Quote:
Originally Posted by xg4bx
"Marketing studies consistently show that readers are far more adventurous in their choice of books when in a bookstore than when shopping online. In bookstores, readers are open to trying new genres and new authors: it's by far the best way for new works to be discovered."
i don't know who the bleep these market researchers are asking. i've discovered more authors in my year of kindle ownership than i did the past 10 years of my life. damn near entire genres pretty much exist solely in the ebook realm. horror is dead at retail. science fiction is almost dead at retail. sword&sorcery was really never even given a chance at retail. the authors and genres bookstores don't carry literally fill warehouses.
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So true.
I went into a large bricks and Mortar store looking for Jim C Hines books for our daughters' Christmas presents last year. The staff had NEVER heard of the author nor were his books on their order/stock database.
Konrath was certainly right in saying that most B&M stores do not carry all genres, indeed have never carried them. So how can customers ever discover new and exciting genres when many simply are not present in store to tempt them? Specialist stores exist, complete with bearded geek behind the counter, but often you feel you are wearing a plastic raincoat all the while clutching a purchase in a plain brown paper bag when you exit the store.
I agree that in the main SF is dead in retail (with Baen and Black Library the only ones seemingly available and then only in limited numbers), Pulp Fantasy seems to have bulked out that section of a bookstore. However online, I am buying and reading more SF books than I did when I read paperbacks. There is a rich indie selection available on both Smashwords and Amazon to select from.
Around two years ago I had never heard of;
Randoph Lalonde
Evan Currie
Dan Worth
David Guyton
Thomas DePrima
Valmore Daniels
And many, many others.
It is becoming evident now that the big 6 will be forced to evolve, kicking and screaming all the way.