Tips for Writers
Changing the eBook Game
By Jerry D. Simmons | February 15th, 2010 | 4 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Two weeks ago Apple introduced the iPad which shook the eBook business to its core and ignited a firestorm over the future of the digital marketplace. Last week one of the largest publishers in New York, Macmillan settled a dispute with Amazon over pricing of their eBooks effectively allowing the company to price above $9.99. These two events have suddenly changed the outlook for eBooks and instantly provided tremendous opportunities for independent authors.
Apple overnight made the market for eBooks more viable as a form of content delivery since the publishing industry holds the company in such high esteem. The book business is very old school and sometimes it takes a major event to open the eyes of New York publishers to the possibilities. Apple provided that eye opener. Amazon was a player and the Kindle opened some doors, but nothing like Apple and their new iPad. Suddenly everyone is taking a second look.
The big New York companies have been fighting with Amazon over the pricing of their eBooks since the Kindle was introduced. Today, for a hardcover priced at $28, Amazon sells the eBook for $9.99 and then pays the publisher $4.01. For each unit sold, Amazon was paying publishers $14.00 and as a result was trying to force the publishers to lower their price for all eBooks. The big publishers have refused. Amazon desperately wanted to seed the market with low priced eBooks and sell more Kindle’s; that strategy will now change.
The New York publishers have always felt that the pricing for their bestselling titles should be closer to the hardcover price, in effect raising the price for most if not all New York published eBooks. This opens the door for the independent author and publisher to price in a manner that will undercut their bigger competitors in a market that is already comfortable with $9.99 and below. This is something the print market has forbidden simply because of the cost of paper, printing and handling. This is a major event in the emerging market for the sale and distribution of eBooks.
As a result of these two significant events, every author should take steps to secure eBook distribution. Even though the print and eBook markets are the same, many of the major retailers for book sales look at both print and eBooks the same, which means the advantage of distribution for your eBook under a publisher banner is necessary to gain full market advantage of the distribution opportunities.
I would be happy to help you distribute your unpublished or published book as an eBook and provide the independent author with a market boost. Distribution of eBooks is a fraction of the cost of print and the economics make it much more advantageous for every author. The marketplace is getting ready to explode and if I can help you find a market for your eBook please contact me immediately. The window of opportunity may be small.
Tags: Book Distribution, Book Publishing, Book Sales, Hybrid Publishing Model, Self-Published Author, Self-Publishing
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