[dugong]

I agree with the side that believes that digital books will increase the prospects of midlist authors.

The Huffington post opinion is likely correct in that visual cues in a bookstore will play a less significant role with time, especially since more and more bookstores are closing.

But because we are constantly bombarded with visual ad messages, a lot of us avoid responding to them, or at least try to. The immune system kicks in. We become desensitized.

Meanwhile, the internet enables multiple tools for ferreting out good stuff to read. If the midlist author writes interesting books, people will find out. The lack of opportunities to visualize flashing packaging and eye catching displays won't matter.