use open material from a larger print source, and such things are impossible in any other market. You cannot legally sell a sequel to a John Grisham book on PDF. There are no independently successful RPG systems available exclusively in PDF so the market can't exactly be considered a good example of PDFs standing alongside print.

 

[boerngrim]

Thanks Todd! The jist I'm getting form you and Presto, as well as my other research is that electronic publishing is promising, but not yet mainstream successful. I've been reading articles through my college's reasearch databases, and that seems to be the concensus. The big publishing houses are sceptical, and the little guys seem to be hopeful. It seems that electronic publishing is dependent on the arrival and success of a good EBook reader device catching on.
I have to admit that most of the PDF game books and adventures I buy end up being printed out. It's just easier to read that way.

 

[EP]

RPG PDFs have also done better than other genres because RPGs have a computer element to them. GMs can use a PDF at the table where they have their personal notes, audio selections, and other tools for the game. Change the window and read that new feat again. It's not something that works for a novel.

But yeah, having something in your hands is still the traditional way to read and it won't change until a good reader is developed.

 

[Charke]

E-Publishing really has allowed any man and his dog to publish a book. Quality has serriously suffered for that, but it has opened a lot of doors.

Mark Charke

 

[GMSkarka]

The AP did a story on that, late last year. You can still find it on some sites:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120401300.html