There Are Books . . . And Then There's The Book Industry
TWENTY-ONE Years I've been cursed, err, blessed, to work in the writing and publishing industries. No. Really. Blessed. Honest. It's just that those industries have been changing more rapidly than most people can keep up with over, oh, I don't know, say . . . the past TWENTY years? Yep. Pretty much my whole adult career.
“Because all of us are so ready to talk about the world we live in. We are ready to have a publishing industry that is of that world.” ~Mira Jacob
- The big six, become the big five, gobble up a bunch of mediums, and share vendor space at publishing conferences next to self-published authors.
- E-books grow, then settle out, taking up some space in the industry, but maybe not as much as audio books are expected to consume.
- Subscription-style publishing becomes the next big thing . . . that never really happened.
- Collaborations take hold in a powerful way, providing platforms for the everyman and woman to share important and impactful stories.
- Hybrid and print-on-demand publishers replace vanity presses and take their place alongside traditional publishers.
- Authors pick and choose publishing approaches for each different book: traditional for this sponsored book, independent for a children's book, audiobook only for a leadership publication . . . mix & match as fits your business!
- Big box bookstores are dying. Don't hate. I was a Borders General Manager back in the day and *I*LOVED*MY*STORE*. I know it hurts, but crying over it doesn't change the fact. And - bonus! Independent bookstores have had a resurgence.
- Don't even get me started on sales, distribution, marketing, and media!
Two decades ago, I was being told:
The collective, "THEY" of this prediction were all wrong. Print is NOT dead. It is changing and expanding and that only happens to things that are very much . . . alive. For more than two decades, I have been watching and living the evolution of print. There's a problem with that for people outside of the industry. You know what it's like when you see somebody after years apart and you can't believe how much he or she has changed? You take this new person in, remark on his or her appearance, attitude . . . transformation! Once the marvel is done, you realize you have to start over from scratch to know this person. It is not the boy or girl you had in your memory.
The same is true with an industry. How do you expect to walk in and know what the writing and publishing worlds have been up to if you haven't seen them develop and grow day-by-day and inch-by-inch the way their family has watched them from the inside. We've marked each change on the metaphorical door jams that measure the industries. While writing and publishing have undergone phenomenal change, writers and authors have never had greater opportunity to make an impact with their messages. The power of story has NOT changed. It remains one of the most valuable tools we have at our disposal to serve as a catalyst for positive growth in mind, body, spirit, and soul.
You understand stories! That has not changed!
What you may need, though, is someone to help you understand the world in which those stories survive and thrive.
While I teach a number of creative lessons in writing, I have decided to begin offering FREE webinar series on the business and administrative sides of the writing and publishing industries. The first of these series is "The Professional Bookshelf" and, if you ever loved the potential that comes with a book, this just may be the series for you.
Sign up for free at: https://bucketlisttobookshelf.simplero.com/page/93436
We'll kick off by learning about "Using Books To Boost Business" on Wednesday, July 18th. Early morning webinars will fill your head with knowledge at the same time that you down that first cup of coffee.
Words are alive and well. Are you ready to get to know them all over again?
Yours in writing, Reji Laberje, Bucket List to Bookshelf , 8-Time #1 Bestselling Author of Over 40 Publications, Celebrity Co-Author and Writing & Publishing Industry Consultant, Click to: Take The Book-in-a-Month Program , Email: [email protected]
"Better words for a better world!"
