Many authors and librarians have predicted a world where authors go direct to the reader icing out web retailers, print bookstores and libraries. There have been several successful examples of this with established authors already. Indeed Amazon’s recent announcement that they are going to publish authors directly is another disruptive action the book ecosystem. The Bookish (Harper Collins and other pubishers’ e-book site set to launch) and Bestsharer’s 24Symbols (Netflix style unlimited subscriptions to e-books launching June 30th) initiatives are further disruptions.
24symbols (en) from 24symbols on Vimeo.
Now, JK Rowling announces that she is avoiding Amazon and traditional publishing altogether and putting Harry Potter e-books and audiobooks exclusively on her own site..
J.K. Rowling Unveils “Pottermore” Site, Cuts Out The Middleman (Sorry, Amazon)
(1:49 minutes)
Many libraries were looking forward to the release of Harry Potter as e-books after the finish of the book and film series and the completion of the DVD set. It is unclear if libraries – as middlemen – will be allowed to play at all.
Further readings on the changing patterns of book publishing:
Nook is now a $1 billion a year business (sort of)
I think that Nook is the reason why B&N was acquired – not the bricks.
Every author really should read this book – today
“John Locke has written a book about how he got 1 million ebook sales through Amazon in just 5 months.
How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months by John Locke”
Update: Baker & Taylor and B&N team up to make library books available on the Nook
Knowing the library business is not sufficient in today’s world to build successful library strategies.
UPDATE: There’s hope:
Harry Potter ebooks to be sold exclusively from the Pottermore website; powered by OverDrive
UPDATE 2: and they’re DRM free
Stephen
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