Does digital publishing mean the death of the author? | Richard Lea

We used to know what it took to be a writer – you had to publish a book. But electronic publishing is piling pressure on myths of the author's lifeWhat's the difference between making money out of books and writing books that people want to buy? Turns out it's about 40% – if, that is, you believe this year's Digital Book World (DBW) survey.Only 20% of the 1,600 self-published authors surveyed, and just a quarter of the almost 800 writers with a traditional book deal, judged it "extremely important" to "make money writing books". Shift the issue to publishing "a book that people will buy" and the figures leap to 56% and 60% respectively.But of course, you say – this is literature we're talking about. These authors have loftier concerns than the grubby business of making money. Art is their province. If they must consort with the commercial world to find an audience, then so be it. But heaven forfend they should be interested in something so base as raking in the cash.Except, in the digital age this kind of logic just doesn't wash. If all you're interested in is finding an audience for your work, then electronic distribution allows you to find it without any connection to the marketplace at all. Write your masterpiece, stick it on your website, and sound the trumpets for the victory of Pallas Athene. Or, if what you're really looking for is the grateful adulation of your adoring fans, stick it on Scribophile or WritersCafe and get ready to feel the love. These days the only... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishing must make room for disabled authors - for its own good

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‘Not enough money to go around’: US digital-media publishers curb international expansion

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[ Digiday | 2020-08-26 04:01:12 UTC ]
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US Publishers, Authors, Booksellers Call Out Amazon’s ‘Concentrated Power’ in the Book Market

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The Pandemic Pushed Publishing Into the Digital Realm. So What's Next?

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-07-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In Europe, Efforts at Pandemic Relief for Publishing; New Funds for Authors

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Publishers want more black authors. Why have they silenced us for so long? | Candice Carty-Williams

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Dorothy Koomson: 'publishing is a hostile environment for Black authors'

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BookExpo 2020: Adult Book and Author Dinner Goes Digital

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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News Corp Australia to Cut ‘Up to a Third of Workforce’ in Move Towards Digital-Only Publishing

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News Corp to cut hundreds of jobs in move towards digital-only publishing

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[ The Guardian | 2020-05-27 10:53:51 UTC ]
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Coronavirus: In Spain, Publishers Weigh Crisis Management and Digital Capabilities

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New survey: Digital publishers reveal strategies for growth

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Agents warn publishers to 'think carefully' on delaying author payments

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