Looking ahead by looking behind
A typical blog topic for this time of year is to predict what might happen in the year to come. Personally, I think this a little silly because there is just no possible way that anyone could predict the future — who could have predicted the meteoric rise in ebooks over the past year, or the massive changes in publishing industry as a whole? No one, really. On the other hand, I can look back at what’s been happening, and that in itself might give us some ideas of what might be coming in the year ahead. Shall we try it?
In the past year traditional publishing companies have been doing all that they can to stay relevant in this ever-changing market. It’s a funny line they’ve got to walk. On the one hand, many authors still want that validation of being published by a traditional publisher – it is outside validation, and it does make getting a book out there easier (not having to worry about editing, formatting or designing a cover), giving authors much better distribution than anything an indie-author could do on his own. So, yes, despite the fact that many authors are turning their backs on the traditional publishing industry, a good number of authors do still want to be published that way, even indie-authors. So for that reason, traditional publishers need to keep doing what they’ve always done. But now they’re not just competing against each other, but against every indie-author as well. So they’ve got to find the best books and publish them in as many different formats as they can. There is no longer a mid-list. Those authors have fled to self-publishing. There is only the best for the traditional publishers. It’s hard and it’s harsh, but it’s reality.
Within self-publishing there are new companies trying to beat Amazon at its own game. Barnes and Noble has been trying for years, Apple ad Smashwords are doing it’s best and now there are a bunch of other companies jumping into the book-selling business or are entering the US market for the first time. Will they succeed? Unfortunately, the answer, I think, is probably not. Nothing can beat Amazon. It’s too big. Too pervasive. Barnes and Noble has been doing an amazing job with their Nook and all of the ebooks and magazines that they’ve got, but they’re just a book store. Amazon is an everything store — it’s like Walmart, only better. You can get everything there, so while you’re there you’ll buy your books and your clothing and your groceries.
The one advantage Barnes and Noble has is that its e-reader reads epub books which can be read on almost any e-reading device (except Kindles). On the other hand, there are still more people buying books in the Kindle (mobi) format than epubs. (I’ve had my books for sale at Kobo since they “opened their doors” in the US, and my sales have been so bad there, I never even check them anymore. No point. Smashwords, All Romance ebooks and the new Best Indie Bookstore are good in that you can get any format of the books for sale there that you want (and that the author has made available). Those are smart e-retailers and I appreciate that (even if I do hate the Smashwords meatgrinder with a passion).)
With regard to what genres are selling – it is everything and anything. There are more genres than ever before — and they’re all selling. Personally, I love the concept of this new “new adult” genre. It’s kind of like YA only with sex. It’s basically what I’ve been writing my entire career since all of my Regencies have had heroes and heroines who are in their late teens, early twenties. It’s the nature of the genre I write, so, I think my books will fit in very nicely there — and now I get to give my books a new label. Fun!
So, what have I missed – it’s a lot, I know! Tell me what has happened this year that’s really caught your attention. And how do you think it’s going to impact the industry in the year to come. I’d love to hear your ideas!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas (no matter how you celebrate – with a tree, presents and a fantastic Christmas dinner, or Chinese take-out and a movie)!
