Changing Times
I'm not referring to the end of daylight savings time but rather the publishing industry.
Since the advent of the e-reader the publishing industry has been set on it's ear. What was once thought to be a fad is here to stay. One Kindle, Nook or other device in hand and the reader has thousands of books at their command. Gone are the days when half your suitcase was devoted to the novels you planned to read on vacation! Even dyed-in-the-wool book lovers like me readily admit affection for digital readers. Do I think brick and mortar publishing houses will become obsolete? A year ago, I would have said no, now...I'm not so sure.
Don't get me wrong. I think there will always be people like me who love the feel and scent of a book in their hands, however the "old" houses need to take a lesson from the "new." In my opinion one of the major draws of the digital industry is the amount of new talent presented to the reader. Certainly, some of these writers will fall to the wayside as has always been the case, but others will become rising stars. Traditional publishers seems stuck in a rut as they wait to see if the tide will turn in their favor once again. They seem to repeatedly publish inferior work by their "known" authors, hanging sales on name recognition, while fearing to take a chance on new talent. In my opinion, they are shooting themselves in the foot.
I have been an avid reader most of my life. I have my favorite authors, to whom I am fiercely loyal. Was fiercely loyal. Over the past year I have sadly marked three of them off my reading list. Why? Their editors are allowing them to make errors in judgment, ramble on about nothing to add another book to already lengthy series. Sometimes a story line needs to be wrapped up. An author usually knows when and should adhere to their gut, not the paycheck dangling in front of their noses. Their creation deserves a better fate than fading into obscurity and their readership certainly does more. J. K. Rowling knew it was best to leave at the top of your game. Perhaps publishers need to reconsider the draw of a name over the quality of material.
Do you agree or disagree. Would you rather read something new and fresh from an unknown or follow blindly a well known name? Let me here from you!
Since the advent of the e-reader the publishing industry has been set on it's ear. What was once thought to be a fad is here to stay. One Kindle, Nook or other device in hand and the reader has thousands of books at their command. Gone are the days when half your suitcase was devoted to the novels you planned to read on vacation! Even dyed-in-the-wool book lovers like me readily admit affection for digital readers. Do I think brick and mortar publishing houses will become obsolete? A year ago, I would have said no, now...I'm not so sure.
Don't get me wrong. I think there will always be people like me who love the feel and scent of a book in their hands, however the "old" houses need to take a lesson from the "new." In my opinion one of the major draws of the digital industry is the amount of new talent presented to the reader. Certainly, some of these writers will fall to the wayside as has always been the case, but others will become rising stars. Traditional publishers seems stuck in a rut as they wait to see if the tide will turn in their favor once again. They seem to repeatedly publish inferior work by their "known" authors, hanging sales on name recognition, while fearing to take a chance on new talent. In my opinion, they are shooting themselves in the foot.
I have been an avid reader most of my life. I have my favorite authors, to whom I am fiercely loyal. Was fiercely loyal. Over the past year I have sadly marked three of them off my reading list. Why? Their editors are allowing them to make errors in judgment, ramble on about nothing to add another book to already lengthy series. Sometimes a story line needs to be wrapped up. An author usually knows when and should adhere to their gut, not the paycheck dangling in front of their noses. Their creation deserves a better fate than fading into obscurity and their readership certainly does more. J. K. Rowling knew it was best to leave at the top of your game. Perhaps publishers need to reconsider the draw of a name over the quality of material.
Do you agree or disagree. Would you rather read something new and fresh from an unknown or follow blindly a well known name? Let me here from you!
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