As long as there are readers, writers will have work to do
“Reading is here to stay,” wrote Robert M. Sacks in the November/December 2012 issue of Publishing Executive magazine. His astute observation caught my attention, captivating my thoughts, both then and even more so today.
Discussions and speculation about the rapid evolution in the book publishing industry threaten to overwhelm us; considerations abound:
- Options such as traditional publishing, self-publishing, and assisted publishing
- More options in the form of indie presses, outsourcing, and support services
- Help from consultants, coaches, and editors
- Requirements for the platform, promotion, and marketing
- Social media to blog, tweet, and message
- Communication through e-newsletters, RSS feeds, and subscriptions
- Technologies of e-books, e-readers, and e-publishing
- Changes via consolidation, closures, and layoffs
- Audiobooks, foreign rights, translations, screenplays, and movie deals
My brain’s about to explode with all these developments, options, and choices. Readers will always need authors to write things for them to read.
Yet one thing remains: reading is here to stay. And with the future of reading secure, the future of authors and publishers is promising – for all of us willing to change, adapt, and dream.
Tomorrow will be interesting, exciting, and exhilarating, because reading is here to stay, and those readers will need authors to write content for them to read.
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book The Successful Author for insider tips and insights.