#178 Inevitable Change

The world of publishing is changing before our very eyes.  I am new to this world.  I entered less than 8 months ago when I devoted my full time to writing.  I published my first novel on May 25th.  All the while, Amazon and Hachette have undergone a stalemate in negotiations which could very likely set the tone for the immediate future of publishing.

Many writers have addressed this issue.  I follow two who share similar world views as I do and who are much more informed, researched and smarter than I am.  If you would like to spend time educating yourself, I suggest start with them.  They are: JA Konrath and Hugh Howey.

For those who want the dumbed down version:

Amazon - Largest retailer of books in the world.  Pioneered the sale and distribution of ebooks seamlessly to kindles of all shapes and sizes.  Has developed a platform for any writer to publish a work direct to consumers.  Writers meeting directly with readers, without the middleman.  The writer is responsible for when the novel is released, content, price, marketing, everything.

Hachette - A top 5 publishing firm that represents several big name writers, along with many mid-list writers.  For more than a century the top 5 publishers have been the only viable option for aspiring writers.  They possess superior knowledge and skill in printing, distributing and minimizing risk in an industry that can be awfully dangerous for those companies who consistently back less than worthy novels.  They've followed a successful business model that has dominated US and worldwide print culture.

Amazon put out in a statement this week that they desire to keep ebook prices low while offering more royalties for authors.  Readers get books cheaper and writers make more money.  It's a win-win.  Well, except for the publisher who would make less money with this new set up.  However, in the ebook world, publishers deserve to make less money.  They perform less work!  They no longer need to worry about printing, warehousing, shipping, reshipping, re-warehousing and they do not need to worry about a book potentially flopping, leaving them with thousands of unwanted books.  Less work.  Less risk.  It's only fair they receive less of the royalty rate.

Of course, the big 5 do not see it this way and have been fighting Amazon for awhile now.  Their tactics include using big name writers (like James Patterson) to condemn the retailer for their proposed desire to corner the market and take control of the industry, control the big 5 have enjoyed for more than a century.  If Amazon wishes to take control in order to get books to readers cheaper and pay authors more, then I am rooting for Amazon.

But I'm an indie writer.  I admit my bias.  If you are a writer or a reader, you should be rooting for Amazon.  You should be rooting for the inevitable change that connects readers directly to writers, the only two people who should be participating in this lovely dance we call reading!