FastCompany: Something Is Rotten In The State Of E-Book Publishing

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I wish people would stop telling me that I want flash and dazzle and social networking. I'm perfectly happy with long-form text on an e-ink screen. And, being something of an introvert, I hate that social networking is being pushed down my throat everywhere I look. If I want to be social, I'll go out looking for it.

I am an old Navy guy. A pilot. I have had 3 wives. Many girlfriends in a lot of ports. A bunch of great children. Many friends. One of my kids even owns a bar. I manage to socialize directly maybe too well.

I don't belong to Facebook, Myspace, twitter, or any of the others. I had a presence on Linkedin because a friend invited me and I thought it might be useful as a business aid. After a while I quit that.

I am not an introvert by any means but Facebook and the like seem to me too much like writing your name and number on the inside of a public bathroom stall. There just aren't any filters or gateways to keep away the uninvited and even worse the undesirables.

And even more so, all these gadgets, these social networking schemes are geared to make the owners money, and they make more money, the more they know about you, and they sell or give away this information to anyone, to everyone.

[ProfCrash]

Actually, it is not tough to keep things private on Facebook. You choose to only allow people that you friend to see your information and you don't post information that you deem to be too private on the site. My friends know a ton about my dogs and the pepper plants in the back yard and that I am pregnant. They can see that I play a few silly games. That is about it.

[Sydney's Mom]

Thanks, kennyc. I agree, interactive stuff shouldn't be called a book. A book is something you read, not watch or play with.

I avoided setting up email on my fire because I thought it would interfere with my reading. I then found Angry Birds was interfering. But I have found that if I am playing AB, I will never get sleepy. So I had to go back to reading at bedtime.

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Wait, wait, are you talking about a book-burning party???

Puh-lease.

It's a reading app deleting party.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I wish people would stop telling me that I want flash and dazzle and social networking. I'm perfectly happy with long-form text on an e-ink screen. And, being something of an introvert, I hate that social networking is being pushed down my throat everywhere I look. If I want to be social, I'll go out looking for it.

If I want movies, I fire up the LaserDisc/DVD/BluRay.
If I want Audio (Music or dramatic performance) I fire up the Phonograph/Tape Player/CD Player.
If I want the written word, I grab a book or E-ink reader
If I want interactive, I use the Desktop computer.
If I want to be harassed, I pick up the can opener (all the pets show up and Meow/Whine 'feed me')

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I wish people would stop telling me that I want flash and dazzle and social networking. I'm perfectly happy with long-form text on an e-ink screen. And, being something of an introvert, I hate that social networking is being pushed down my throat everywhere I look. If I want to be social, I'll go out looking for it.

exactly. if i want a story with lots of bells and whistles going off i'd put down the book and turn on the xbox. i pretty much have a.d.d. as it is, i don't need the temptation of further distractions when i want to read quietly. i've never read a book and thought it would be better with the addition of video and sound.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

I am not an introvert by any means but Facebook and the like seem to me too much like writing your name and number on the inside of a public bathroom stall.

There was a recent throwaway gag on CBS's PERSON OF INTEREST about how the government had spent years trying to find all sorts of private data on people.
Paraphrasing:
"Turned out all we needed to do was set up a social media website and they happily gave us all we ever wanted and a lot more."

[kennyc]

so f'n true!

[FizzyWater]

I can think of uses for interactivity....and they're almost all for non-fiction books. I tend to think when Hollywood gets its hands on my favorite books, it just ruins them anyway.

And - ye gods I hate all the "like us on Facebook/twitter/other useless timewasting websites".

[J. Strnad]

And what do we, the book-buying public, want? Cheaper prices, as ever, but we're also all expecting books to move beyond dead text and into something much more dynamic, something loaded with rich media, something that makes use of the color and graphics of our tablet screens, and perhaps the social networking powers they also sport as apps. Because those kinds of books sure as heck aren't in Amazon's top-selling Kindle list right now.

As others have said, this is pretty much the polar opposite of what I want in a book.

I suppose it's too much to hope that publishers would focus on making their authors' work available conveniently and affordably rather than on how to extract the most money from their customers.

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

As others have said, this is pretty much the polar opposite of what I want in a book.

I suppose it's too much to hope that publishers would focus on making their authors' work available conveniently and affordably rather than on how to extract the most money from their customers.

My dear Author, you should see the movie with Steve Martin, "The Jerk."

Quote: "It's a Profit Thing!"

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I think we all know this, including those who are still defending the old-guard. I would disagree with the final statement about more interactive content though. I think interactive content has a place, but it's not the traditional book market, it's an adjunct to it.

BeccaPrice said it really well and I agree with her 95%. But I also agree with the statement underlined above. I do think that there is a place for interactive content. For an e-book, it doesn't have to be flashy and intrusive. An easy one-button option that allows you to quickly go to maps or the cast of characters, for example. (Yes, X-Ray allows you to do some of these things, some of the times) Ever wonder how to pronounce a characters name? Highlight it and hear the author say it as he intends. These are features I would pay extra for. Which brings me to my next point...

Give consumers a choice. Have a standard ebook and an enhanced ebook, that costs more + has additional features for those who want it. Publishers could make more money + consumers could pay for what they want. Everyone wins.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by VaporPunk

Give consumers a choice. Have a standard ebook and an enhanced ebook, that costs more + has additional features for those who want it. Publishers could make more money + consumers could pay for what they want. Everyone wins.

If they give consumers a choice, the vast majority will pick the simpler (cheaper) version. And then, there goes their extra profit.
The gold-plating is to justify higher prices, given the resistance to their tactics to date. Especially from the DOJ.

They're still looking for a silver bullet.

[kennyc]

Just like in Software, there is no silver bullet, they simply have to change their business model if they intend to continue.

You'd think the lessons from the audio and video world (hell even the gaming world) would be quite evident.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Just like in Software, there is no silver bullet, they simply have to change their business model if they intend to continue.

You'd think the lessons from the audio and video world (hell even the gaming world) would be quite evident.

Especially the gaming world.
It's the oldest of the three and they have really explored a *lot* of business models. No need to guess about what happens if you do something: just dig up the data from the game publishers and development studios.
And right now, because of DRM and the walled gardens, the ebook business is quickly resembling console gaming.