Amazon's Kindle ebook reader
Amazon.com Promo Editorial Image
The publishing industry is changing rapidly, and traditional books may someday be a thing of the past. With the rise of quick self-publishing websites, electronic books and equipment to store hundreds and thousands of books, the ebook may be the newest and most permanent change in publishing.
From the time of Gutenberg, the publishing industry has always been undergoing changes; currently, the rise of small, independent publishing houses and the use of electronic books and ebook readers are taking the industry by storm.
Ebooks
Ebooks are a relatively recent development, but the technology is advancing rapidly. Websites like Lulu.com make publishing a print on demand or electronic book a matter of uploading a few files and clicking buttons; the rise in self-publishing makes selling ebooks through Lulu and Amazon.com a brilliant marketing technique for up and coming authors who don't want to go through traditional publishing channels.
The electronic book is far more versatile than a traditional ink-and-paper book, allowing authors to experiment with different design types and increase the range of things a book can accomplish. Publishing a book online can be as simple as setting up a website and putting text on it, but many new authors will do much more to attract viewers. Making a book on the computer allows writers and designers to create an interactive reading experience unlike anything a physical book can accomplish.
Using PDF files also allows online writers to offer their readers the opportunity to print off a copy of their book should they choose to do so. One benefit of a PDF ebook is that they can be designed to appear to be similar to a more traditional book while still experimenting with the form.
Ebook readers
Things like Amazon's Kindle allow consumers to purchase books and download them directly to their device. This opens up the market of books to impulse buying unlike anything the Internet or traditional bookstores have offered before; consumers can now decide to purchase a book and have it in their hands within a matter of moments.
Although ebook readers are still in the beginning stages of development, already they are beginning to change the way books are purchased and read. Traditional books require space and storage, where ebook readers like the Kindle allow readers to carry over 1,000 books with them in an object that weighs less than a traditional paperback book.
Most ebook readers have a screen that appears similar to traditional paper, reducing the eyestrain caused by staring at a compute screen, making them much more similar to a regular book.
Benefits and costs of ebook readers
Ebooks and ebook readers are quickly gaining popularity within the publishing industry; they give writers a market to easily distribute work that may not have ever been published otherwise and make books much more accessible to readers everywhere. However, there are costs associated with the use of ebook readers; the beloved print book may soon become something of an endangered species, and writing and publishing as we know it are poised to change forever.
The technology to publish and purchase books electronically, now that it is available, is not something likely to go away, and can be appreciated for the many benefits it confers upon writers and consumers alike. Traditional publishing is likely to be around for a while yet, so those readers who still prefer to read ink-and-paper books are in little danger of losing them. In the long run, though, ebook readers will only continue to gain acceptance within the publishing community.
Comments