Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyc
<yawn> Sorry Dennis, you are stuck in the present. Yes books are currently published in paper but not for long. It is inevitable and unless the publishers realize this and change quickly new businesses will take there place. It's going to happen way faster than you seem to think.
|
Possible, but I doubt it. Billion dollar businesses don't wither and die all that quickly.
Quote:
The music business is in shambles at the moment, the publishing industry will be in another five years. It is already going down hill and has been since before TV took over as the primary home entertainment venue.
Not much time left. 
|
See my comments on the underlying difference between the two industries.
You're right about the effect of TV. The real competition is for the reader's discretionary
time. Cost isn't the biggest factor. When the person in question could be watching TV, going to a movie, going out to dinner, or doing an assortment of other things, some of which will cost more than a book, why should they read?
And I think the effect you cite is a factor in "Too many books chasing too few readers". For a lot of folks, the answer to "Why should they read?" may reduce to "They won't."
Quote:
|
P.S. You seem to be stuck in the Independent publisher vs the mega publisher mindset. That's not necessarily what I'm saying at all. The publishers are more likely to be replaced by something like Amazon than a bunch of ants.
|
It sounds like you are conflating the roles of publisher and retailer.
Let's assume the future you foresee comes to pass. What does it look like? Who publishes books? What form are they in? Who sells them? Who writes them? Is it possible for a writer to make a living as an author in the brave new world?
______
Dennis